Green Boating Chicago IL

Green Boating

Staying green on the deep blue sea

One week of boating yearly doesn't seem like much to the individual, but collectively, millions of recreational boaters are “rec-ing” the environment. While Exxon Valdez did untold damage in one spill, an estimated 30 percent of all fuel and oil used in two-stroke engines ends up in the water. Over the course of a year, recreational boaters cumulatively dump 15 times the amount of pollution into North American waters as the infamous Exxon disaster did in one day. If little spills make a difference, imagine what good some green boating can do?

Clean, Green Boating Tips

• Get a four-stroke engine: A four-stroke engine is quieter, emits less waste and is easier to use than a two-stroke.
• Keep a finely tuned engine: No matter what type of engine you have, keep it well-tuned to prevent excessive fuel and oil leaks.
• Pack your trash: Don't throw anything overboard that didn't come from the water originally. No cigarette butts, fishing lines, garbage or food should go into the water. Pack up your trash and take it when you debark. Once ashore, sort and recycle.
• Fill 'er up: When filling your fuel tank, leave 5 percent capacity to allow for expansion in warm weather. This also makes spillage from rough weather less likely. How do you know when you're almost topped up? When you feel an increase in air flow, the tank's almost full. This is your signal to stop.
• Go ashore: Fill portable fuel tanks on shore or at the fuel dock where spills are less likely.
• Don't be a drip: Even small spills of oil can contaminate a large volume of water. To avoid drips, fill fuel tanks slowly and keep a supply of absorbent rags handy to catch spills.
• Pad it: Place an absorbent pad under your engine and in your bilge where drips are likely to occur. Check and replace pads often, being sure to dispose of them as hazardous waste at your marina.
• Go soap-free: Don't use soap to disperse oil and fuel spills. Not only does it harm the environment further, it's illegal.
• Be oil-change savvy: When changing the oil, use a pump to transfer it to a spill-proof container. Also, wrap an absorbent pad around the filter to prevent spilling oil into the bilge.
• Maintain onshore: Whenever possible, perform maintenance onshore in the boatyard. If you must work in the water, use tarps and vacuum sanders to keep dust and debris out of the water.
• Get a wax job: A good coat of wax will prevent dirt from sticking to a fiberglass hull, reducing the need for detergents.
• Stay high and dry: Dry storage reduces the need for toxic anti-fouling paints. If you must clean the bottom while on the water, use non-abrasive, underwater hull cleaning techniques to prevent paint discharge. You can further keep heavy metals out of the water system by using hard, non-toxic anti-fouling paint.
• Be waste wise: Not all garbage is created equal. Paint, batteries, antifreeze, cleaning products, oil (and ...