What was once the busiest freight port in the world recently held another freight hauling competition, but with a catch: all the boats were remote-controlled, had to fit in a 2'x2'x2' box, and had to be 3D printed. The Red Hook Regatta was a race to see how many "shipping containers" (actually, brick sized pieces of foam) teams could ferry to "cranes" (guys with fishing poles dangling down from the pier) through the choppy waters of New York Harbor.
Steering and propulsion are standardized, so it was a test of ship design, building, piloting, stevedorism, and Poseidon's whims.
The event was a collaboration between two Brookyln-based groups – high tech job training Digital Stewards and artists Pioneer Works.
More coverage at The Brooklyn Paper, PIX11 News (video), and The New York Times.
Image: 3d printed boat, by Creative Tools/3D Benchy
