William & Mary jumped right into the competition and had in-water tests happening before the first funding arrived. They utilized impressive tools and the makerspace to test multiple hulls before settling on the wooden catamaran structure that provided excellent stability and had a weight that allowed for easier operation in open water. The electric propulsion system was strong and matched the hull design well. Like many first-year craft, the only issue was reliability and this team knows how to create a testing regime that can identify and resolve these issues given more time.
My personal highlight with this team was a simple email on May 18. The body read “’William and Mary doesn't do engineering.’ We're getting excited for the competition!“ with a picture of the craft executing swiftly during a testing run. This ethos of embracing the challenge, fighting to find solutions, and celebrating successes is at the center of the PEP idea. In a matter of months William & Mary has become an integral part of the PEP community (in addition to bringing home cash prizes for their efforts).

Congratulations on a year of thoughtful testing, careful fabrication, and successful execution!