Timo Schraa – Teamcaptain 
Timo Schraa is a student Software Engineering at NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden. His interests lie in new technologies combined with challenging projects. Because the Frisian Solar Challenge is a challenging project it immediately fascinated him when he heard a new team was created. Therefore he went to the information day to find out more about the plans for the team for the Frisian Solar Challenge 2012. After this information day it was very clear he wanted to join the team and help them with for example creating software for better data analysis. But besides the Software Engineering part also PR is a thing he likes to do like talking with sponsors and promoting the team. The whole process from starting a team until the final race is something which can give you a great experience but also a lot of fun.
Besides being a Software Engineering student his passion is football. He follows almost all the European competitions and matches and he loves to play football himself or coach a team. Further he likes to relax and have fun in the city or party somewhere with friends, listen to good music and watch some movies. Some people ask why he is always smiling, but that is because life is as fun and good as you make it yourself so keep smiling and chase your dreams.
Jan van der Zee – Maritime Engineering 
Jan van der Zee is a student in Naval Architecture at the NHL University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden. Currently he is doing his 4th and last year of this course. Jan was caught by the FSC virus in 2006, at the first edition of the championship. Back then he participated in the Marne College team and they became 2nd in the B-class. Since then, it is his dream to participate again and design a fast boat and win another trophy. And this dream is now becoming reality. Jan is doing his Minor and spends at least half a year on research of hydrofoils and the Naval Architectural design of the new solarboat for 2012. With these ambitious ideas in mind, he quickly became a full teammember.
Besides his interest in Marine Engineering, during his internship at Conoship International he also got interested in Knowledge Engineering, which he is going to try to implement into this new solarboat organisation.
Other things with which Jan likes to keep himself busy are to ride the wakeboard behind his speedboat which he ownes with a friend of him, working on the boat to make it (look) better, play a game of tennis and listen to music on a good stereo installation.
Tim Gorter – Team member
Tim Gorter is an Industrial Design Engineer, graduated at the University of Twente. Right now, he’s doing a PhD in integration of Solar Energy for Yachts, situated at the NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. In 2010, Tim joined the NHL team for the Frisian Solar Challenge as a case study for his PhD, but got interested in solar boat racing. Since the successes of 2010 (third place with an A-class boat, first place in the Prologue), he decided to participate in the Frisian Solar Challenge 2012 with a new team. As per January 2011, he started gathering team members with various disciplines aiming at building a C-class boat with hydrofoils.
Besides his new hobby solar boat racing, Tim is also a ballroom and latin dancer, which he has been doing for 7 years now. Other interest lie in his little fleet of classic motorcycles, varying from old east-German 150cc two strokers to Japanese 1000cc four strokers. During his PhD, Tim started giving lectures Basics of Sustainable Design, at which he discovered that Sustainability is as well described as ethics and philosophy. Fromout this interest in Sustainability, Tim is giving lectures at workshops and symposia regarding the subject.
Jeroen Veenema – Project Engineer Knowledge Centre for Yachts
Inventing flows through Jeroen Veenema’s vains. This was recognized in 1998, when Jeroen was awarded the Frisian Innovation Price for conceiving a full automatic grinder for cilindrical shapes. Later, the Frisian Broadcasting Network (Omrop Fryslan) has entitled Jeroen also as inventor. 
Jeroen has grown up with boats and watersports as a real Frisian boy. Combining this with innovation, many interesting water vehicles have been conceived by him, such as a car engine equipped boat and a propellor-powered swamp boat.
Jeroen is as project manager at the Knowledge Center for Yachts directly involved with the Frisian Solar Challenge. The NHL University of Applied Sciences has participated in the Frisian Solar Challenge 2006 with 3 boats under Jeroen’s supervision. Two years later, in the 2008 race with two boats and in 2010 with only one boat. Innovation in solar boats is the key factor for excellent results during the challenge.
In Jeroen’s opinion, everyone must have the change to sail a solar-powered boat: hardly feasible with Formula One-like racing boats participating the challenge. As projectmanager from the PV Sportboat, together with a consortium of commercial companies, a solar boat was build which is affordable for the public: an innovation which must be seen!
Next to solar boats, Jeroen is involved in electrical and hybrid propulsion, with the most notable achievement, a hydrogen fuel cell powered boat. Many ideas, together with a professional team, faces the challenge to sail in the highest rankings of the Frisian Solar Challenge.
