The Economist Magazine World Ocean Summit brought together NGO’s, companies and governments to address ocean issues and possible collaborative solutions to support a healthy ocean and vibrant economy. Sailors for the Sea is a proud and active participant at the WOS.

Last nights reception at WOS

Last night while attending the opening keynote speaker, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, president, Republic of Iceland, spoke about fisheries, Dan was struck by President Grimsson’s comment, “The nexus between fisheries and technology is quite possibly the best hope for ocean health.”

What do you think? Tell us: Do you agree that technology can help fisheries?

Learn more how the US incorporates science and technology into fisheries management through the The Office of Science and Technology, a part of the NOAA Fisheries.

Sneak peak at the 2012 BVI spring trophies!

The BVI spring regatta will be doing yet another first for Clean Regattas at their 2012 regatta. They will take best practice #15, Recycled Trophies, to a new level with trophies made from used bottles!  The regatta is working hard to be certified at the gold level.

Glass blowing studio in the BVI's.

Judy Petz, Director of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, is especially proud:
“This year the awards being given to the winners of first, second and third places have a special meaning to the regatta. The drink you were holding last year may be the award you hold this year. They are not only made from recycled glass from the past Spring Regattas, but they are also original creations made here in the British Virgin Island.”

Check out the full press release >>

Dan Pingaro will speak on a panel about Corporate responsibility: Taking custodianship of the oceans.

The panel will discuss: Why have so few companies set goals in an around the responsible use of the oceans, or adopted oceans goals in their sustainability programmes? By contrast, there is barely a Fortune 500 company that hasn’t yet set goals around climate change, carbon footprints and sustainability in a broader context. Sustainability, indeed, is moving out of the realms of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and reputational risk into the boardroom: it is fast becoming a strategic focus for improving growth and adding value. Oceans, too, require this focus—a sustainability agenda that is both good for the oceans and good for business.

Stay tuned for information about from this important summit and discussion, with a post to come from Dan while in Singapore!

Have you ever seen a Fangtooth? What about a Rosy Worm Acorn? They are some of the creatures that live in the deep sea, with the Barrel Eye pictured right. It is often said that we know more about the moon,  than we do about the deep sea, but what we do know about the deep sea is astounding and the creatures unimaginable.

The deep sea is an extremely harsh environment. It is dark and below 200m the light levels are too low for photosynthesis. Learn more about the amazing creatures of the deep, how they adapt to lack of light, high pressure, and the ocean pollution that affects them. Read the essay now and learn a bit more about the ocean. Plunge in: Life in the Deep Sea

To learn more about the Barrel Eye, watch the video below.

Few things trouble a boat’s Minister of the Interior as much as plastic water bottles.  There is the inconvenient task of purchasing and transporting an entire isle of water bottle 24-pack cases.  Then there is the daily burden of hauling just over 30 lbs of water out to your boat. There is also my personal favorite water bottle related activity:  the between-race hunt for bottles carelessly thrown down below during races.  Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, there is the issue of what to do with the water bottles when you are finished.

Everyday our 8-person Melges 32 team races, I pack four bottles per person.  That is 32 bottles a day.  With at least 50 racing days scheduled in a year, that is 1,600 water bottles.   While we make every effort to recycle those bottles, often facilities are not available or the bottles end up mixed in with the rest of the boat’s trash.

As an alternative to this mess, our team followed suit with the Melges 20 fleet who took the initiative to green the fleet’s liquids.  We purchased a different color 21 oz stainless steel water bottle for each team member and placed them in a bottle caddy (~$10) in order to keep them all together and to prevent the bottles involuntary tacking around in the bottom of the boat.  In general, it was easier to move around the plastic caddy and required less space than the large bag we had replaced.

Our process is to fill the bottles on the dock in the morning from either a large container or a dock hose fitted with a filter. Once racing it is very easy to pass the caddy full of bottles up on deck and let everyone get their personally colored bottle. Some of the big guys get two and if any need to be refilled, we pass up the spare gallon jug and top them off. Though prepping the bottles for the day was a concern at first, it ended up taking less time and effort to fill eight empty bottles than packing the 30 lbs of water we would usually bring from our hotel.  We found that one set of filled water bottles and one extra gallon jug was sufficient for the day.  It is important to make sure that the gallon jug has either a secure top or is placed in such a way as to avoid rolling around.  We chose the latter option and did not have a problem.

Bottles fit snugly down below next to the mast, keeping extra weight in the perfect spot.

An individual reusable stainless steel water bottle can run from $15-$25.  They are both environmentally and practically superior to other options as they are durable, safe and recyclable.  Aluminum bottles are also an option, but may be non-recyclable and less safe depending on their lining.  Reusable plastic water bottles are the cheapest option (around $8-$10 per bottle), but tend not to hold up as well in the heat and are less widely recyclable once you are through with them. In the end, it was faster, easier and more environmentally conscientious to use the bottles!

