TRR photo by Chris Conroy (Click for larger image)

Not quite all wet

By CHRIS CONROY

NARROWSBURG — Members of Sullivan West at Narrowsburg’s Lionel Billard’s technology class took to the waters of Little Lake Erie on June 8 to test out their aquatic creations. Two out of three managed to stay above water, but only one completed the lap to a buoy and back with no real problems.

Michael Weyandt (pictured, at right) piloted neither the most complex nor the simplest design, but his team’s watercraft turned in the record time of three minutes and 52 seconds.

Michael’s brother Daniel took the first and most complex craft out on the water. Soon after the start, the shaft that was supposed to turn the paddle wheels on the contraption snapped. He paddled the course, finishing in just over six minutes.

Bill Nordenhold, the final pilot, sat atop the simplest of the three vehicles. Sitting atop, however, turned out to be more of a challenge than his team imagined. The overly tall craft tipped, dumping Nordenhold into the water.

Billard, together with science teacher Russell Johansen, orchestrated the event in order to give the students a chance to see science, math and technology in action.