Überstix Sailboat is just one of several kits available from Überstix, LLC. All Überstix kits are quite similar to Kinex in some manners and will even work with Kinex pieces, yet it provides an entirely new avenue of creativity never seen before. With an Überstix Sailboat you have diversity with the fact of it will mate with other building systems. Most building systems hold a proprietary design which cannot be integrated with other building systems. To take it one step further, as you will soon see, Überstix Sailboat even provides a means for you to learn some basic physics principals as you begin creating your first sailboat with empty recyclable bottles that you supply that really floats!

Überstix Sailboat comes with 206 pieces, including the sail. Water bottles make it float, the wind makes it sail. You can set the sail to go upwind or downwind, which ever you desire! Tack and jibe, it's easy and most of all FUN! No matter what your age, cognitive development is in constant need for development. Cognitive development is vital in a child but as we get older we still need further development to maintain and improve. You never truly have no need of further development of the skills which were so important in your childhood development. Whether child, tween, or adult, Überstix Sailboat acts a functional tool to help maintain and improve cognitive and motor skills, along with creative skills as well.

I decided to take a different approach in my personal evaluation of the Überstix Sailboat, by taking it with me when I went to visit friends at Lake Casitas in California. It was Easter and there were plenty of people camping out at the lake, including loads of kids with R/C boats and many other recreational toys. Everyone in the group I was with was inquiring "What's In The Box?". When I finally let everyone look at it, there was immediate excitement. To my surprise I discovered that two of the people in the group are teachers at elementary schools! When the two teachers, Terry and Chandra, finished looking at the contents of the box, they were prompt to inquire why I chose to bring the Überstix Sailboat. It was easy to explain that I was intending to find kids at the lake who would be willing to use their creative minds to build the Überstix Sailboat and test it out. (Obviously with their parents permission).

What I never expected, was the Terry and Chandra, the teachers, to get all excited and query me if I would mind if THEY took on the task I had intended. I gave approval and let them take box and run with it. The end result was far beyond what I ever expected. Not only did they get kids to build the Überstix Sailboat, the kids took sailboat to a whole new level. The kids built a sailboat not just using recycled water bottles and the Überstix Sailboat pieces, but went beyond that. The kids took a number of other recyclable materials and added them to their project in building the Überstix Sailboat. By time they were finished, a number of other kids AND parents were standing at the waterline and watching the sailboat moving through the water.

The creation which the kids created was a sure attention getter. It was so unique that to be perfectly honest, I couldn't even begin to describe it. To add to all of this, parents and kids who were watching the sailboat move through the water, began submitting suggestions to add to the Überstix Sailboat to make it even more unique! What I had expected to be an experience at the lake that would be short in duration, turned out to be one which went on into the early evening! While I was busy working on editing my latest product reviews to be published, Terry and Chandra, as well as the kids and parents were enjoying their time with the Überstix Sailboat.

Following the experience at the lake, the group of friends I was with, all went to a restaurant to relax and discuss the crazy day at the lake while getting a bite to eat. Terry and Chandra were quick to talk about the Überstix Sailboat. One of the key points that peeked their interest was the fact that Überstix Sailboat is a part of the Überstix Science Project Series. The Überstix Sailboat comes with a 3-4 hour lab sheet lesson plan which they can use in their classrooms! The lesson plan teaches the basics of sailing, and the function of keel and rudder. Both Terry and Chandra shared with me that they intend to request clearance from their school districts for adopting use of the Überstix Sailboat in their curriculum. The facts speak for themselves, Überstix Sailboat is a magnificent as well popular science project for adoption in a class curriculum.

To be inducted into The Toy Man™ Product Guide is an honor that is not easily acquired. Überstix Sailboat was submitted for our complete and thorough evaluation. Upon compilation of all evaluation scores, Überstix Sailboat scored sufficient points to be approved for induction. This is a product which we are honored to welcome into our product guide.

EVALUATION RESULTS - From evaluation for induction into "The Toy Man® Product Guide"
Overall Rating: 5	Seal of Approval: Approved	eco-Recognition Seal: Not Eligible	Award of Excellence: Approved	eChoice Award: Selected

THE TOY MAN® SEAL OF APPROVAL "The first and original Seal of Approval... designed for product recognition and validation."

Since 1971 "The Toy Man® Seal of Approval" has served as an emblem and standard for professional recognition of a product or online service having met the globally recognized evaluation standards of The Toy Man® Product Guide. This emblem was first established in 1971 by the International Parenting Institute™. It is modeled after the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval®", an emblem of recognition for products which meet the globally recognized high standards set forth by the Good Housekeeping Institute®.

THE TOY MAN® AWARDS "The globally recognized awards that are received by a limited few... and give a product the well earned recognition it deserves!"

The Toy Man® Award of Excellence - The products and online services which become recipients of The Toy Man® "Award of Excellence” passed our intensive evaluation process.  Their evaluation was completed with an overall category rating average of [5] Stars, the highest level of rating available on a 1-5 scale evaluation basis.

"The Toy Man® Award - This is more than just an award, this is the "brass ring" so to speak; the award that serves as an emblem of recognition for products & online services such that contribute substantially to positive skill growth and productivity. This productivity is measured in the value of potential cognitive, motor, and critical skill growth and/or overall level of improvement in an individual or group from use of a product or online service. * This distinguished award is exclusive as well as unique, with the editor's signature which represents a product being selected as an . PLEASE NOTE: The eChoice™ Award images which were used from 1971-1984, 1984-2007, 2007-April 2010 have been retired. Although the former versions of the eChoice™ Award have been retired, they still remain valid.