Downstairs in the Harry Reid Engineering Building at the University of Nevada, Reno a group of students are hard at work, building, designing and calculating, all to construct a year-long, intensive project.

After all, no one ever said making concrete float would be easy.

As part of an American Society of Civil Engineers competition, UNR’s team of mainly civil engineering students has been constructing a concrete-based canoe, which has now become an annual campus tradition.

Once the canoe is completed, it will be put to the test in a Mid-Pacific regional competition against canoes from other universities at Sparks’ very own marina April 17.

Until that date, the team will work tirelessly.

“It’s a year-round project,” team member Tiffany Reichert said, explaining that the concrete mixture alone took 27 different combination attempts. “It’s a lot of fun though. What we learn in the classroom, we apply here.”

And the application must be working. UNR’s team will be the defending 2008 national champs, having qualified for nationals for the past three years before that.

Past canoe team member and conference chairman Robert Coomes said the success is due to a dedicated team. This year’s conference, however, has mandated dimension regulations, making this year more challenging.

“(In the past) students have designed what they want,” Coomes said, explaining that design freedom has allowed team members to develop certain weight, length and overall shape specifications in accordance with team needs. “This year, everyone will have the same shape.”

Following a strict, 76-page set of guidelines, the team must comply with cement mixture, structural element and flotation material restrictions to name a few in order to qualify and compete.

But morale is still high, especially when it comes to beating their rivals from the University of California, Berkeley.

“(This competition) went away a few years back,” Coomes said. “And it was brought back with one intention — to beat Berkeley.”

Considering the project itself is entirely extra-curricular, the team of 25 members doesn’t seem phased by the daunting task ahead.

Cement laying by itself can take anywhere up to eight hours to fully apply by hand around the frame and hull of the canoe. An intricate pulley system is attached on both ends, pulling the laced framing that surrounds the structure tightly.

The pulleys will be cut later, to ensure that the cement dries on the tautest surface as possible.

Coomes estimated past projects have cost more than $6,000 worth in supplies, although a good majority is donated or purchased with fundraised money.

Jorge Gonzalez, Nevada’s ASCE chapter president, said he feels confident in this year’s competition.

“All eyes are on us,” Gonzalez said.

The Mid-Pacific Regional competition will include a variety of events, including the Water Treatment Competition, the Steel Bridge Competition, Concrete Bowling and the Canoe Tug-of-War. UNR is hosting the conference and most events will be held on campus.

To qualify for the national competition held at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in June this year, teams must finish either first or second in regionals. The same canoe will be used for both races.

For more information about the team or to make a donation, visit www.nevadacanoe.com.