Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race
2012 Race Report: Loose Cannon

Wow. Take a closer look—you have never before seen 11.5-foot wheels at the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race. This marvelous specimen of grand construction looks like a ferris wheel rolling along, soaring 12 yards with each revolution.

The crowd loved the unrivaled kinetic audacity of Baltimore’s Team 1,800 Lbs and bestowed unto them the People’s Choice Award.

The giant sculpture glid gracefully into the water with nary a splash. Foam pool noodles sheath the spokes, and are enough by themselves to float the 140-pound metal wheels. In addition to bearing the weight of the center platform and pilots, the foam platform and aft inflatable bladders provide counterrotational buoyancy.

The great thing about a rolling colossal cannon is the appearance that something dramatic is about to happen to whatever lies in its path. Motorboats and giant soups take care!

The Cannon came from 1800 Lbs, the exuberant team responsible for

• 2011: Pussy Galore (Best Pit Crew award)
• 2010: Moderately Famished Caterpillar
• 2009: Hot Beef Injection (Worst Honorable Mention and Best Pit Crew awards)
• 2008: It’s Ben Hur, Hon (Pilots’ Choice award)
• 2007: Acme Kinetic Sculpture

The tread is bright kernmantle rope wrapped around tubular steel rolled into a circle and held with cable spokes. At the water entry, the rope swelled, providing greater traction for the subsequent sand and mud.

Loose Cannon’s hubs are each 2 automotive wheels welded together, attached to a Dana 70 axle with a custom differential to which they attach bike chains for the low gears necessary since the wheels are far larger, and the engine power far lower, than the utility trucks and SUVs the axle usually serves.

Back at the American Visionary Art Museum, the giant wheels confounded even the finish line.

On the right, the orange ladder reaches down to the third wheel which stabilizes the roll of the big two.

We look forward to future sightings of this glorious vehicle!