Folkert Koopmans – Project Engineer Knowledge Centre for Yachts 
Folkert started as metalworker in the shipbuilding industry and then worked 9 years as military metalworker for the Air Force in Leeuwarden. After 9 good years he had to leave because of a huge reorganization. He went to a design office in Sneek and came back in the boat sector. Later he learned everything about all kinds of boats at Kroes en Poortinga in Joure.
Currently Folkert is working at the Knowledge Centre for Yachts to spread his knowledge. He also has the chance to learn more about composites and electrical sailing. The DONG Energy Solar Challenge is the perfect opportunity to learn about all these aspects.
Folkert is the father of two children with whom he likes to do all kind of nice things. Further he likes to play a game of tennis but in particular he likes to drink a beer when the game is finished.
Jacob Blom – Maritime Engineering 
Jacob Blom is someone who likes to build a boat, which made the decision easy to choose for the education Naval Architecture. Besides designing a boat, Jacob likes to use his hands to really build something. This is the reason why he signed up for NHL Solarboat Racing and of course an enthousiastic Naval Architecture Student like him couldn’t be refused.
Besides his education you can find him at a football field quite regularly to play some football. Next to football he also likes survival to push yourself to the limit. His favorite time of the year is late summer because the seawater is not really cold yet but there is a strong wind. These two weather conditions are perfect for practising his favorite hobby, windsurfing.
Ernst-Jan Voerman – Coördinator Knowledge Centre for Yachts
Ernst-Jan Voerman has been coördinator of NHL Knowledge Center for Yachts for 4 years. Over the years he has gained a lot of experience in relation to building boats and everything that is connected to that.
He studied Marine Technology and likes to sail in his self-built diesel-electric boat. Ernst-Jan has seen and has participated in many solarboat races and therefore he wants to pass on his knowledge. He wants to provide an essential contribution to NHL Solarboat Racing with this knowledge and experience.
Jelmer Liefers – Mechanical Engineering
Jelmer Liefers is a second year student Mechanical Engineering. He previously was a teammember of the ROC Friese Poort Solarteam from Sneek. During the Dutch Open Solarboat Challenge which took place in 2009, he and his team achieved a second place in the final rankings. After that, the team built a new solarboat and they participated in the DONG Energy Solar Challenge in 2010. Sadly the battery-pack broke down and there were issues with the charge controllers. However, last year (2011) the boat and a new team were able to prove themselves and became first in de Dutch Open Solarboat Challenge. Once you’ve got in contact with the solarboatvirus, you can’t get rid of it. That’s why Jelmer volunteered to become a team member once again. This time in the team of NHL Solarboat Racing. He will focus on the development of the boats propeller. In his opinion, the preparations for the race are a fun way to learn new techniques en technologies.
Besides his study and spending time with his girlfriend, he has a part time job in vehicle graphics. Jelmer also plays the French Horn in two orchestras and spends his spare time to tinker on his car.
Rienk van der Veen – Mechanical Engineering
Since February 2012, Rienk van der Veen is an active team member of NHL Solarboat Racing. Tim Gorter made Rienk enthusiastic to help NHL Solarboat Racing. According to Tim, the team needed Mechanical Engineers to complete both the boats. This was a perfect opportunity because Rienk is studying Mechanical Engineering at NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden. Rienk is mainly interested in materials and production techniques within the Mechanical Engineering aspect. After he did his internship at the former Hoogovens his knowledge of metallurgy is well refined. With his assignments for NHL Solarboat Racing he hopes to expand his knowledge of composite materials.
Besides NHL Solarboat Racing Rienk has a passion for anything on wheels, especially motorcycles. In his spare time he works on a collection of dirtbikes which he regularly uses to compete in races or trainings. In the summer Rienk likes to go fishing and drink a few beers with some friends.
We want to thank the people that helped us:
- Age Tiemersma
- Björn Harink
- Bouk Schraa
- Casper Kloppenburg
- David Macias
- Eva Dalhuisen
- Gwendolyne Posthuma
- Hans de Jong
- Henk Stekelenburg
- Kees Lucassen
- Leander Sikma
- Lisan Baljeu
- Marga Bootsma
- Max van Kessel
- Nanno Jissink
- Raymond Kuik
- Richard Terpstra
- Richard Wolters
- Shaula Edskes
- Thijs Madern
- Thom Doesburg
- Tom Oudhuis
- Trijntje Draaijer
- Wilco Visser
Timo Schraa – Teamcaptain
Timo Schraa is a student Software Engineering at NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden. His interests lie in new technologies combined with challenging projects. Because the Frisian Solar Challenge is a challenging project it immediately fascinated him when he heard a new team was created. Therefore he went to the information day to find out more about the plans for the team for the Frisian Solar Challenge 2012. After this information day it was very clear he wanted to join the team and help them with for example creating software for better data analysis. But besides the Software Engineering part also PR is a thing he likes to do like talking with sponsors and promoting the team. The whole process from starting a team until the final race is something which can give you a great experience but also a lot of fun.
