Captain's Log
Captain's Log February 2008Sailing is the Greenest Way to Go
Sailors have been aware of the value of “going green” for a long time since we have made the choice to let the natural non-pollut-ing power of the wind drive our vessels instead of fossil fuels. The relationship we have with the sun, sky, clouds, sea and the wind is so natural that most of us take it somewhat for granted. And if we worry about using too much fuel it may be due more to the cost of refueling than the damage our meager exhausts cause the planet. But we have to admit that over the last couple decades or so, the green-ness of our life afloat has changed. We all tend to motor more nowadays since we often have tight schedules and because we are not accustomed to being kept waiting by anything like the wind. Also, we all carry a lot more energy-hungry gadgets on our boats so we need some way to generate hun-dreds of amp-hours daily instead of the few dozen common on voyaging boats a generation ago. So, we might be going green, but many of us are also expanding our boats’ energy footprints. Long-time liveaboard sailors who are often sailing on fixed incomes and need to be cautious with their cruising kitties, have become incredibly inventive in developing and using ways to save energy and to limit their use of fossil fuels. Certainly, they are motivated by concern for the environ-ment since they live so close to nature. But, they are also reacting to the economics of cruising. Alternative energy sources are the essential technology for many cruisers. On voyaging boats you are likely to see solar panels on the cabin tops and on stern arches. You will also see a wind generator or two mounted aft. You may see a SunShower hanging in the rigging using solar power to warm up the afternoon showers. And, you may see a water generator mounted on the stern that will kick out a lot of power when the boat is sailing. Well fitted out cruising boats will be self sufficient to a degree that is rare ashore. We can live aboard our boats and use the wind to transport us from place to place; the sun, wind and the speed of the boat can charge our batteries so we rarely need to run the engine or generator. Add a wind vane self-steering device and you can avoid using the autopilot except when absolutely necessary. Solving energy problems afloat takes some ingenuity and a change in attitudes about technology and its costs. The world is waking up to the dangers of global warming and climate change. There is something valuable we all can learn from long-term cruisers who have discovered how to explore the world without polluting it. Sailing is truly the greenest way to go. And our well equipped cruising boats are the original hybrid vehicles.
