5 Eco Friendly Summer Sailing Tips
Summer and sea are inseparable. The bright blue waves roll in across the expansive canvas of water and call for everyone. It’s hard to deny the natural pull. That’s why you’ve planned out the perfect summer getaway; a yachting trip!
Off you sail on your summer journey, cradled in the familiar comfort of the sea. Relaxing under the warm rays, the yacht rocks gently across the twinkling saltwater. You close your eyes and inhale deeply, the scent of sunshine and gasoline filling your lungs. Wait, gasoline?
Out of the corner of your eyes, you spot something floating on the side of your boat. A plastic bag full of food containers and several six-pack holders. Out in the distance, you can see a yacht leaving a long trail of floating dark liquid.
The water’s no longer blue, the sky’s no longer bright. All around you are pollutants and sadness.
Well…that’s a depressing picture for summer. You’re no longer sure if summer’s worth the excitement anymore.
But summer shouldn’t be depressing. And the sea surely shouldn’t be polluted. That’s why we should start eco-friendly sailing this summer! Here are 5 ways you can instantly be eco- friendly.
1. Avoid Oil Spills
Remember the BP oil spill in 2010? It took the world by surprise and the effect lasted for far too long. Marine and avian animals that depend on the sea as part of their ecosystem were greatly affected. If anything, we’ve learnt that oil spills are hard to clean up aside from being dangerous to the environment.
To start your eco-friendly journey, make sure you fuel the right way. Here are a few ways to avoid spilling into the sea; i. Fuel at the dock, not in the water ii. Don’t top off the tank, the heat can cause an overflow that leaks into the water iii. Oil absorbent rags are a must when dealing with spilt oil to be disposed off properly once docked iv. A proper maintenance schedule can help detect any crack or fissure before your next voyage
Tips: If you spilt oil, always wipe it off ASAP or it will ruin the paintwork. Then clean up the area with ecoclean multi to dissolve and remove oil. This helps keep your paintwork brand new. Also suitable for cleaning grease, dust and dirt from vinyls & metals.
2. Keeping Schedule
We’re not talking your holiday schedule here, you’re free to sail and stop wherever. But before you go and have fun between the isles, make sure you’ve done a scheduled maintenance. After all, the yacht has been under wraps for quite awhile since last year’s summer.
Always check for any issues before departing. Your early preparation can avoid future problems, whether it be from leaky tanks or rusty parts.
Tips: Got a glass-bottomed yacht? ecoclean glass+ is perfect for removing stains and waterspots accumulated before summer rolled in. Extremely powerful but safe, it’s pH neutral and does not damage your glass.
3. No Dumping
Do not, under any circumstance, leave your trash overboard. Plastic and metal wastes are one of the biggest offenders when it comes to wildlife disturbance. We’ve seen way too many distressed animals being rescued from floating plastic bag that they thought were food.
Always carry trash bags on board so you can safely dispose them once you’re back on land. A clean ocean is a safe ocean and a safe ocean is a beautiful ocean.
Tips: When there’s waste, there’s stink. Be prepared with an air freshener so you can relax without any funky smell coming from the waste bin. We recommend spraying ecoclean air on the affected surfaces to eliminate any foul smell from your yacht.
4. Stop Using Copper
Specifically, copper hulls. Antifouling paint has been a staple of marina vehicles and it contains leaching copper. This means that the water sloughs off copper from the paint as your yacht moves through the water.
It’s extremely useful to slow and prevent the growth of small critters like barnacles but it’s just as bad for things that are not barnacles. Antifouling doesn’t choose what it works on, it poisons everything that comes near the hull.
The best way to stop polluting the water is to switch your copper hulls for a more environmentally friendly option. Current technology has provided multiple options for antifouling paint that does not leach off copper.
Tips: If you’re looking for an eco-friendly coating that is developed specifically for high UV exposure and saline resistance, you can coat your yacht using ecocoat marine. It can be applied above and below the waterline for improved antifouling properties as well as micro marring resistance.
5. Eco-friendly Clean Up
Most vessels can be cleaned off with a good hose down. It’s when you’re looking for a full on cleaning spree that you’ll want to get a good soap and scrubber. But did you know that you shouldn’t discharge your soapy water into the sea?
All pollutants such as metal and paint particles must be removed from the wash water before being discharged. But! When you have used detergents, your wastewater must be discharged through the sewer system instead.
To reduce the impact of your wastewater on the environment, why not use approved eco- friendly products? Our ecoclean series can definitely be the perfect companion for your yacht clean up work.
Tips: Looking to reduce water usage yet still get the cleaning job done swiftly? Our spray on wipe off formulation in ecoshine paint is perfect for the job. Just spray on the cleaner and wipe off the contaminants.
Here’s to the Beginning of Your Eco-friendly Voyage
We hope your next journey on water, land or sky is filled with fun times. Understanding how you can help reduce your impact to the environment is one step closer to saving the earth.
Makes you feel good, doesn’t it?
Who are we?
IGL Coatings is the leading manufacturer and formulator of low and zero VOC high solids ceramic coatings. Our product range includes multiple surface coatings, cleaning and maintenance for various surfaces including paint, glass, metals, plastic and fabrics.
We are the first in the industry to have our nano-technology audited and verified by Nanoverify (a collaboration between Nano Malaysia Berhad and SIRIM QAS International), our products certified by TUV Rheinland and is complaint with the REACH guidelines of Europe and a proud finalist in the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) in 2016.
Find out more about how IGL Coatings can protect & enhance your entire vessel at www.iglcoatings.com today! We’re also available via marketing@iglcoatings.com and +6010 792 9888.
By IGL Coatings