Besides being a Software Engineering student his passion is football. He follows almost all the European competitions and matches and he loves to play football himself or coach a team. Further he likes to relax and have fun in the city or party somewhere with friends, listen to good music and watch some movies. Some people ask why he is always smiling, but that is because life is as fun and good as you make it yourself so keep smiling and chase your dreams.
Jan van der Zee – Maritime Engineering
Jan van der Zee is a student in Naval Architecture at the NHL University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden. Currently he is doing his 4th and last year of this course. Jan was caught by the FSC virus in 2006, at the first edition of the championship. Back then he participated in the Marne College team and they became 2nd in the B-class. Since then, it is his dream to participate again and design a fast boat and win another trophy. And this dream is now becoming reality. Jan is doing his Minor and spends at least half a year on research of hydrofoils and the Naval Architectural design of the new solarboat for 2012. With these ambitious ideas in mind, he quickly became a full teammember.
Besides his interest in Marine Engineering, during his internship at Conoship International he also got interested in Knowledge Engineering, which he is going to try to implement into this new solarboat organisation.
Other things with which Jan likes to keep himself busy are to ride the wakeboard behind his speedboat which he ownes with a friend of him, working on the boat to make it (look) better, play a game of tennis and listen to music on a good stereo installation.
Tim Gorter – Team member
Tim Gorter is an Industrial Design Engineer, graduated at the University of Twente. Right now, he’s doing a PhD in integration of Solar Energy for Yachts, situated at the NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. In 2010, Tim joined the NHL team for the Frisian Solar Challenge as a case study for his PhD, but got interested in solar boat racing. Since the successes of 2010 (third place with an A-class boat, first place in the Prologue), he decided to participate in the Frisian Solar Challenge 2012 with a new team. As per January 2011, he started gathering team members with various disciplines aiming at building a C-class boat with hydrofoils.
Besides his new hobby solar boat racing, Tim is also a ballroom and latin dancer, which he has been doing for 7 years now. Other interest lie in his little fleet of classic motorcycles, varying from old east-German 150cc two strokers to Japanese 1000cc four strokers. During his PhD, Tim started giving lectures Basics of Sustainable Design, at which he discovered that Sustainability is as well described as ethics and philosophy. Fromout this interest in Sustainability, Tim is giving lectures at workshops and symposia regarding the subject.
Jeroen Veenema – Project Engineer Knowledge Centre for Yachts
Inventing flows through Jeroen Veenema’s vains. This was recognized in 1998, when Jeroen was awarded the Frisian Innovation Price for conceiving a full automatic grinder for cilindrical shapes. Later, the Frisian Broadcasting Network (Omrop Fryslan) has entitled Jeroen also as inventor.
Jeroen has grown up with boats and watersports as a real Frisian boy. Combining this with innovation, many interesting water vehicles have been conceived by him, such as a car engine equipped boat and a propellor-powered swamp boat.
Jeroen is as project manager at the Knowledge Center for Yachts directly involved with the Frisian Solar Challenge. The NHL University of Applied Sciences has participated in the Frisian Solar Challenge 2006 with 3 boats under Jeroen’s supervision. Two years later, in the 2008 race with two boats and in 2010 with only one boat. Innovation in solar boats is the key factor for excellent results during the challenge.
In Jeroen’s opinion, everyone must have the change to sail a solar-powered boat: hardly feasible with Formula One-like racing boats participating the challenge. As projectmanager from the PV Sportboat, together with a consortium of commercial companies, a solar boat was build which is affordable for the public: an innovation which must be seen!
Next to solar boats, Jeroen is involved in electrical and hybrid propulsion, with the most notable achievement, a hydrogen fuel cell powered boat. Many ideas, together with a professional team, faces the challenge to sail in the highest rankings of the Frisian Solar Challenge.
