Abstract
Since a few years students of the Faculty of Ocean Engineering and Ship Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, have designed and built untypical floating units. Until last year their efforts were focused mainly on leg-driven boats. The boats of interesting design have taken part in yearly competitions: the International Waterbike Regatta. Their advanced design made it possible to compete with the best boats from Croatia, Holland, Germany, Turkey and Italy. Recently the students have designed and built a solar-energy-driven boat. It is the catamaran Energa Solar which took part in a prestigious regatta: the Frisian Nuon Solar Challenge carried out in Holland in summer 2006.