After a successful test of the boat-o-type, the next step was to collect all the bottles for the pontoons. Alicia calculated the amount of liters that would be needed to provide enough buoyancy, 600 to be exact, so they had a big task ahead collecting all those bottles.

For months, Alicia, Abby and other friends and family members contributed to the cause. Instead of throwing away or recycling that spent milk container, soda bottle, or any other bottle with a screw-lid, it would go towards the boat. Alicia would always be on the lookout for bottles, even stopping the car when spotting some alongside the road. It was an adventure and a goal to get all the bottles needed to complete her boat.

Once the bottles were collected, they were sorted and construction of the pontoons began. The design was simple, 2x4s making rectangular pontoons wrapped in chicken wire.

They built each pontoon, and filled them with the bottles they had collected. The dream was starting to materialize, and they eagerly looked forward to testing out a pontoon to see how well it would float.

Next: The First Boat Test!