Folkert Koopmans – Project Engineer Knowledge Centre for Yachts
Folkert started as metalworker in the shipbuilding industry and then worked 9 years as military metalworker for the Air Force in Leeuwarden. After 9 good years he had to leave because of a huge reorganization. He went to a design office in Sneek and came back in the boat sector. Later he learned everything about all kinds of boats at Kroes en Poortinga in Joure.
Currently Folkert is working at the Knowledge Centre for Yachts to spread his knowledge. He also has the chance to learn more about composites and electrical sailing. The DONG Energy Solar Challenge is the perfect opportunity to learn about all these aspects.
Folkert is the father of two children with whom he likes to do all kind of nice things. Further he likes to play a game of tennis but in particular he likes to drink a beer when the game is finished.
Jacob Blom – Maritime Engineering
Jacob Blom is someone who likes to build a boat, which made the decision easy to choose for the education Naval Architecture. Besides designing a boat, Jacob likes to use his hands to really build something. This is the reason why he signed up for NHL Solarboat Racing and of course an enthousiastic Naval Architecture Student like him couldn’t be refused.
Besides his education you can find him at a football field quite regularly to play some football. Next to football he also likes survival to push yourself to the limit. His favorite time of the year is late summer because the seawater is not really cold yet but there is a strong wind. These two weather conditions are perfect for practising his favorite hobby, windsurfing.
Ernst-Jan Voerman – Coördinator Knowledge Centre for Yachts
Ernst-Jan Voerman has been coördinator of NHL Knowledge Center for Yachts for 4 years. Over the years he has gained a lot of experience in relation to building boats and everything that is connected to that.
He studied Marine Technology and likes to sail in his self-built diesel-electric boat. Ernst-Jan has seen and has participated in many solarboat races and therefore he wants to pass on his knowledge. He wants to provide an essential contribution to NHL Solarboat Racing with this knowledge and experience.
Jelmer Liefers – Mechanical Engineering
Jelmer Liefers is a second year student Mechanical Engineering. He previously was a teammember of the ROC Friese Poort Solarteam from Sneek. During the Dutch Open Solarboat Challenge which took place in 2009, he and his team achieved a second place in the final rankings. After that, the team built a new solarboat and they participated in the DONG Energy Solar Challenge in 2010. Sadly the battery-pack broke down and there were issues with the charge controllers. However, last year (2011) the boat and a new team were able to prove themselves and became first in de Dutch Open Solarboat Challenge. Once you’ve got in contact with the solarboatvirus, you can’t get rid of it. That’s why Jelmer volunteered to become a team member once again. This time in the team of NHL Solarboat Racing. He will focus on the development of the boats propeller. In his opinion, the preparations for the race are a fun way to learn new techniques en technologies.
Besides his study and spending time with his girlfriend, he has a part time job in vehicle graphics. Jelmer also plays the French Horn in two orchestras and spends his spare time to tinker on his car.
Rienk van der Veen – Mechanical Engineering
Since February 2012, Rienk van der Veen is an active team member of NHL Solarboat Racing. Tim Gorter made Rienk enthusiastic to help NHL Solarboat Racing. According to Tim, the team needed Mechanical Engineers to complete both the boats. This was a perfect opportunity because Rienk is studying Mechanical Engineering at NHL University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden. Rienk is mainly interested in materials and production techniques within the Mechanical Engineering aspect. After he did his internship at the former Hoogovens his knowledge of metallurgy is well refined. With his assignments for NHL Solarboat Racing he hopes to expand his knowledge of composite materials.
Besides NHL Solarboat Racing Rienk has a passion for anything on wheels, especially motorcycles. In his spare time he works on a collection of dirtbikes which he regularly uses to compete in races or trainings. In the summer Rienk likes to go fishing and drink a few beers with some friends.
We want to thank the people that helped us:
- Age Tiemersma
- Björn Harink
- Bouk Schraa
- Casper Kloppenburg
- David Macias
- Eva Dalhuisen
- Gwendolyne Posthuma
- Hans de Jong
- Henk Stekelenburg
- Kees Lucassen
- Leander Sikma
- Lisan Baljeu
- Marga Bootsma
- Max van Kessel
- Nanno Jissink
- Raymond Kuik
- Richard Terpstra
- Richard Wolters
- Shaula Edskes
- Thijs Madern
- Thom Doesburg
- Tom Oudhuis
- Trijntje Draaijer
- Wilco Visser