Clean Sailors podcast

As we know, sails are strong and durable, built to withstand some of Earth’s toughest environments; UV light, saltwater and wind.

Made from complex synthetic materials, sails aren’t formally recycled anywhere in the world with over 97% of them heading to landfill or incineration.

But what if we used these huge sheets of hardy textiles for good?

What if we used spent sails to help shelter refugees, the homeless and those displaced by politics and natural disasters?

In this episode we are joined by Angela Abashir, founder of Sail to Shelter, achieving just that.

A worthy listen, I'm sure you will agree.

And, if you've an old sail remember to head to our ReSail by Clean Sailors platform to find your closest drop-off. Old sails can be made into new things �

End of life boats...

With an estimated 30,000 tons of composite waste from old boats being discarded in European landfills annually, alone, we know this continues to be an issue or an opportunity for the marine industry and beyond.

In this episode host Holly is joined by Jeroen Wats, former champion sailor and now composite revolutionist to discuss the environmental impact of composite materials and how, through his company, ExoTechnologies, he's looking at the state of art solutions to address the problem, namely a bullet-proof, lightweight, super strong and fully recyclable composite.

Now, we know since the 1950’s, GRP and FRP hulls – glass and fibre reinforced plastics, became the go-to for boat building.

These materials were revolutionary, not just for maintenance, cost and performance, but also increasing the accessibility of boats to a much wider audience.

Fast-forward several decades, and these materials; meaning thousands and thousands of boats, are at end-of life, with no formal recycling opportunities anywhere in the world….

So, what currently happens to boats when they die? And what impact are they having on the environment?

Listen in to hear Dr. Corina Ciocan - Principal Lecturer in Ecotoxicology/Marine Biology at the University of Brighton speak about her somewhat alarming research on our choice boat-building materials and our marine environments, plus our human health...

We've had a couple of conversations on the topic of end-of-life boats, notably with brilliant minds and teams who are working to create fully recyclable composites from which to build new vessels going forward.

So, what about those boats already in existence? What of those boats that are currently abandoned on shorelines globally due to no formal recycling, clear procedures, incentives or supporting legislation when it comes to end of life?

Guillaume Perben, CEO and co-founder of a Swiss based company with a global mindset aptly named ‘Composite Recycling’, joins us for this episode of the Clean Sailors podcast.

Now, the golden rule when spending time in the sun is to cover up and sunscreen up. These tips are generally the best when it comes to protecting our skin from potentially harmful UVA and UVB rays and any secondary health impacts they can cause such as skin cancer.

These tips are well known, however perhaps less known is the harmful effect that personal care products including sunscreen can have on our marine environment.

In this episode, hear Stuart Knowles, Founder of ocean-minded sunscreen, Himaya, speak about the health of our oceans, building an environmentally focussed business right through the supply chain, and the best sunscreen to be using (*clue in the title!).

Freya Terry is a 22-year-old female solo sailor making her way around the UK and Ireland. Aside from this exciting and lengthy journey of 2300 nautical miles, Freya is raising awareness of mental health as she goes. It’s foggy Sunday morning, and we are snug in the cabin of her 31ft boat, a beautiful Sparkman and Stephens SHE, doused in bright pink.

Listen in to hear about Freya's solo-sailing accomplishments, her big ambitions, why the topic of our mental health is the message she is spreading as she goes, as well as how we can support each other in discussing the same.

For more on Freya's journey and to support her cause, head to her website and GoFundMe page for donations:

https://she-sails.co.uk/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/sailing-for-mental-health-uk-circumnavigation?utm_campaign=p_cp+fundraiser-sidebar&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

What exactly is seagrass and why is it important? How do we sailors impact the seabed, and what can we do about it?

Tune in to hear a conversation of experts around our joint #ProtectOurBeds campaign - why seagrass is an instrumental species for our planet, how it's threatened and how we sailors can find out exactly where it lies, when out on the water.

With the Ocean Conservation Trust, savvy navvy and Falmouth Harbour.

#ProtectOurBeds

As sailors, the sea is our pleasure, our passion and our pastime and for many - profession. Who better, then, to help protect the health of our waters than sailors...

In this episode, host, Holly, is joined by Theresa Zabell OLY; two-time Olympic gold winning sailor, with five world championship titles and one silver, three European titles, 14 International Olympic weeks and 13 National Championships under her belt, who, for over twenty years, has been been educating and inspiring young people on ocean pollution and conserving our seas through her Ecomar Foundation.

From rising to meet the Olympic standard in sailing to helping address the global challenge of ocean health, hear Theresa discuss her golden achievements and how we all play a role in improving and preserving our watery environments, worldwide.

Our polar ice caps are probably the most referred to, as a proxy for the alarming temperature changes of our planet. These large sheets of ice, as preserved for millions of years, have been undergoing change, so much so that once impassable and certainly inhospitable areas of our globe are opening up.

Host, Holly, is joined by Ella Hibbert, a sailor who and in just a few short weeks will slip lines, alone, for the Arctic Circle, attempting the worlds- first single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the Arctic.

But, in her own words – ‘this is not a record attempt, it’s a wake-up call’.

During the 1950s, glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP/FRP/fibreglass) composites displaced wood as the material of choice for boats as it permitted easier manufacture, smoother hydrodynamic surfaces and significantly reduced the maintenance costs.

Such materials revolutionised not just the production of vessels, leisure in particular, but also the accessibility of boating to a much wider audience. However, the durability of the composite materials is now becoming an issue given that many boats are no longer required and disposal is not trivial.

In this episode, podcast host, Holly, is joined by two teams changing the way boats are built. Listen in to hear how material science is revolutionising recyclability in boat-building with a view to solve the end-of-life problem, with guests Alessandro Stagni from NL Comp and Patrick Pacchetti from RECARBON.