The Smuggling Ship Challenge
Design a Manx lugger. Build a craft to carry cargo safely across the 'sea'. A hands-on activity combining history, design, and engineering.
The Challenge
The year is 1760. You are a Manx ship designer. Your job is to create a vessel that can:
- Sail fast enough to outrun the customs cutters
- Carry valuable cargo without it being discovered
- Navigate the shallow waters around the Manx coast
- Survive the rough seas of the Irish Sea
Background: The Running Trade
Before 1765, the Isle of Man was a busy trading hub. Ships sailed between Mann and ports in England, Ireland, and Scotland, carrying goods like:
- Tea — expensive and heavily taxed in Britain
- Brandy — French brandy was popular but carried high duties
- Tobacco — from the American colonies
- Silk and lace — luxury goods for wealthy customers
These goods were legal to buy and sell on Mann. But if they were taken to Britain without paying customs duties, that was smuggling — the “running trade.”
The Manx luggers were perfectly designed for this work. Fast, nimble, and crewed by sailors who knew every cove and beach around the island.
Activity 1: Design Your Ship
You will need: Paper, pencils, rulers
Your task: Design a smuggling lugger. Think about:
- Hull shape — How will it move fast through the water?
- Sails — What rig will give you speed and control?
- Hidden compartments — Where will you hide the cargo?
- Shallow draft — Can it sail close to shore to escape?
Draw your design with labels explaining your choices.
Activity 2: The Egg Boat Challenge
You will need:
- Recycled materials (plastic bottles, cardboard, foam, etc.)
- Tape, string, elastic bands
- A raw egg (your “cargo”)
- A grassy slope or field (your “sea”)
Your task: Build a small craft that can:
- Carry an egg safely down a slope without breaking it
- Travel as far as possible
- Use elastic band power or gravity — no batteries!
The test: Release your craft at the top of the slope. Did the egg survive the voyage? How far did it travel?
Extension: What design changes would help it go further? What would protect the cargo better?
Discussion Questions
- Why did people on Mann get involved in smuggling?
- Was it fair that goods were taxed so heavily in Britain?
- What risks did the smugglers take?
- What happened to the Manx economy when Parliament stopped the trade?
Curriculum Links
- History: Trade, local history, cause and consequence
- Design & Technology: Design briefs, materials, testing and evaluation
- Geography: Map work, trade routes, coastal features
- English: Persuasive writing (argue whether smuggling was wrong), diary entries
PDF download coming soon. For now, this page can be printed directly or shared via your school’s learning platform.