Page 34 - DUT CONNECT - Spring 2024

Siyahamba
— The little boat that could...
Dressed in bright orange oil slickers and hardhat, boat pilot, Steve Ellis, a world-renowned skipper, navigated Siyahamba through the blue seas of Monte Carlo, Monaco, in the 11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. The solar boat Siyahamba, named after the Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, was the only South African and African boat to compete in the international event. The 2024 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, viewed by over 1 million people online, marked a noteworthy milestone for DUT and the Siyahamba Solar Boat team. Their contribution not only spotlighted the innovative capabilities of South African engineering but also laid the foundations for future advancements and participation in international competitions.
Professor Ian Lazarus, team leader of DUT Siyahamba and Manager of KZN IEETR was full of praise for the team and the boat: “I was extremely proud of our team and what we had achieved.They worked tirelessly every day, firstly to get the boat
ready for the inspection tests in order to compete in the event and then to have Siyahamba in racing condition each day.”
More than 40 universities from around the world, with over 50 boats crewed by 450 students from 25 nations, competed in this year’s event. “We competed against top-class universities with large teams that have been participating for years at this event in Monaco,” said Professor Lazarus.
Although the team did not secure a victory, Siyahamba’s positive performance in Europe, highlighted the team’s potential and competitive spirit.The experience and lessons learned from this year’s event will inspire further research and invention, driving the pursuit of excellence at DUT. Professor Lazarus stated that their primary goals in competing are to innovate, learn, and inspire their fellow DUT students and the South African industry, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Siyahamba Solar Boat has an overall length of 5.5 metres, width of 2.4 metres and height of 1.2 metres.The main body is made from a carbon fibre composite structure reinforced with aluminium.The estimated overall weight is 100 kilograms. It has a PV array of 1.3 kilowatts to charge a 1.46 kilowatt-hour battery bank to power its 4 kilowatt Torqeedo electric motor.
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