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Welcome to the home page of the University of British Columbia student section of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME). The UBC SNAME Student Section is committed to fostering the professional development and growth of its members. The Student Section holds monthly meetings in which members discuss advancements in shipbuilding and ship design projects within the school. These meetings also include regular guest lectures from local professionals. Members also take part in monthly networking events, usually held by the regional SNAME section, which allow student members to network with local industry professionals. Industry tours are also arranged in which students are shown various aspects of the local maritime design industry.

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  UBC Student Section Overview

This year, the student section has doubled in size, and we have a very active and enthusiastic group of students. Our executive team is very passionate about organizing and attending technical events that are valuable for the professional development of SNAME members. 

In the past year the chapter has made our presence known within the Pacific North West, touring the Vancouver Rolls Royce Propulsion division, the Seaspan and Zodiac shipyards, as well as hosting a Rolls Royce Marine Propulsion presentation for all UBC students.

The excitement for the UBC student section is only starting. This coming November we will be sending 13 section members to the World Maritime Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. Also we look forward to hosting guest lectures from Fairbanks Morse Engines to discuss the selection process of marine engines, VARD and to partnering with many more industry stalwarts to take a plunge into the depths of their vast oceans of knowledge.  The news doesn’t end there for UBC, our student teams UBC SailBot and SUBC have been hard at work.

 The transatlantic sailbot’s hull and keel showcased at YVR Vancouver International Airport

UBC SNAME Student Teams

SAILBOT – Autonomous Sailboat Racing Team

UBC SailBot is a team of over 60 students at the University of British Columbia who design, prototype and build robotic sailboats. After consecutively winning the International Robotic Sailing Regatta for three years, the UBC team began developing a sailbot to be capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean autonomously, a feat that has never been achieved before.

The team worked for two years to design and construct the transatlantic boat outside of courses. The vessel is built out of wood with a carbon fibre layup for a robust and lightweight vessel. The robotics onboard include many student-designed innovations in autonomous weather tracking systems, infrared imaging obstacle detection and avoidance algorithms, route optimization, solar power management and redundancy systems.

The team is currently testing the boat from September 2015 to June 2016 in Vancouver, Canada before heading to Newfoundland for further testing and embarking on the launch across the Atlantic in Summer 2016.

 S.U.B.C. – UBC’s Human Powered Submarine Team

SUBC has been designing, building and racing human powered submarines since its beginnings in 1991. The team has raced successfully in the past winning the 2000 and 2002 Human Powered Submarine competitions. Consisting of approximately 10-15 members from various engineering specializations, the team must innovate in order solve problems in a demanding underwater environment. Last year, the team worked in the construction of a new submarine hull, gearbox, control system, and dead man’s switch. This upcoming year, we are planning on completing the gearbox, control system, electronic control system and making progress in the other numerous subsystems. We are planning to compete at the European International Subrace (EISR) in Gasport, England 2016 summer (Specific dates haven’t been released)

This year, SUBC's goal is to complete a fully functioning human powered submarine and to compete in the EISR. They will be completing the internal systems such as the drive train, control system, and gear box by the end of 2015.