Sailing and sustainability… it’s complicated >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News

by Tim Zimmermann
Sailors love the ocean, however it isn’t so clear that the ocean ought to love them again. One small instance: Final yr, after I was ready in line at a gas dock in Annapolis, the couple on the boat in entrance of me was chatting away whereas the diesel nozzle gushed gasoline into their tank unattended. I suppose they anticipated it to close off routinely when the tank was full. So that they had been a bit stunned when a geyser out of the blue erupted from their fill port and diesel began pouring into Spa Creek.

A number of gallons will need to have escaped earlier than they collected themselves sufficient to scramble to the hose and shut it off. Neither they, nor the gas dock attendant, appeared perturbed within the least as a big slick began spreading throughout the floor. I used to be left to surprise how a lot diesel spills into the Chesapeake Bay yearly, and what impact it may need.

Hapless operator error apart, the favored picture of crusing advantages from an inbuilt aura of eco-friendliness, since sailboats rely extra on the wind than the burning of fossil fuels (or not less than they’re purported to; I’m at all times amazed at what number of sailboats I see motoring regardless of a wonderful crusing breeze).

However there are various, many elements of the environmental footprint of crusing that sailors are comfortable to gloss over: all of the flights sailors (particularly skilled sailors) take attending to and from their boats; the vitality and supplies required to churn out plenty of recent boats and mountains of recent gear yearly; all of the non-recyclable or poisonous supplies concerned (fiberglass, carbon fiber, shrink wrap, backside paint, two-part epoxies, unique woods, laminate sails, to call a number of); all of the uncooked sewage; gas-powered RIBs in all places, the listing might go on. – Full report

Editor’s observe: We’ve lengthy been a fan of Tim’s work each in crusing and different adventures. As for the impactful conduct on the elite finish of the game, we simply carry on planting timber, proper?