Cover Photo by Sherif Moharram on Unsplash

Sustainability Musings; the Step by Step Series

This month’s step by step focuses on sustainability within the superyacht deck department. The deck department can play a huge role in helping the sustainability of a yacht. From simple changes such as environmentally friendly boat soap. Through to more complex issues such as the sustainability of the teak. I have put together a few ideas below to get the deck team started on their journey to sustainability.

Cleaning & Maintenance 

The deck department is well versed in keeping the outside of the yacht looking pristine. But, when it comes to cleaning and maintenance there are a few changes that can be made to improve the sustainability of the yacht.

• Switch the boat soap for an environmentally friendly brand
• Use reusable rags for polishing
• Be mindful and conscious of water usage
• If you need to replace water hoses, replace them with sustainable alternatives
• Keep a well-documented maintenance rota for everything on the deck to reduce repairs and having to replace things

Guest Activities 

It can be hard to change guest preferences. However, there are a few things you can do when guests are onboard to help the sustainability of certain decisions.

• When anchoring, be mindful of the seabed and watch out for seagrass and coral in particular
• Try to encourage the use of more sustainable water activities such as snorkelling and paddle boarding over jet skiing and hoverboards – or even look into electric and hydro-powered water sports toys
• When getting beach bags together, liaise with the interior department about sourcing reusable water bottles, sustainable towels and ocean-friendly sun cream
• Source sustainable brands for rash vests and sunglasses for both guest and crew usage

New builds & Refits 

Depending on whether the yacht is in the build process, having an extensive refit or just a yard period there are a few factors you can change when it comes to sustainability.

• Ensure that the new or replaced teak is from a sustainable source
• Source sustainable docking lines, made from sustainable materials
• Replace the toxic antifouling process with sustainable alternatives, also keep on top of hull cleaning as often as possible
• Switch out toxic paints and varnishes for non-toxic and more sustainable where possible
• Liaise with the Captain and do your research on where you are going, there are a lot of great initiatives from yards implementing more sustainable practices.

There are lots of things you can do on deck to help improve sustainability onboard. But also be aware that you can continue your sustainability efforts back inside the yacht. For example, be mindful of the recycling practices. Turn things off when not in use e.g. lights and water. And, try to help the chef by limiting food waste are just a few ideas.

Sustainability onboard is about more than just reducing single-use plastic. It is about all the practices and processes that are carried out. If you begin to notice things the yacht can improve on, bring it up with the rest of the crew and draw up an action plan to change things. The power of the crew to make changes is huge and will drive our industry forward.

Hopefully these tips can help you bring more sustainability within the superyacht deck department!

Remember- there can be a more sustainable way to do pretty much everything. Be sure to integrate some of these deck ideas within your team today, for more information on any of the ideas above or any further questions, get in touch with Seastainable.

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