[FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season

FIRST General Forum
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Posted on the FRC Blog, 7/19/16: http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/blog/pool-noodles-2017

Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
Written by Frank Merrick.

You’ll need 'em.

Want more words than that? You will be using pool noodles for robot bumpers in the 2017 season. As in 2016, the pool noodles must be approximately 2 ½ in. diameter round, petal, or hex shaped in cross section. They may either be solid or hollow, but all noodles used on the robot at any one time will be required to be of the same construction and cross section – in other words, you will not be allowed to use solid round noodles on the bottom of your bumper and hollow petal noodles on the top.

If you are wondering what we mean by ‘petal’ shaped, we mean pool noodles with a cross section like this:

http://i.imgur.com/1z5jXvs.jpg](http://www.firstinspires.org/sites/default/files/uploads/frc/Blog/2017-pool-noodle-petal.jpg)

Photo credit

Frank

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Wow bumpers are explicitly confirmed

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To be fair, they were last year as well.

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For some reason I’m hoping there’s a Ken M post on this picture… caption contest materials anyone?

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I had forgot. However, this year we also know pretty much all of the noodle rules.

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I noticed that they were using a slide of that pool noodle for some arts and crafts sponge painting.

First clue for 2017? Now all we need is for Frank to come out and say that this was not a clue and it’ll be confirmed!

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There will be violence next year!
YAY!

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Paint Game Confirmed!

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2017 is a rehash of Logomotion but with petal-shaped tubes. You heard it here first folks.

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Paint is usually either water-based, or oil-based. Both are liquids.

Water game confirmed!!!

(couldn’t help myself)

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He really meant the Bumpers will be required to float your robot. WATER GAME! Better make sure your bumper attachments are secure or your robot will sink.

I really like the petal noodles. Can we work out some kind of game hint with that?

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Every blog post must be a game hint! Classic Chief Delphi, am I Right? :yikes: :ahh: ::rtm::

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Flower Power 2017 confirmed. :stuck_out_tongue:

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Tie dye team shirts?

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Is Woodie the game piece?

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you will not be allowed to use solid round noodles on the bottom of your bumper and hollow petal noodles on the top.

Did this happen? That is an interesting idea.

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I can think of only one reason to use pool noodles as bumpers–to float in a pool!!! Water game confirmed! :^D

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I don’t know, but its been a rule for several years.

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It was put in this year 2016 (almost certain it wasn’t there in 2014) to prevent teams from making almost wedged shape bumpers.

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So WildStang pretty much wins by default.