Your boat and the environment.

Buying a boat in Ontario in 2021?  Or perhaps you and your family is already enjoying the pure pleasure of being out on the water on a glorious day!  We are bombarded with messages about global warming, C02 emissions, the rapidly accelerating declining waste disposal problem.  Our water quality must be important to all boaters owners.  Cottage owners have a large stake in water quality as well!  How do we lessen our environmental impact? What are the best practices for your boat and the environment?

Your Boat and the Environment 

• Water quality should be an important issue for all boaters and cottage owners

I saw a report recently that stated that 50% of all water sources in Ontario should be considered as polluted!  That should get our attention!   This fact alone does not sound good or bode well for our future!  As I have stated before in Boater’s Chat…boating is not a carbon neutral activity!  Boat manufacturing has made some strides recently.  Boat builders have  reduced VOC emissions.  Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and and/or styrene emissions from open mold fiberglass hull production are an issue.  Boat builders such as Campion Boats have pioneered the use of renewal resource resins versus the industry standard oil based products.  What can a boat buyer or boating family due to reduce there carbon footprint?  What about reducing  toxic chemicals or products from entering our waterways?

• Boating is not a carbon neutral activity…not in boat building, actual use and maintenance

Baby Steps

Today we all live very busy lifestyles!   There never seems to be enough down time for yourself or the family!  Huntsville Marine has an online website with huge amounts of information available including exclusive boat buying information and maintenance information in Boater’s Chat.  On line shopping continues to become an important means of providing everyday goods and services for all of us.  How does a boat buyer or boat owner quickly determine means of reducing carbon footprint? Immediately below are some easy steps to reduce your carbon footprint and water degradation.  The added benefit that most if not all of these points are listed below are good for your boat and easier on your wallet!

• Following are steps to reduce your boating carbon footprint.  Some of these are pure choice on your part.  Others are the responsibility of the marina or boating center that you utilize

Boat Maintenance and Storage

An Easy Choice for You!  A Harder Choice for Your Marina or Boating Center.  

Boat storage procedures remains the largest source of toxic pollution.  Further, life threatening damage to all types of boats!  Not a politician’s statement but pure fact!  Here are some points to consider and questions to ask your boat storage provider.

 

Glycols

• Use of ethylene and propylene glycols during storage.  Is your storage provider using these toxic chemicals?  If the answer is yes, then those chemicals are directly or indirectly entering the waterways in very large amounts.  If you are a storage operation storing 500 units the amount of glycols being discharged is in the area of 600 to 700 gallons or 2400 to 2800 liters annually.  Propylene glycols are marketed as non toxic.  This is true to some extent but propylene glycols do reduce critical oxygen levels in water substantially.  This reduction can remain for up to 30 days providing negative aquatic events.   The toxicity is further compounded by their release in the spring months. Spring is prime fish spawning time in shallow water  This s exactly were these winterizing glycol chemicals are released and could concentrate.
• Dry engine storage is available and exclusively used at Huntsville Marine for over 3 decades.  Ask the question:  Are glycol antifreeze agents utilized for engine storage? Is the answer is yes?  Then you have to make the decision as the marine facility is not willing too.  If you would like to look further at propylene glycol and its toxic effects check here: www.honeycolony.com/article/propylene-glycol/  

Utilizing Glycol Products is a Choice

• The use of glycol agents for boat storage is strictly a convenient choice by the marine facility.  Glycol is not required or mandated by the engine provider. Consequently, Huntsville Marine has been specifically informed by the Ministry of the Environment not to use glycols.  Common knowledge in the industry that the use of glycol must be restricted.  Why are we not doing this?

Plastic Shrink Wrap

• To shrink wrap or store inside a building?  Like many things in life, is this decisions made based solely on money or availability?
•  It is all about the growing scourge of the earth.  Endless plastics!  Blue shrink wrap, white or clear the vast majority is not recycled!  The manufacturing, transportation and use of shrink wraps has a very high carbon footprint.  Add to that fact the greenhouse effect of shrink wrapping a boat plus high humidity levels, higher corrosion rates, higher degradation of upholstery vinyl’s and carpets.  Add to that list mold and critter problems and why are we doing this?   Inside boat storage is a superior means of storing your families boating investment.  Inside building storage has the environmental advantage.  For additional information on Shrink Wrap for Boat Winter Storage see the links below.
• We continue to note pink mold spots and or black mold marking of shrink wrap boats from other location that come for service!

More Articles | About Tom D. Welsh