Dinghy development: How eco friendly are dinghys?

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How eco friendly are dinghys?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13214
Printed Date: 17 Aug 25 at 8:03pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: How eco friendly are dinghys?

Posted By: Dangerousday
Subject: How eco friendly are dinghys?
Date Posted: 18 Nov 18 at 8:19pm

Got a friend who has just started sailing and bought a Topaz X thing- he seems to be doing ok in it. But he also keeps sending me adverts for Mirrors and saying, for reasons best know to himself (I would say ignorance) he wants one. With the ones he keeps sending me he may get a nice trailer and some firewood

Which has me thinking Topaz/Mirror more or less same user group. So over the lifetime of any particular one which is the most eco friendly?

Topaz - can sit neglected for years in the nettles and shrug it off, but at end of life will be landfill. I'm guessing its not eco friendly to make in first place either.

Mirror - (wood) grows on trees. Needs paint stripper, varnish and more paint, epoxy to keep it usable regularly and unlikely to have a long life without it. But at least it can be fed through a woodchipper at end of life.

Any thoughts?

Replies:

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 18 Nov 18 at 8:29pm

Buying a used boat more eco friendly than new (already been manufactured).

Wooden boat more eco friendly than Plywood, GRP, FRP etc etc, minimal chemicals required when using whole wood (planks), all metal bits easilly recycled, regular maintenance of hull and good storage will mean a long life.

Posted By: Dangerousday
Date Posted: 18 Nov 18 at 8:40pm

Hmm. Hadn't thought about plywood being a manufactured product.

Was thinking of the boats lifetime credentials, rather than owners personal ones by buying new/used.

Metal bits apply to all constructions.

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 18 Nov 18 at 9:01pm

Glues used in construction and plywood, epoxy, polyester and vinylester resins in coatings and layup and conventional varnishes are all pretty unfriendly I guess. But a typical boat last 20-40 years + and has a much lower environmental impact than a car (and there are orders of magnitude fewer of them) so I guess we aren't the best sport WRT environmental impact but we're far from the worst too.

Worst case scenario we can shred GRP and use it in construction.....

https://fiberline.com/news/miljoe/breakthrough-recycling-fibreglass-now-reality" rel="nofollow - https://fiberline.com/news/miljoe/breakthrough-recycling-fibreglass-now-reality

The canoe/kayak industry has gone almost exclusively back to linear polyethylene which is a repairable and recyclable thermoplastic from cross linked PE (which is a thermo-setting plastic and changes it's chemical structure when moulded).

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 18 Nov 18 at 11:36pm

By the time you've allowed for 30 years of annual sanding back (= microplastic) and revarnishing/painting (=solvents) I submit any calc is so vague as to be meaningless...

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 7:38am

Sanded my Minisail back yesterday. Only the 5yh time since 1971, as far as I can see, with just one complete strip back. More friendly than my Topper?

Sails should be taken into account, too. If ever all sailors emptied their lofts of old sails, we would have an ecological disaster.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 8:55am

Unless we recycled them into designer bags and coats.....

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 10:14am

I have a few sails knocking about, club has dozens of abandoned sails, all good.

Posted By: Old Timer
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 1:04pm

Originally posted by Sam.Spoons

Unless we recycled them into designer bags and coats.....

No one would be stupid enough to buy that old tat .... errr wait ....

Posted By: Dangerousday
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 3:10pm

Way the fashion industry works you could sell mylar underwear

Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 19 Nov 18 at 3:38pm

You’re better off looking for alternative markets for old tat.... I sold a pair of old worn neoprene “rubber” gloves - hand shaped by some women called “Gill” on eBay’s more mature sections.... it did however feel a little odd taking my Jiffy bag with said sailing gloves to the post office addressed to “Uncle Rubber” from Swansea.