Vreetkist
As a freshman heavyweight rower, you require substantial sustenance during a competition weekend. Especially if you have eight mouths to feed. Our coach proposed the idea of creating a food container that we could stock up for the entire weekend. Embracing the “bigger is better” mindset, this concept evolved into what could be called a “food wheelbarrow”.
The initial inspiration for the design came from children’s buggies. Just as a buggy fits neatly into a train, we envisioned our “Vreetkist” (which literally translates to “food box”) doing the same. However, reality didn’t quite align with our plans. The train conductor objected, claiming that our makeshift “buggy” remained unoccupied. We half-jokingly suggested placing our coxswain inside, but the conductor remained unyielding. After this encounter, we modified the Vreetkist’s design, allowing its base to be detachable. Now it could be transported by car as well. Fortunately, one of our crew members owned a car, which proved invaluable after our encounter with the train conductor.
Constructed from insulated styrofoam, the Vreetkist effectively kept our food cold during warm summer days. Initially a two-wheeler with a foldable stand, we soon realized it wasn’t well-balanced, making it cumbersome to maneuver. For the final design, we upgraded to four wheels, incorporating two additional swivel wheels at the back.
