A local boat building company is a finalist in a big challenge.
Wedgeport Boats, Ltd. is one of three companies vying for a $500,000 prize from ACOA.
The Hull Design Efficiency Challenge called for Atlantic region boat builders and designers to develop fuel efficient boat hull designs that will help lower operating costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Business Manager Fraser Challoner says Wedgeport Boats looked at how they could improve their current hull.
“Our goal, honestly, was to put a new design, from an old product, out there and compete with some of the newer hull versions that are now on market and grow as a company and some job creation.”
He says they found out they had advanced to the final three on Friday.
Challoner says they have been around a long time and are excited about designing something new.
“And with the current design of the bigger boats that, you know, they’re twice as long as they are wide, if we could kind of keep those dimensions but streamline where it’s actually sitting in the water, and still maintain that space and that work area for our customers and clients, then we’ve done a good thing there.”
The winner, to be announced on July 31st, will get $500,000 as well as the prestige of creating a more efficient hull, along with the jobs that hopefully will come because of it.
**also in the top three:
Allswater, Halifax, NS and St. John’s, NL
TriNav Marine Design Inc., St. John’s, NL
This challenge prize is hosted by Impact Canada, a whole-of-government effort that helps departments accelerate the adoption of outcomes-based approaches to deliver meaningful results to Canadians.
ACOA has been working with Impact Canada to create and deliver the Hull Design Efficiency Challenge to incent advancements in the boat building and design industry. The challenge prize format was chosen because it removes financial risk and rewards success through various stages until a clear best-of-class solution emerges.
