{"id":50203,"date":"2023-05-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=50203"},"modified":"2023-06-15T09:17:54","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T13:17:54","slug":"ocean-race-teams-saving-the-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/people\/ocean-race-teams-saving-the-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Sailing: Teams in The Ocean Race Competing to Win, and to Save the Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Skipper <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Skipper Charlie Enright is leading 11th Hour Racing in the 2023 edition of The Ocean Race. This is his third time competing in this grueling event.<\/span>\n Amory Ross \/ 11th Hour Racing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n\n

On March 11, skipper Charlie Enright and his 11th Hour Racing Team sailed a staggering 586.36 nautical miles in a 24-hour push aboard their IMOCA 60 M\u0101lama<\/em>. The team was in the wind-swept depths of the Southern Ocean, west of Australia\u2019s Cape Leeuwin, en route from Cape Town, South Africa. It was headed to Itaja\u00ed, Brazil, on The Ocean Race\u2019s mammoth 12,750-nautical-mile Leg Three, and conditions were perfect. In fact, the team temporarily owned the unofficial 24-hour world record for a crewed IMOCA 60, but its pace was bettered some 24 hours later by skipper Kevin Escoffier and his HOLCIM-PRB team (it\u2019s now 595.26 nautical miles). Records aside, there\u2019s a difference between these two monohulls that\u2019s far more important: impact quantification. It will affect far more than speed across a few nautical miles. It has the potential to change the future of sailing, and that of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 11th Hour Racing Team\u2019s website summarizes the team\u2019s goals for this year\u2019s race: \u201cThe only thing more important than winning is leaving a positive impact.\u201d Achieving that goal began with M\u0101lama<\/em>\u2019s design and build process, the latter of which took place at CDK Technologies in Port La For\u00eat, France.<\/em> The team worked alongside the global-sustainability firm Anthesis Group to optimize the MarineShift360 life-cycle assessment tool. It\u2019s specific to the marine industry, and it can model carbon footprints, water-consumption requirements, and greenhouse-gas emissions for different design and build options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MarineShift360 is now publicly available online, giving owners, designers, naval architects, project managers, and production-boat builders a way to look at how materials, construction methods, energy sources, and more might lower the impact of a new build or a refit. As more people use MarineShift360, their data is imported into its growing database, making the tool even stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"LCA <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n 11th Hour Racing employed the LCA tool to quantify the environmental costs of building its IMOCA 60 ahead of the race <\/span>\n Amory Ross \/ 11th Hour Racing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

\u201cThe MarineShift360 tool isn\u2019t specific to the racing sector. It\u2019s very much for the broader marine sector,\u201d says Damian Foxall, 11th Hour Racing\u2019s sustainability program manager (and a six-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran). \u201cIt\u2019s based on a standard LCA inventory, which is used by multiple industries, and then it\u2019s been improved through specific pilot-user input.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Users can choose among three subscriptions available for MarineShift360: free, professional and enterprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFree users are limited to creating a single project and single assessment, so they could model a single component, like a hull, for instance, but they would not be able to model the complete boat or compare the impact of using different materials in the construction,\u201d says Ollie Taylor, associate director at Anthesis Group. \u201cIf you wanted to understand the complete cradle-to-grave impact of your vessel, you would need to purchase one of the subscription options.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three versions are based around a deep list of information prompts\u2014either drop-down menus or fields where metrics can be entered\u2014that numerically describe the project. These information prompts vary, depending on the project\u2019s size, type and construction methodology. They range from the specific materials and quantities to the sources and quantities of electricity, gas, and water required to produce the raw material and transform it into a finished product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Impact quantification will affect far more than speed across a few \u00adnautical miles. It has the potential to change the future of sailing, and that of humanity.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

