Green Options » boat

An Earthship that Floats?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:03:51 +0000

David de Rothschild’s Plastiki is a seaworthy boat made from reclaimed plastic bottles. Michael Reynolds’ Earthships (the subject of the documentary Garbage Warrior) are homes built from reclaimed materials, and designed to provide basic needs for the homeowner: energy, food, water, and waste disposal. Put the two together, and you get the Landlord Independent, a work-in-progress by Providence, Rhode Island-based artists and activists Dan Gladstone and Zachary Weindel.

Read more of this story »

Futuristic Catamaran to Attempt First Solar-Powered Circumnavigation

Derek Markham — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:37:50 +0000

PlanetSolar, when completed and covered with 1500 square feet of solar panels, will be the largest solar powered ship in the world. A ship with an audacious agenda: to be the first to circumnavigate the globe powered solely by solar energy.

“In 2010, the first round-the-world trip powered by solar energy will be realized, with stopovers, along the equator, where the maximum amount of sunlight is available. The over 40,000-km voyage will last 120 days, for an average speed of 10 knots. PlanetSolar’s two-man crew will cross the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and finally the Suez Canal, to return to the Mediterranean.”

Read more of this story »

Sea Shepherd Activists Spray Whaling Ship With Rotten Butter

Andrew Williams — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:43:47 +0000

Anti-whaling activists aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel ‘Steve Irwin’ have covered a whaling ship with a smelly cocktail of rotten butter, methyl cellulose and indelible dye.

The unconventional sliming operation was carried out in a bid to intimidate the Japanese whaler, Kaiko Maru, into moving out of Australian Antarctic territorial waters. According to Peter Hammarstedt, the Sea Shepherd’s second officer, “this is one stinky, slippery ship.”

Read more of this story »

Japanese Man to “Hang 10″ in Pacific Journey with Wave-Powered Boat

Benjamin Jones — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:42:46 +0000

There are various ways to travel the sea in style. One of the most environmentally friendly ones would certainly be using sails alone. I mean, wind is free, right?

Well, a Japanese man named Kenichi Horie is attempting to be just as environmentally friendly but without the sails.

How does he do it? With a wave-powered boat. Wave power has been discussed quite a bit recently, with a lot of applications including traditional grid energy generation. However, Kenichi is taking things to the next level by powering his ocean going vehicle with the very thing it bobs atop.

Read more of this story »

Earthrace: Biodiesel Boat Prepares for Record-Breaking Trip

Rebecca Carter — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:10:39 +0000

On March 6, Earthrace - a powerboat run on biodiesel - will set off from Barbados on a trip to attempt to break the world record on circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat. However, the true Earthrace journey started over three years ago. Run by Pete Bethune of New Zealand, this Captain has a background in the oil industry. Truly on a mission to promote the use of alternative fuels, he and his crew (all volunteers) have been dedicated to this project, to spread the word and inspire change.

A completely custom built boat, Earthrace started out on its world promotional tour one year ago. It will soon attempt to break the "round the world" record - set in 1998 at 75 days, hoping to finish in around 65 days. It already has a huge following - people track the boat's travels and location through Earthrace.net.

The project has run out of funding several times during the past few years, but somehow they always find a donor and a way to continue on. In fact, one of the coolest ways to donate to Earthrace is to pay to be the fifth crew member on a leg of the race.

When the boat stopped recently in Miami, I had a chance to sit down and chat with the captain Pete, the resident videographer Ryan, and other boat and ground crew members. And yes, I even went for a ride. Below you'll find the video of that experience, with even more details straight from the captain about why this project is important, what types of biodiesel they have used (you'll be surprised!), and more ways that the boat is eco-friendly.

If you're feeling generous, consider helping out Earthrace in one way or another. They still need so many details to come together to make this race happen. To get a taste of last-minute issues, check out the ground crew blog!