R.I. students design solar-powered boat

TIVERTON, R.I. (WPRI) –Traveling across the Atlantic is no small feat, but one local group of college students have designed a boat that will conquer that journey all by itself.

The Green Team caught up with the design crew at a Tiverton garage, working hard on their 12-foot boat named SCOUT.

One of the designers, Endicott grad Brendan Prior, attributes the invention to a years-long friendship with the rest of the team. "We all grew up together, since we were little kids, and we've been building projects ever since we can remember," he said.

The 5 friends have spent countless hours working on SCOUT, using donated money and supplies to make their design a reality. Now, they just have a couple of hurdles to clear before the ship is ready to launch.

Dan Flanigan, a student at Bucknell, is most concerned with debris and other ships. However, he recognizes that it's "a big ocean and the chances of a direct hit are pretty slim." Still, it is hard to account for factors that are out of the team's control.

Right now, the boat is outfitted with a trolling motor, which is designed to deflect any debris. In addition, the team is working to make SCOUT more hydrodynamic. With a little more tweaking and some testing, the boat should be ready to hit the waves soon.

The first of its kind, the solar-powered transatlantic vessel is almost ready to depart the Ocean State on its maiden voyage. You can follow SCOUT's journey at GoTranSat.com .