CAROLINA SAILING
Doing the Right Thing By Dan Dickison
S
hips’ captains know that it takes huge distances to correct course when steaming full ahead. A body in motion tends to stay in motion—Isaac Newton gave us that (his first law of motion). And the dynamic is similar when it comes to changing behavior within a large group, such as the many people who sail. Nothing changes easily, or quickly, but the gradual approach can work. That’s exactly what one fledgling organization is attempting when it comes to sailors’ appreciation of—and caring for—our The fleet of Class 40s gets off the starting line in Charleston Harbor during the start of last year’s Atlantic shared aquatic environment. Cup, the event that bills itself as the “first carbon-neutral sailing race in the U.S.“ Photo by Billy Black. Sailors for the Sea is a sailing race in the U.S.” It’s the brainchild of Hugh Piggin nonprofit that jumped onto the map roughly four years ago. and Julianna Barbieri, who established the event under the The organization was founded by David Rockefeller, an aegis of 11th Hour Racing. “For as long as I can remember,” avid racing sailor with a passion for environmental conserexplains Barbieri, “I have always been focused on environvation. (Yes, that Rockefeller, from the family of political mental issues and how our lives impact the planet as a and philanthropic renown.) “Sailors for the Sea,” reads the whole. When Hugh and I started collaborating on creating organization’s tagline, “educates and engages the boating the Atlantic Cup, we knew we wanted the event to connect community in the worldwide protection of the oceans.” In a to something bigger than the race itself. We were starting relatively short span of time, this group has initiated seversmall, so we also knew that we could add bold ideas, and al programs that are generating awareness regarding one of those was to make the entire thing carbon neutral. important issues such as plastic pollution, ocean acidificaShortly after that, Green Mountain Energy came on board tion and invasive species. And some of these programs are and said that their company would offset whatever carbon beginning to change how sailors go about their activities. emissions the event generated, so that enabled us to effecOne such initiative with a tremendous upside is the Clean tively close the loop.” Regattas Program. Competitors in The Atlantic Cup must abide by a short Clean Regattas was conceived as a simple yet effective list of simple, eco-friendly stipulations. First, the event is means of empowering event organizers to minimize the entirely free of single-use plastic water bottles, so competitors negative impact of their gatherings on the environment. The use their vessels’ water tanks and refillable canteens for program, which has been implemented at well over 100 drinking and washing. For the shoreside portions of the events from Hawaii to Italy, provides structure and incenevent, the organizers employ a mobile water-filtration system tives. But its true value may be that it connects like-minded from one of their sponsors, Zip2Water.com, which connects individuals who believe that sailors have an obligation to to a standard garden hose and can refill 500 quart bottles per take a leading role in environmental protection. hour. Second, any waste generated onboard is recycled One event close to home that is certified by the Clean ashore. Third, all of the teams are required to use alternative Regattas Program is the Atlantic Cup, a double-handed disfuel sources to charge the boats’ batteries; thus, solar panels, tance affair sailed aboard Class 40 vessels. This race starts in hydrogenerators and wind generators abound on these craft. Charleston in mid-May and routes competitors north to And last, all of the boats’ engines will be run on a biodiesel New York. After a brief stop in the Big Apple, and an blend that will be supplied by Newport Biodiesel. around-the-buoys contest in the harbor there, distance racThe goal of 11th Hour Racing for this event is to have it ing resumes, and the boats ultimately finish in Newport, RI. be a visible platform engaging the sailing community The Atlantic Cup bills itself as “the first carbon-neutral 40
May 2013
SOUTHWINDS
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