26 | January 7 - January 20, 2022 | THE LOG
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Recycling boats has solved the problem that boat owners face when they no longer wish to possess their vessels. The program is also cleaning up the oceans as they clear out dilapidated wrecks below the surface.
Recycled Shipwrecks By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS FRANCE—Hundreds of pleasure boats
reach the end of their life each year all along the shorelines of France. According to the database made available by the Hyd rog raphic a nd Ocea nog raphic Service of the Navy (SHOM), the French public operator for statistics and figures for maritime and coastal geography, more than 4,700 boat wrecks rest on the seabed off the French coast, including 4,200 near the metropolitan shoreline. Faced with this observation, Association pour la Plaisance Eco-Responsible (APER, known as the Association for Eco-Responsible Pleasure in English) has
given itself the task of recovering endof-life boats and recycling them. Wrecks and battered ship frames on the shores are no longer inevitable. So, since 2019, APER has dedicated itself to recycling boats. Initially created by the Federation of Nautical Industries (FIN) in 2009, the association mainly had an information role. Many eco-organizations have surfaced, making it possible to organize the prevention and management of specific waste such as batteries and accumulators, paper, and electronic equipment. Eighty percent of pleasure crafts were built before the 2000s, with an average lifespan of 30 to 40 years. The boats that
qualify for recycling are pleasure boats from 8 to 75 feet registered in France. The owner can then contact the APER via the site recyclermonbateau.fr to ask about discarding their vessel. The eco-organization is responsible for putting the boat owner in touch with a deconstruction center. When a boat arrives at a deconstruction center, the focus is placed on three materials: metals, wood, and composites. The metals are separated and then grouped before being recycled. Depending on the wood’s quality, 50 percent will be recycled into chipboard. The wood of poor quality, which cannot go through the paneling process, is crushed, and goes
into energy recovery. The product will supply cement factories, hot water, or electricity production plants. The third material is the most problematic. It is a composite, such as polyester or fiberglass. Unfortunately, the composites have no known pure recycling solution. Sixty percent of these composites go into energy recovery, and the remaining 40 percent are discarded. France is the only country to construct and operate this kind of system. Since Sept. 2019, the eco-organization has deconstructed and recycled more than 4,000 pleasure boats, around 2,300 in 2021 alone.
By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS SANTA BARBARA —The Santa Barbara
Yacht Club was founded in 1872 and will celebrate its 150-year anniversary in 2022. Beginning in January and continuing throughout the year, the club will host events and races to commemorate its history, achievements, contributions, and national and international involvement in the sport of yachting. The Santa Barbara Yacht Club is the second oldest yacht club on the Pacific Coast. As of now, the only concrete date for the events is the opening day celebration on April 2 and 3. The other events planned for the 2022 celebration include: • The unveiling of a bronze plaque, at the club entrance, recognizing its 150year history. • Hosting the Club’s Opening Day events and activities over two days, April 2 and 3. • The Blessing of the Fleet event which is held in the harbor and is open to the
public. • A sailboat race series of five races scheduled throughout the year. • An event to recognize and honor the Staff Commodores. There are 112 known Commodores of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, of which 22 are alive. There has been one Honorary Commodore, in 1925 Major Max Fleschmann was made Honorary Commodore for his efforts to build the harbor breakwater, both financial and personal commitment. • A yacht club history display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. • A professional video production about the yacht club, sailing and contributions to the community. • A “Tall Ship” arrival and celebration highlighting the yacht club’s contribution to youth sailing. For more information regarding updates to the dates on the itinerary, please
The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary committee has been organized by the SBYC council of staff commodores.
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The Santa Barbara Yacht Club Turns 150 Years Old!
The Santa Barbra Yacht Club dining hall offers an exclusive experience with views of the harbor and ocean from almost every table. Chef Owen Hanavan prepares cuisine from locally sourced products and the menu varies seasonally reflecting the rich harvest Santa Barbara has to offer.
email frontdesk@sbyc.org. SBYC prides itself on the growth it has seen over the last 150 years thanks to the membership that is dedicated to promoting yachting activities, preserving maritime tradition, and serving its members’ social and recreational needs while being mindful of the needs of the community, according to a statement
made on the SBYC website. The club is currently under a major renovation and remodeling project that will prepare the club to carry on its mission for the future. Once completed, the clubhouse will be ready to continue providing pleasurable yachting experiences.
