There is anice post by Enrico De Crescenzo, owner of the Grand Soleil 48 Race Luduan 2.0, that caught our attention. Spurred on by the younger members of his team, he decided to ban single-use plastics from boarding. “We don’t have to demonize plastic, only disposable plastic!” he told us..
A small gesture, perhaps, but one that well represents the change of mindset needed to safeguard our sea. Of course, there is more than just plastic.“We motorboat as little as possible,” Enrico told us: we can only believe him. The GS 48 Race is a boat that spins even in breezes so you forget about the engine even in a few knots of air.
Let’s let Henry have the floor. You just have to take a cue and imitate it!
DRIVEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE
“A few months ago, one of the Team guys proposed in our chat the idea of abolishing the use of so-called single-use plastic on board and thus, for example, plastic bottles (to be replaced with water bottles).
To myself, puzzled, I thought, “here’s another problem to solve,” and then mentally shelved the idea. After a month or so, another crew member arrives back up: “Enri (that’s my name on board) from …… let’s make the boat eco-friendly.”
Therefore, I understood that the younger people felt strongly that they needed to send, first of all to themselves, a strong message regarding the cleanliness of the sea. The first reaction was to feel like a “dinosaur,” the second was to figure out how to put this project into practice, admittedly without much urgency. I liked the idea of an “eco-friendly” boat.
A few more days go by and I learn that the “La Lunga Bolina” regatta is being dedicated to protecting the sea in collaboration with the non-profit Marevivo, which has been dedicated to this very important battle for years.
Three “signals” in a short time made me realize that it was time to do something, and those who know me know that I go from idea to action in no time.
Making an eco-friendly racing boat is simple and complicated at the same time.
NO MORE BOTTLES, YES TO “FLASKS”
Replacing plastic mineral water bottles with 5/10-liter “flasks” (which serve as jerry cans for later decanting water into water bottles) is simple. What becomes complicated is filling the flasks if the departure port does not have potable water (it is obvious that filling the flasks using plastic mineral water bottles is “demented”) and so you have to engineer a solution if you do not want to use glass bottles.”
Just think how nice it would be if in the harbors, whether you are about to set sail for the summer cruise or the long race, there was a van with a tanker that distributes drinking water, where you could go to fill up with jerry cans!
Eco-friendly boat: no disposable plates on board
“Replacing disposable plastic plates with durable plastic plates is very easy, you just have to find a way to wash them though since the water tanks on board, especially in one/two-day offshore races, are more or less half-empty to save weight. Obviously, if you’re strapping in a serious way, you’re not “throwing” the bucket overboard to catch water since that will, in any case, slow the boat down.
COMPOSTABLE BAGS FOR RECYCLING
On-board recycling collection is possible. More difficult becomes the use of canvas garbage bags since water and moisture are companions of adventure. But here, too, with a little good will we can get ingenious. As you may have understood, “we are ‘working on it’ very seriously.” Henry bought compostable plastic bags; they are the easiest and most affordable solution.
“Those who read me will think that the efforts of a few will certainly not save the world and, as an effect, will be irrelevant. I also understand this because this, until a few days ago, was also my thinking. What is FUNDAMENTAL, however, is changing ourselves and our habits, and if replacing a bottle with a water bottle can help on this path, welcome!”
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TIME TO ACT.
Time to Take Action is the slogan of Medplastic, the project of the Journal of Sailing and Powerboats to safeguard the Mediterranean. Join the MedPlastic Team Facebook group, there you can post news, projects, photodenunciations, videos. In addition, if you have structured projects to propose that you think would be useful to the “cause,” please send an email to savethemed@gmail.com. www.medplastic.org
