Project Scope
A local tradition since 1969, the Kinetic Race is no parade! In the Kinetic Grand Championship, bodies of art and artist’s bodies are put to the test. There’s 50 miles to go, over land, sand, water, and mud. Founded by metal sculptor Hobart Brown in 1969, this North Coast tradition has grown from a two block dash down Main Street Ferndale to a 3 day marathon spanning over 40 miles of Humboldt County California’s towns, beaches, trails, and Rivers every Memorial Day Weekend.
Our mission, is to build a Kinetic Sculpture. These sculptures are all-terrain human-powered art vehicles, engineered to race over road, water, mud and sand. They are impressive works of sculpture and engineering loaded with “kinetic thrills” like animated faces, fire cannons, and unusual drive mechanisms.
Last year, the “Sardine Dream” made its first run. For this second year, I am joining the team and helping mostly on the engineering side to make the improvements come to fruition.
Build Process
1) First Team Meeting
Sitting down to discuss second year plans, designs, and art themes.
2) Work Site
We have partnered up with Seaport Studios to work out of their large space in Richmond, CA.
3) Learning to Weld
Here I am welding for the first time in my life alongside my project teammates! Something that I have always wanted to learn how to do.
4) Cutting and Grinding
Starting to chop parts off of the Surrey bike to widen its wheel base. The first modification is to adapt some Mongoose fat tires onto a widened chassis for more stability and to make it easier to move through gravel and sandy terrain.
More to come…
I am really excited for this project. Check back in for more updates as they come. To learn more about last year’s efforts, go check out https://thesardinedream.com!
Raphael de Chassy 