Newport News Shipbuilding sponsored the annual American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE)-Sika Ultimate Build-A-Boat Challenge this summer, represented by shipbuilders Richard Wood (E50) and Joe Purvis (E50). This year marked Wood’s fourth time competing and Purvis’ first.

“We spent about nine hours on Saturday building and painting the boat,” Wood said. “On Sunday we finished painting in the morning and then raced the boats in the afternoon.”

Sixteen teams participated in the event. The NNS team finished third in their initial heat and went on to place third overall in the final race.

Managed by ASNE, the challenge includes teams and sponsors from across the regional shipbuilding and maritime community. ASNE‑Sika Ultimate Build‑A‑Boat Challenge is a free, hands‑on competition held annually during Harborfest, offering participants a creative engineering experience while supporting STEM initiatives, scholarships and the broader naval engineering community.