Plastiki anyone?

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Alex.A, Jul 17, 2010.

  1. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    Crazy concept but great for getting attention for recycling and waste in the oceans.... but will there come a time when we could make boats from recycled materials and/or plastics? More green/eco friendly boats? Cats are already a bit more "green" to to a lack of lead but what else is possible/viable?
    Recycle deck gear and sails etc ? Not only for the greenies but as a cost saving issue too......
    Should've added link - but google plastiki.....
     
  2. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    What makes a lack of lead "green"?
     
  3. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    Use of a poisonous metal? The energy it takes to create it in the first place - then melt and shape into a bulb?
     
  4. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    It comes from the ground. It is not as poisonous as the propaganda makes it to be or all us old shipwrights would be dead.
     
  5. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    OK but it does take a lot of energy to get from the earth to a keel?
     
  6. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    I was hoping that someone might notice the rig tho.... Twin jibs -Hitch style and twin aft stay-sails on the mizzen.
     

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  7. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    It takes a lot of energy to make any boat. So it does to keep the internet and associated computers running.
     
  8. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    So - party on - who cares? Epoxy is a petrolium product - an alternative will be needed as the price goes up-n-up...... All boat builds rely on energy, which will continue to cost more and more.... All i'm wondering is - what future alternatives? Why not recycled materials?
    Suppose we could go back to old style wooden boats? Saw a beautifull outrigger made with a crude adze.....
     
  9. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Old style wooden boats take a lot of energy and waste. We throw away at list one third of the lumber. It is sawdust, shavings and off cuts. Boats made with and adze (dugouts) waste probably 90% of the wood into chips. I suppose you can make a cooking fire with them. Eco friendly, whatever that really means, is more of a marketing label than anything. If you don't want to impact the environment, you shouldn't own a boat unless it is a commercial fishing or cargo. Otherwise, it is part of the consumer market.
     
  10. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    You're just being difficult. Is there any harm in limitting impact where you can?
    And if lead is not so harmfull, why is it being removed from paint and and and and and ? I was just trying to see alternatives, thats all. So lets live like there's no tomorrow and let our children sort it out? Global warming's a myth and petrol/oil will never run out.....
    ps - you had a wharram - in Manie's book, that makes you a hippy:D
     
  11. CatBuilder

    CatBuilder Previous Member

    Alex, I looked into this very carefully before buying my plans.

    There are (not my knowledge) no suitable recycled materials to create a boat out of.

    Let's face it, building a boat is the project of a lifetime. For you (and for me) it takes all of our net worth and then quite a bit more in unearned income. If you make your boat out of polyethelyne or something, you are screwed because all that time/money you wasted building the boat will rot away in short order.

    Plus, if you look up the physical characteristics of the various recycled plastics, they are either not stiff enough or way heavy. Been down this road, didn't see anything worth spending my life's savings (and then some) on.
     
  12. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    Nah - my boat will be tried-n-tested ply/epoxy/glass.
    Just some fwd thinking in general. Or not........
     
  13. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    The least impact on the environment is to buy one of the many used boats in the market and not build a new one. I am not being difficut, just pointing out your inconsistencies.
     
  14. Alex.A
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    Alex.A Senior Member

    Yeah you're right - but then i'd be on usedboats.com and not boatdesign.net.....
    And you're right about the internet too - spend too much time on it :D
    Just wondering about the future - sorry i asked.
    Don't want to go into people's nature etc - it was more of an economy/ don't waste issue - as catbuilder picked up on.
    And sailing around with less trash in the water and on the beaches wouldn't hurt either....
     

  15. ImaginaryNumber
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    ImaginaryNumber Imaginary Member

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