The Test
On test day the sun shone on the Scrapheap Atlantic (AKA a lake near Camberley). The teams were to race head-to-head from Bristol (a replica of the Clifton Suspension Bridge on the lakeside) to Manhattan Island (an island in the lake with an inflatable Statue of Liberty plonked on it) and back. On their way, the teams were challenged to load and unload industrial cargo. The first team back to Bristol would be declared the winners.
The Clagsters' steam engine was up to pressure and they waited for the off. The flag dropped and their engine stirred into life; the complicated electric steam injection was working. Not even the team could believe it as their wheels rotated either side of the hull.
The Nerds fired up their diesel engine and with much churning of water made off for the raft where they had to drop off a barrel.
It was neck and neck to the raft but the diesel engine’s ability to slow down quickly came into play and the Nerds barely broke rhythm as they left the barrel and headed off towards Manhattan Island.
The Clagsters' fiddly steam injection was causing them problems. It took a while for them to find their pace, by which time the Nerds were already on Manhattan Island and grabbing the barrels they had to bring back. The Clagsters weren’t far away though, with Geoff almost being left behind in the hurry to depart the island!
Only a couple of metres out from the bank, disaster struck the Clagsters. Water had got onto the electrics and their engine failed.
There was no way they could catch the jubilant Nerds who raced back to the finish line to be proclaimed Paddle Boat champions.
The dejected Clagsters could only envy the reliability of the Nerds' simple design. But at least they managed to get the engine back to life and limp home. They were losers of the challenge but winners for having produced a very special Scrapheap machine – a world first no less!
