The Best of 2018

This is a collection of pictures and videos of devices that placed in the top ten at the 2018 National Tournament at Colorado State University. Feel free to add more pictures and/or videos of devices. If possible, please include a description about your device. Because everyone benefits when we share, devices that did not place in the top ten are sometimes allowed.

The Best of Nationals pages highlight the best devices for building events from recent national tournaments. All photos and videos of devices on these pages are submitted by users.

Battery Buggy (Division B)

Sixth Place

These pictures were submitted by Cheese, who competed in Battery Buggy for Chippewa Middle School (Minnesota). He averaged a score of -10 in practice.

Hovercraft (Division C)

Fourth Place

This picture was submitted by Adi1008, who competed in Hovercraft with Justin72835 for Seven Lakes High School. Our device had zero failed runs and two successful runs of 12.6 seconds using 5 rolls of pennies and 3.9 seconds using 16 rolls of pennies, ultimately getting a build score of ~40.32/42. The device was calibrated mainly by listening to the pitch of the motor when it was turned on, finding that higher pitch resulted in a faster time.

Second Place

These pictures were submitted by AsherNoel, who competed in Hover at nats for his second year from New Trier High School. At nationals, both successful runs had 16 pennies. The first had a time around 11 seconds and the second 15.72, resulting in a build score of 41.5/42. The potentiometer pictured had over 20 settings and was calibrated on an almost frictionless track (that was also slanted) so that potentiometer settings could be associated with different thrust forces and a relationship determined. The alan wrench attached served to increase the preciseness of the pot settings.

This picture shows the 3D model of the 2018 base.

This picture shows the three bases of the hovercrafts from 2017 and then the 2018 design next to it. The 2017 design also performed really well, but it is not pictured on the Best of 2017 wiki.

This was the pictured submitted for scoring (unlabeled). The skirt was a white garbage bag pulled almost taught with thousands of holes poked from a subcutaneous injection needle. As the holes get bigger, lift and friction both decrease.

Roller Coaster (Division B)

Seventh Place

These pictures were submitted by IvanGe, who competed in Roller coaster for Paul J. Gelinas Junior High School.

Towers (Division B)

Eleventh Place

This picture was submitted by Cheese, who competed in Towers for Chippewa Middle School (Minnesota). He averaged during the season with a score of around 2400 and placed 1st in all competitions before nationals. His national tower weighed 6.08 grams and held 7.419 kg with the bonus resulting in a score of 2042.69.