The crew of a Melges 32 have a lot of worries - water bottle litter should not be one of them. Photo by Joy Dunnigan

Sailors for the Sea, executive director speaking at the 2012 Rhode Island Marine Trades Association business roundtable. The RIMTA roundtable focused on the newly formed Oceans Caucus of the U. S. Senate and its impact on the Marine Trades. The Caucus will work to increase awareness and find common ground in responding to issues facing the oceans and coasts, which support millions of jobs in America and contribute more to the country’s GDP than the entire farm sector, grossing more than $230 billion in 2004.

Article III. OBJECT

To promote and develop Mercury Class racing under uniform rules governed by the Association, to maintain the one design features of Mercury Class Yachts and encourage a role in ocean stewardship.

On the back cover of their directory/ yearbook they will include more information:

The Mercury Class encourages a role in ocean stewardship while planning and participating in Mercury Class events and promotes practices that align with stewardship goals, such as, but not limited to those listed in the Clean Regatta program established by Sailors for the Sea.

The Mercury class voted to join Sailors for the Sea, as a class, after they changed their constitution as a route to moving forward as ocean stewards.

We are very excited to have the Mercury class committed to ocean stewardship. We would like to congratulate this long standing class for it’s forward thinking by adapting this important initiative.

2011 Huntington Lake Regatta photo by Barbara Whelan

History of the Mercury class: The 18 foot Mercury full keel sloop was originally introduced in 1939 at the World’s Fair (Golden Gate International Exposition) in San Francisco.  This Ernest Nunes design was built of a new breakthrough material- waterproof plywood.  In 1962, fiberglass hulls were introduced and aluminum spars, in 1970.  The Nationals have been held every year since 1947. The class continues to be popular and competitive, today. History continued>>

Key West Race Week

Sailors for the Sea is excited to see racing teams adapting Clean Regatta Best Practices to their daily routine, even when not at a Clean Regatta!

Water bottles sitting down below in the Melges 32. They fit perfectly in the fiberglass sections down below.

The water bottles, made by hydroflask, are insulated keeping water cold for up to 24 hours. The water bottle caddy can be purchased through most sports stores, here is a link to the one pictured left.

Have you created a method for eliminating single use water bottles on your boat, at your marina, or in your office? Share it with us!

Drainage basin of the Mississippi River, and dead zone it creates.

Nutrient runoff is killing coastal ecosystems around the word. The dead zone that forms every summer in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the best (or worst) example of this problem. Support the health of your local and national waters by using non-toxic cleaning products on your boat.

Why does it matter?
When you wash your boat, wax it, or use a spray solvent to clean off a spot, traces of these chemicals will more than likely make it into the water you use for recreation. If you haul your boat out to clean it, only some marina’s have proper filtration for runoff before it goes back into the water. If you clean your boat while in the water, nothing is stopping the soap from going in the water. The reason so many cleaners are good at getting rid of stains, bacteria and the like is because they are rife with toxic and petroleum-based ingredients-ingredients that persist and damage our oceans, environment and even our own health.

You might be putting more that just your boat in the water.

Solutions:
Fortunately, there are some simple solutions like making your own cleaners or buying non-toxic products. Click here for ways to make your own green cleaning products.  If you prefer store bought products, there are many non-toxic cleaning products being made for the home and boating industry. You want a product that does not contain chlorine, phosphate, petroleum surfactants, bleach, solvents, VOC and optical brighteners. Check out Seventh Generation, Simple Green Naturals line, and Clorox Green Works for your cleaning needs. Also check out ecomarineproducts.com, this website is till growing, but it allows for one stop shopping for environmentally friendly cleaning products specifically made for boats. If you work at a marina or shipyard, now is a great time to transition to non-toxic cleaning products.

The best way to reduce runoff is eliminate the problem! Give your boat a water only wash down. This gets the job done for most cleanings and creates the least impact.

What products do you prefer to use on your boat? Would you make a commitment to give water only wash downs every 3 out of 4 times you wash your boat?

The Island President tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced – the literal survival of his country and everyone in it. The Maldives is one of the most low-lying countries in the world, a rise of three feet in sea level would submerge the 1200 islands, making them uninhabitable. A film about one man’s mission to save his nation and perhaps the planet. This is a “sneak-peek” screening before it comes out in theaters and then it will be a limited release. The film won the Audience Award for a Documentary at this past Toronto Film Festival.

The evening starts at 6pm with a wine reception and food provided by salvation café (optional) The film screening starts at 7pm followed by a special Q&A session, moderated by Virgina Lee climate change expert and senior coastal manager at the Coastal Resources Center at URI.

We are excited to share this important topic on the big screen and invite you to come out and learn how global warming is currently impacting peoples lives. As a coastal community we feel that this film will resonate with Newporters.

Watch the trailer below and we recommend purchasing tickets in advance from newportFILM’s website. We look forward to seeing you there!