The UW Human Powered Submarine team is a group of dedicated, passionate engineering students from all over the College of Engineering who work together each year to design, build, and race a human powered submarine. This summer, we will be competing in Gosport, England against other universities from around the world at the 4th Biennial European International Submarine Races. Last year, the team took home 1st place in our category, 2nd overall in innovation, and continued as the best American team for the 4th year in a row. This year, we are working with our two-person submarine, Knotty Dawg, and are looking forward to building a new controls system, drivetrain, propulsion system, and hull features. In order to make all this possible, we need your help!

Who We Are 

The University of Washington Human Powered Submarine Team is made up of over 60 driven engineering students who are looking for an opportunity to challenge themselves and build skills outside of the classroom. As a group, we value growth, integrity, dedication, respect, inclusion, and camaraderie. Each and every week, we strive to solve problems, communicate our ideas effectively, and develop ourselves as students, engineers, and leaders. 

What We Do

Each year, over the course of about 30 weeks, the UW Human Powered Submarine Team is responsible for designing, building, and testing a human powered submarine for an annual summer competition. Our entry for this year, Knotty Dawg, is a one-of-a-kind vessel. At 16 feet long, this two person submarine is made of western red cedar and khaya mahogany. Designed by members of the team, Knotty Dawg was constructed by the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding as part of their contemporary boat building project. The result of their work is a gorgeous submarine of the highest craftsmanship, ready for us to work with. 

The hull is like an empty canvas. It is up to the team to design systems that will allow our pilots to complete the course as quickly and reliably as possible. That means that in the fall, members of the team spend hours each week to create innovative systems to excel at competition. 

This year, our team of dedicated engineers is combining advanced engineering with traditional craftsmanship, and aiming to take home the European International Submarine Races (eISR) trophy in the process.

Where We're Going

The team is working hard to prepare for eISR 4 in July 2018. From redesigning the control system to include electronic fin control and a hydraulically controlled rudder, to revamping the drivetrain to give the pilots more space, members of the team are applying their knowledge to tackle real challenges with innovative solutions.

Also, new to the team this year is the manufacturing team. The manufacturing team was brought to life by the team's manufacturing lead, and is quickly developing into one of the best group of student machinists at the University of Washington.  

What We Need

This year, the team's projected expenses are just over $36,000. A portion of this funding comes from the university, primarily through the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, our team raises money through corporate sponsorship from a number of companies in the Puget Sound area. In order to get the rest of the way there, we need your help! This pie chart to the right shows a breakdown of our team expenses for the year, which include transportation, materials, competition costs, and events. The impact items on the right show how you can sponsor individual items that are key to our success. 

Our Future

We are excited to be such an important part of our members' education and experience at UW. As we continue to grow as an organization, the UW Human Powered Submarine team is looking forward to making an impact in the lives of many future engineers. We are striving to develop ourselves into the best engineers now and for the future.

To see more of the submarine, visit our Facebook page, check out this article about the team in Popular Mechanics, and read this article written by the University of Washington about the upcoming year!

Also, check out the video below for more information about last summer's competition, and our team's partnership with the UW Applied Physics Lab: