Boating Green

Green Boating Tips

Looking for ways to be more eco-friendly when you're out on the water? Following are tips and information that will help you minimize your impact on the environment while maximizing the efficiency and performance of your boat.

1. Clean Safely  Look for the EPA-Certified “Design for the Environment” DfE label, which quickly identifies cleaning products that have been recognized by the EPA as safer for people and the environment. Use legal bottom paints and biodegradable cleaning agents when painting your boat and be sure paint or cleansers do not enter the water. To find environmentally responsible boat cleaning products, search the Green Seal’s database of ‘Green Seal Certified’ products at www.greenseal.org
2. Maintain Proper Equipment  Be sure your engine reaches its correct wide-open-throttle RPM by choosing a prop with the right pitch. Adjustable-pitch propellers and modular props help your boat run efficiently and ultimately reduce fuel consumption. Make sure your boat, engine and propeller blades are in good condition to avoid wasting fuel and minimize the chance of oil, gasoline or other hazardous materials entering the water.
3. Recycle Your Waste  Dispose of paints, batteries, antifreeze, cleaning products, oil and other hazardous wastes at a waste collection facility when you return to land. Never discharge your sewage when you are near the shore; for proper waste disposal, always use authorized pump-out stations or shore-side facilities. Check local rules and regulations for specific restrictions.
4. Maintain a Clean Bilge  Keep your engine properly maintained and tuned to prevent fuel and oil leaks into the bilge. Use an oil-absorbent pad in your bilge and under the engine where drips can happen. Your regular boat maintenance routine should include bilge cleaning; consider using a bioremediation product to convert hydrocarbons into safe compounds.
5. Prevent Fuel Spills  Use or install a device to prevent overboard discharges from your tank vent. Such products will give warning and work to prevent spills when your tank is reaching its fuel capacity. Fill your tank slowly and leave it 10% empty to prevent overflows and give the fuel room to expand as it warms.
6. Chart Your Course  Study waterways to prevent boat propellers from damaging sensitive sea floor habitats or injuring marine life. Plan your trip in advance to avoid confusion and misdirection which lead to excess fuel usage. Use an autopilot, which can steer better than most captains and maintain a longer attention span.
7. Recycle Your Monofilament Fishing Line  Discarded fishing line is hazardous: It can entangle and kill marine birds and wildlife, and get caught in boat propellers and gear, resulting in potentially costly damage. Protect marine life and your fellow boaters by properly disposing of your monofilament fishing line. Many bait and tackle shops, marinas, fishing piers, marine accessories stores and boat ramps have monofilament recycling bins. A number of states have monofilament recycling initiatives; check with your state’s conservation or natural resources department.
8. Stow Your Trash  Keep your trash onboard: never throw cigarette butts, fishing line, or any other garbage into the ocean. Take advantage of shore-side facilities to recycle plastic, glass, metal and paper. Recycle your winter storage shrink-wrap at local marinas, dealers and suppliers.
9. Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers  To help prevent the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species, avoid running your boat through aquatic plants. On land, drain all the water out of every part of your boat and engine, remove your drain plugs, drain live-wells and bilges. Remove any visible plant, fish, animal, fragment or mud from all parts of your boat, motor and trailer. Before entering any new body of water, make sure your boat is clean and dry. For more information, visit www.protectyourwaters.net
10. Go Green in Marine Accessories  Choose eco-friendly products for routine maintenance and when you need to upgrade or replace your boat’s accessories. The number of products available that can help you be a good steward of the marine environment is steadily growing.

Tips For Reducing Fuel Usage

• Slower speeds on the water will reduce fuel usage.
• Proper use of trim tabs reduce drag, especially while accelerating up to planing speeds.
• Minimize the amount of time that you idle at the dock
• Minimize the use of onboard generators.
• Use dock-side electrical power in lieu of generators.
• Have a float plan so you know exactly where you’re going.
• Make sure the hull is clean.
• Don’t under-power your boat. It’s important you have enough motor to handle the load.
• Check your propeller. If your boat is slow "out of the hole" or lacks top-end speed, you might have the wrong propeller.
• A well-tuned engine uses less fuel.
• Use the grade of gasoline specified by the engine manufacturer.
• Visit DiscoverBoating.com for more helpful tips on reducing fuel usage.

Boating Accessories Go Green

Environmentally-Friendly Cleaning Products

Many marine cleaning products developed today demonstrate a commitment to clean water. Companies have developed non-toxic based biodegradable boat soaps, which have a minimal impact on the aquatic environment. We've also seen the introduction of color safe, oxygen release gels and cleansers that remove spots off of boats without using bleach or other hazardous materials.

Environmentally-Friendly Marine Aftermarket Accessories

Innovative companies in our industry have developed ways to extend the life of batteries in harsh marine environments. Some products are designed to reduce premature battery failure caused by periods of inactivity. These systems utilize the power of the battery and return it as a surge or pulse. These products can also revive many older batteries back to their original state.

Improvements in Marine Sanitation

Since the passage of the Clean Vessel Act in 1992 marine sanitation has seen remarkable improvements. Marine sanitation manufacturers are providing consumers with new products to protect the marine environment from boat sewage. Manufacturers have developed and marketed innovative technologies that treat, store and contain waste more effectively.