There is nothing better and more eco- friendly than sailing. Powered solely by wind, it’s a story of man living with nature’s power. There is nothing worse than watching dolphins play in seas of plastic! But it’s not just the plastic, it’s untreated sewage as well that boaters regularly dump into the water.
I Just Gotta Tell Ya
- The untreated discharge from one weekend boater puts the same amount of bacterial pollution into the water as does the treated sewage of 10,000 people.
- Human wastes can contain disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Swimmers, waterskiers and others who swallow or come in contact with water that has been contaminated with human wastes can become ill. People who eat raw or poorly cooked clams, mussels or oysters from contaminated shellfish beds also risk getting sick.
- Dirty boat bottoms can carry hitchhiking pest organisms from bay to bay, port to port – pests that can harm the very things you value.
What You Can Do
- Put in a Holding Tank and Use it
- When Sailing, pick up Trash
- Dispose of All Trash in bins
- Got these tips from Earth Easy
- Keep a supply of oil-absorbant rags on board for spill cleanup of oil and fuel. Even small spills of oil can contaminate a large volume of water.
- Properly dispose of used oil and filters – facilities are available to handle these elements which are toxic to the marine environment. In the US call 1 800 CLEANUP, and in Canada call 1 800-667-4321 for the nearest disposal facility.
- Keep used solvents separate from used oil – never mix wastes, or pour hazardous wastes down drains, on the ground or into surface waters.
- Wax your boat – A good coat of wax on a fiberglass hull prevents surface dirt from becoming engrained. This will reduce the need for detergents when you wash your boat. Pollen, dust, spores, or salt occur naturally and will do no harm when they are washed into the water.
- Wash topsides only – Limit dock side hull cleaning to the above water surface area only — from the boot stripe up. Use a sponge to effectively remove light growth without creating the clouds of heavy metals usually caused by scrubbing. Rinse your boat with fresh water.
- Use non-toxic cleaners – many cleaning products contain phosphates and other chemicals that are toxic to aquatic ecosystems. Before using products with hazardous warning labels, such as skull and crossbones, try a natural cleaner like vinegar. Examples:
Windows and mirrors – mix vinegar, lemon juice and warm water. Fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spray it on your windows and wipe with paper towels or newspapers.
Some Fun Sailing Events
- 2009 South Australia Wooden Boat and Music Festival in Goolwa 7-9 March 2009. It’s theme this year will be smaller boats, such as putt-putts, riverboats, sabres, dinghies, firebugs, rowing boats, kayaks and canoes.
- 33rd Annual Wooden Boat Festival on 11-13 September, 2009 at Port Townsend, Washington. In keeping with the tenor of that festival, they are promoting greener transport for those folk not sailing in.
- 35th Annual Wooden Boat Show. 26 April to 2 May 2009, which is North Carolina Maritime Museum’s
Non Profit
Rocking The Boat. Over 400 kids in the Bronx have been involved in building 22 traditional wooden boats from the ground up, right through to launching them in the Bronx River. As they put it: ‘kids don’t just build boats, boats build kids.’
Things Made from Sailcloth
- Ella Vickers Sailcloth Tote bags Send them your used sails in return for free totes/
Resources
• The Center for Wooden Boats
• WoodenBoat Publications
• The Wooden Boat Rescue Foundation
• The Wooden Boat Association
• School of Wooden Boat Building
• Classic Boat UK
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