Sail Car

Project Snapshot

The sail car is one of the simplest car projects, and it provides a great opportunity to learn how wind resistance can be harnessed to propel vehicles.

Test the success of a variety of sails by placing the car in front of a fan, and measuring how far it travels!

Get the lesson plan and project sheet for this activity

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Tools and Materials

The Engineering Creation Kit has everything you need for this project and many more from STEM Inventions, or get the supplies in bulk:

Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Masking tape
Craft sticks

1/2" craft cubes
Card stock
Wheels
Straws
1/8" dowels

Tips and Troubleshooting

If the car isn't going very far, then...

Make sure there's no excessive friction that's hindering the wheels such as excess glue, loose tape, or the wheels pinched around the straw.
Try making a bigger sail.
Try making the front of the sail pointed or curved so it's more aerodynamic.

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