For my social venture, I have decided pursue boat building. After conducting some research on passed social ventures that have built boats I feel this will be a unique experience with powerful effects.
I am exploring the concept of hosting an education program for teens to take part in a real world boat building process. Students from high-schools in south florida will work together in collaboration with a number of boat manufacturing entities based in south florida to design and build watercraft. This concept seems realistic and very feasible to me.
Similarly, I am researching the use of water craft by indigenous tribes. Dugout boats are some of the most common hand crafted boats in the world. Cultures on rivers all over the world are known for using this type of boat for fishing, hunting, traveling, fighting, and trading. I plan to continue my research, identify a specific culture that has an unmet need within a marine life scope, and perhaps design a product that will be the solution to their unmet need. This project feels like there is a bit more disconnect between the end user and I.
Below are some links: one showing an article about a canoe building education program based in the bronx, the next showing a similar program based in canada, and the last is a wiki page briefly showing the history and use of dugout canoes in the world.
NYC Boat Building Social Venture
Youth Boat Works
Dugout Boats
I hope to hear some feedback on which direction people feel will be more opportunistic and effective.
Hi Nathan,
ReplyDeleteI browsed through your links and my recent experience of my maiden kayak adventure in Downtown Pittsburgh flashed through my mind. I joined Venture Outdoors last fall and went on a scenic kayak ride at dusk in downtown in late October and loved it. I have also watched the Dragon Boat races locally and the range of watercraft at the Three Rivers Regatta. I'm not sure why South Florida is attractive to you as a location to attract teens or small boats. Our rivers and Conneaut lake are close enough for you to test any prototype you design, build and launch. I can imagine the NH Crespin Teen Dugout center near the river at Homestead Waterfront or Station Square offering rides across the river to Sports fans and Teen parties in summer. I like your idea and think you should pursue designing a dugout-like canoe using some revolutionary new material or something unique that a group of teens can assemble in a short time.