My LEGO Nexus Organization

I am pleased to announce that my latest creation, Hover F.R.O.G. V Has been accepted into the top 10 list of finalists for the July "Technic Challenge" Contest! I am really surprised, because I got my creation in within seconds of the contest closing!

Here is the discription on the website:
The Hover Floating Raft and On Ground Vehicle can zoom accross any terain! Features twin XL-Motors spinning the props at over 700-RPMs and 2 headlights for summer fun at any time! F.R.O.G. V can actually float in water, and move on its own. the boats are removable for on ground play.

If you would like to vote, please click on the image, and you will be brought to my voting page. You will need a LEGO ID to register the vote. This is the first contest I have been placed in so far this year!
Thanks for looking!
Here are some more pictures!

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1198.JPG)
Front view in pool.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1199.JPG)
Side view in pool.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1200.JPG)
Back view in pool.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1201.JPG)
1:35 gearing ratio.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1211.JPG)
Closer view on land.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/FROG/DSCN1208.JPG)
Underside of FROG with floatation removed.

UPDATED! I have added a video, which you can download here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145611/DSCN1253.MOV (warning, its a little large, even though its a lower quality.

That is awesome, Jayko! A brilliant idea... please post more pictures!  :) Were you afraid that it would flip over and get your battery pack and motors wet? That is the one reason I haven't explored NXT use on water. It looks very sturdy though.

Just making it to the top ten is a huge feat. Great job, my vote is yours. :)

Awesome, Jayko..
You have my vote!!

+1 vote get!

Im pretty sure its stable, I ran it around the pool a couple of times to check. Only problem is that sometimes the right boat will start to fill up with water, causing one side to sag. With upside of stability, I get the downside them not looking all that well. Thats why I made them removable!

Thank you everyone for the votes, really means a lot to me!

Edit: I added more pictures! If/when I get new batteries, I'll attempt to upload a video of it in action!

Thanks for the extra pictures, Jayko. It was great to be able to see it in detail. What do you think was the hardest part of the building process?

The turn table is actually ran directly from the motor, it then turns a 8 tooth gear which is attached to a 40 tooth gear, which finally turns another 8 tooth gear. Its a 7:1 ratio multiplied by a 5:1 ratio.

@CC I would have to say the hardest part was the underside redesign. I was using water bottles as flotation, until I learned that they were prohibited by the rules... So I had to cram and find a way to fit those boats on. Another problem was the strength of the round pannels, they were really flimsy. I added bracing, and ended out with a fairly sturdy model!

This is very cool Jayko, I also had a look at your competition. They also have some pretty extreme models. I think you will do well though considering the uniqueness of your design. You got my vote buddy, again fantastic creation.

Thank you Legodac, and I agree, I have quite the competition. We will just have to waitand see if people prefer looks, or functionality this time around.

AWESOME! :D

Your competition is good too, but I still think you did an ingenuitive and awesome job! :D
(You got my vote! :))

Once again, thank you everyone for the kind words!

I took a quick video of it in action, which you can download from the main post at the bottom. I found out, after getting new batteries, that the high gearing was too much friction for the motors, causing them to stop. I replaced the 8 tooth gear with a 24 tooth gear, and the gains i got from it were tremendous! I also found that blades of the same side (like right or left) on both props help with FROG going straighter. (Changed after the video)

I'm sorry you didn't win, Jayko! I was really hoping you would. However, I still think it is an awesome accomplishment that you got in the top 10. Is there a place that we can see the projects ranked based on how many votes they got? I bet you got second.

Do you think you'll be entering the next contest (http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Competition/Default.aspx)?

I didn't win? http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Competition/PreviousWinners.aspx They haven't announced the winner yet (although i probably would have gotten an email already... so your most likely right)

Wait, didn't you enter the July competition?:

"Previous Winners
Rail Mounted Harbor Crane (http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Competition/PreviousWinnerDetails.aspx?contentid=334410)

By: TLT803
Winner: July"

I think thats a typo, wheres june? the theme was "make a summer time sports vehicle", which that clearly is not. I never saw that in the voting round for july. June maybe, but not july.

I hope so. Do you remember last month's category? I think it was to build a crane, wasn't it? The Rail Mounted Harbor Crane fits that category, not the sports vehicle.

Anyway, it looks like you're still in it!  :D Sorry for the confusion.  :headdesk:

Yea, it was i think.

Sorry if I came off kind of rude, I didn't mean to aim that at you, more so at the people running the competition.

Well . . . . http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Competition/PreviousWinnerDetails.aspx?contentid=342748 Sigh  . . . :'( Sorry, but I don't find this fair. That giant dune buggy should have won, not that.

Ugh, I agree. I would have had the bicycle win over that. Jayko, you should have won.