Ship building competition??

[Kayelache]

Has anyone else taken part in the ship building competition aboard a HAL ship? You get into teams of about 4 people, and "build" a ship with whatever you can scrounge or find at a port. There are some rules, it has to "seaworthy"- that is, remain upright in the jacuzzi with the jets running with 25 pounds of weights added, of course it has to fit in the jacuzzi, and you can't "test" it in water before the judging. It should follow some sort of theme.

Last year, on a repositioning transatlantic cruise (25 days) we did, it was a lot of fun, and plan to do so again next months when we sail Seattle to Hong Kong (31 days.) There were about a dozen entries, everything from a pirate ship to our "Nude-erdam." It was so named because one of our team found a package of little 1 inch cupie dolls in a portside souvenir shop, nude as jaybirds! We couldn't find anything to make clothes for them, so we glued them all over the slab of styrofoam we got from the gift shop. We said, on our ship's cruise formalwear was optional, indeed any sort of "ware" was optional! One of the entries capsized as soon as it hit the water and was disqualified.

The winners were selected by audience applause, unfair because there was a large group traveling together that did one entry, and we were just four with no "fan club." Still, we won second prize.

It's a fun way to fill time on a cruise with lots of sea days. Our Seattle/ Hong Kong cruise starts out with 9 sea days in a row before we reach Japan!

Has anyone else taken part in this?

[heathriel]

DH heard about the Shipbuilding competition and totally went nuts about it. He had multiple ideas for it, and in every port we looked at various types of foam, and other floatable items.

 

When we got to Cabo, we took a cab to Home Depot, bought some insulation, and then he made some interior struts with that. It was the Edmund Fitzgerald, he even painted it grey with marker.

 

It held 48 cans of soda and didn't sink.

 

He came in second place, however, behind two kids who had a rather questionable raft made with beer cans and Casino slot machine quarter cups, and a huge fan base. They won two bottles of champagne and a sweatshirt. We got a disposable camera that was expired.

 

Our cabin steward managed to clean up all the foam dust in record time. We did put down a tarp, but that pink foam dust got over EVERYTHING.

 

So, he'll probably not enter again, because you'll never win against kids.

[margretha]

On another HAL foll call thread there is a woman who seemingly lives for the ship building contest. She shared information for a team forming for a soon to take place cruise with others on the roll call. Bring at least 2 twelve packs of soda so you can use the boxes for hulls, what to bring onboard that looks ordinary, where to buy other things for it. We were on a spring cruise with her and a team she'd formed. Her ship was dedicated to someone on CC who had lost a family member - there was a tearful dedication, an incredibly complex and detailed boat.... On several roll call threads she is already planning ship names and all. I guess you were lucky to lose to a couple of "kids" whose parents might also help them with their science experiments for school. In the case of the formal team building/shopping list sharing/drama demonstrated on our cruise and then later on the upcoming cruise roll calls it would be like going against a professional who knows what type of duct tape/supplies are already on hand while you go wandering around the Lido looking for empties,

string and some magic markers. Good luck! Peg

[DutchByAssociation]

I had 2 posts that featured her... The answer to my 5 questions that lots of readers were submitting:

http://www.dutchbyassociation.com/2009/04/q-with-dba-reader-cruisinetta.html

 

And more about shipbuilding when the wave of questions came in:

http://www.dutchbyassociation.com/2009/04/more-about-crusinetta-and-shipbuilding.html

[MARYVB]

I do this on every cruise it is offered on. Must have entered 7 or 8 times. Finally won last february with a container ship made from fifty milk cartons. I have never competed against kids, usually it is adults. So I would try again if I were the person who was put off by the kids. My nightmare is to have to go up against Cruisenetta. I missed her by one week in February. I was on the three day Eurodam and knew who she was right away because she was holding the mini e-dam. We met at the meet and greet. If you are reading this Cruisenetta, what is your sailing schedule for 2009/2010...Anything in October, February, or April??? They have the iron chef competition, why not "Iron shipbuilders" or would that be shipbuilders without Iron?

Maryvb

[jsparku]

Here are photos of Cruisintta award winning BRADDAM-she is quite good at this

 

 

[jsparku]

Another Braddam photo

 

[heathriel]

Where do the cans of soda go?

 

My husband can't figure this one out. It doesn't look like there is any storage space on cruisetta's ships.

[heathriel]

Oh, wait, I see there's a cutout in the center. I didn't realize cardboard could be strong enough to hold that many cans.

[Cruisinetta]

I do NOT live for the shipbuilding contest. I live to cruise! Shipbuilding allows me to unwind at night so that I can get to sleep. ;) I will be building a joke ship on the Westy this coming week. Be looking for it from Spinner2.

[Cruising-along]

I do NOT live for the shipbuilding contest. I live to cruise! Shipbuilding allows me to unwind at night so that I can get to sleep. ;) I will be building a joke ship on the Westy this coming week. Be looking for it from Spinner2.

 

Oh goody, another Spinner2 ship thread! :D So I'll get to see the mystery ship before you return to Seattle on the 27th --- yippee!!! :D:D:D

[Cruisinetta]

Not so fast Cruisingalong.......Spinner2 will only be posting the finished product. ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Some ships/itineraries don't even do this .

[Cruising-along]

Not so fast Cruisingalong.......Spinner2 will only be posting the finished product. ;)

 

hmmm, you mean it will be posted after the 27th? If it's before the 27th I'll still see the finished product before picking you up on the 27th. :p:D:p

[terkatz56]

The NorWesty Breezers will have the honor of watching her sail her newest ship in real time...I'm so glad that I am NOT competing against Cruisinetta. She is the master and we are in awe of her ship building qualities. After cruising with her we may be in awe of her other qualities as well. Looking forward to hanging with a celeb!:)

[Cruisinetta]

Cruisingalong, probably will not post the ship until I get home. ;)

BHHN, aw shucks!! :p

Krazy, they are not offering the contest on my next cruise, but I will build anyway. As I said, it helps me unwind at night so that I can sleep. The CC bunch wanted to see one of my ships anyway, so why not. :rolleyes: