Plastic bottle boat ready to set sail
By Laurie Posted on March 29th, 2009 in Design, Featured, TravelThere are some things that folks choose to do for fun (like sailing around the cottage lake on a homemade wooden raft). Then are are some things done to make a point.
David de Rothschild is opting for the latter, with a homemade sailboat built from over 12,000 recycled plastic bottles. Panels, from recycled PET, a woven plastic fabric, cover the hulls and 4-person cabin.
Plastic Bottle Recycling Sailboat
“This actually is the same material that is made out of bottles,” said de Rothschild to CNN. “We actually wrap the PET fabric over the PET foam and then basically put it under a vacuum, heat it, press it and create these long PET panels. So that means the boat is, technically, one giant bottle.”
Other parts of the boat include two wind turbines and solar panels to charge on-board laptop computers, a GPS and SAT phone.
The sailboat (named Plastiki – get it?) is his way of symbolizing global waste. All parts of it, except for the masts, are made from the bottles.
“The idea is to take Plastiki, break it down [after the voyage], and put it back into the system. So, it may come out being a jacket, a bag, more bottles. It’s infinitely recyclable,” de Rothschild pointed out.
The goal of the voyage is to encourage renewable energy in addition to seeing waste as a potential resource.
The 60-foot sailboat is set to sail from San Fransisco in April, with de Rothschild, three sailors and scientists, along with a few other crew members who will switch up here and there. They anticipate stops in Hawaii, Tuvalu and Fij, then land in Sydney, about 100 days after its departure.
Source: CNN
Image courtesy of: National Geographic
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Discussion Take a look at what is being said about this article.
Ang, on March 25th, 2009 says:
I can honestly say that I would bet against David de Rothschild’s safe trip. This seems… well, weird.
Jack, on March 25th, 2009 says:
i disagree! I think this is a great idea. And all sailboats, thereafter, should be built the same. Most importantly is his overall idea to encourage renewable energy in addition to seeing waste as a potential resource. It’s about time!
Outer Banks Revealed, on July 30th, 2009 says:
I think if shows a lot of imagination. Good luck with the trip!
– Dan
Outer Banks Revealed
Philip Jennings, on August 13th, 2009 says:
I also think this is great. It’s a crime against humanity, without trying to sound too dramatic, that there is so much waste. If that waste can be reused, and reused etc… then it is no longer waste it is infinite.
Good going, make more! You could sell them on e-bay to make more money to enable more similar projects!
-Phil