My Sprint in a thousand years

[Andrew Hannah]

I have a general question concerning fibreglass boats. I don't know whom to ask. So Sprinters can be the first to bite the cherry!

Looking around our coasts, old boats are seen to be rotting away. Very often, just the stems rudder posts remain. In time, the wood and copper nails rot as they are, what we describe as, bio-degradable.

But what will happen with fibreglass boats? Will they litter our coastline for a 1000 years? Is there any way fibreglass can be re-cycled?

[Liam]

Google has answers. Mainly involving fire to create energy.

[Keith]

Hi Andrew,

In anser to your question - they could be sailing! fibreglass while not immortal is very close to it. The article attached shows a day yacht submerged for 2 years - pulled up - restored and now winning races.
http://www.ericgreeneassociates.com/ima ... gevity.pdf

Recent article in Practical BoatOwner December 2016 for best summary on recycling.

Where as the fibreglass is immortal, the balsa core decks (if they got wet), engines, masts and other stuff is not. Prediction is that there are thousands of hulls that will need to be disposed of, currently landfill. There is some work grinding up hulls and mixing with polystyrene to make a sheet material for kitchens etc, but this is not yet cost effective.

regards

Keith 1840

[Andrew Hannah]

Thanks, Keith. That was very helpful and instructive. Admittedly some bits were a bit technical for my modest scientific brain. Eg 'fatigue at the rate of 10 to the power of 5 cycles', whatever that means.

Your own comment about re-cycling is interesting. It must be a difficult process.

Just a thought: why do we say re-cycling? It should be cycling!

[Liam]

10 to the power of 5 cycles

That's a lot of sailing. Even at Shanklin.