While the hull material represents boatbuilding\u2019s single biggest environmental impact, there are plenty of other important impact sources to consider, such as resins, metals, rare minerals, and coatings and paints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a simple enough process, collating the input data from the manufacturer, but it is an intensive undertaking,\u201d Foxall says, adding that the tool can be used by everyday boaters as well as corporate sustainability officers who can likely realize added benefits (read: preparing your own taxes versus hiring an accountant). \u201cThe results are only going to be as good as the data that you put into it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"11th <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The team\u2019s IMOCA 60, M\u0101lama<\/i>, lights up its foils offshore as it glides along hard to wind. <\/span>\n Amory Ross \/ 11th Hour Racing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Once these values are imported, the \u00adsystem calculates impacting factors, including greenhouse-gas emissions, \u00adelectricity consumption, water use and waste percentages. Users can then adjust their input variables to identify the \u00adproject\u2019s environmental hotspots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny single decision that you make will have a knock-on effect,\u201d Foxall says. \u201cThis is where the LCA tool is really useful \u00adbecause it will take into account the \u00adoverall process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While greenhouse-gas emissions drive much of the environmental conversation, MarineShift360 can also quantify other impacts. This includes the water that\u2019s used directly in the manufacturing plant and\u2014if the right data has been imported into the database\u2014the water consumed to grow trees, flax and other organic \u00admaterials, which are then shipped to a different area to be incorporated into a manufactured product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to use multiple indicators. There\u2019s no single perfect solution to this. It really depends on finding the right balance. We need to look at all of these issues through multiple lenses. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, carbon fiber has one of the heaviest CO2<\/sub>e and energy-consumption footprints of all contemporary \u00adboatbuilding materials; however, its \u00adconsumed-water footprint is \u00adsignificantly less than that of flax or wood. So if someone looked at a proposed project only through the lens of water consumption, rather than studying the big-picture impacts, information would be missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is why it\u2019s so important to use multiple indicators,\u201d Foxall says. \u201cThere\u2019s no single perfect solution to any of this, and it really depends on finding the right balance. We need to look at all of these issues through multiple lenses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foxall also says that it\u2019s essential to \u00adfocus on the owner\u2019s (or boatbuilder\u2019s) goals and values for the project. Key criteria need to be defined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"LCA <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The LCA tool quantifies the environmental impacts of every block and fitting.<\/span>\n Amory Ross \/ 11th Hour Racing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do we think are important in the decision-making process?\u201d he says, pointing as an example to the choice between plastic bottles and glass jars. The former may be made from oil, but the latter has a higher carbon footprint, given the amount of energy required for its production and transportation. \u201cI think we all prefer to use glass bottles to plastic bottles, but if you were to purely look at it through a carbon-emissions lens, you wouldn\u2019t come to that conclusion. So again, it\u2019s about understanding what lens we\u2019re using and why we are making the decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important decisions involves deciding whether to build something new or to reuse something. MarineShift360 uses a 100+0 model for this equation. The original owner effectively owns 100 percent of the project\u2019s environmental impacts, while secondhand buyers enjoy an impact-free boat (excluding any refitting work). This can be a consideration for anyone who is debating building a new yacht versus refitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also where the words \u201cquality\u201d and \u201cdurability\u201d enter the conversation. Few people will waste time or treasure refitting an old, cheaply built boat, but brokers typically don\u2019t have to work too hard to sell an older, higher-quality build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Charlie <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Skipper Charlie Enright (on left) and Jack Bouttell smile as the miles melt by.<\/span>\n Amory Ross \/ 11th Hour Racing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

\u201cThe next lens to use is \u2018better,\u2019\u201d Foxall says. \u201cBetter might mean a better \u00admanufacturing process, where we\u2019re using fewer disposables.\u201d It could also mean \u00adusing recycled carbon fiber in molds, adding higher-quality materials, and leveraging as much renewable energy and recycled materials as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Production-boat builders may have \u00addifferent goals and values than an \u00adindividual building her dream cruising yacht, but larger-scale operations can often magnify impact reductions beyond what a single yacht could ever realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an example, Foxall says, \u00adproduction lines can switch to reusable silicone bagging from single-use plastic-intensive vacuum bagging. Or they can build a high-quality mold for hundreds, possibly thousands, of use cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe LCA tool allows you to describe what you are building and the process associated with it, within the context of the manufacturing site, allowing you to make smart decisions,\u201d Foxall says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the benefits associated with the MarineShift360 LCA tool are obvious, there are some inherent challenges. As Foxall mentioned, the results hinge on the quality of the data that\u2019s entered and how granularly accurate the information is. For example, are generic numbers being used to describe a piece of equipment? Or has the equipment\u2019s manufacturer supplied exact metrics?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn an LCA process, you\u2019re always going to have a certain amount of averaging and best-available data,\u201d Foxall says. \u201cWhat is important is to establish a consistent reference point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As more users supply MarineShift360 with accurate metrics, the tool should continue to become more accurate. So if you\u2019re considering building a new boat or refitting an existing hull, start entering the data that describes your dream. Odds are excellent that you will improve your project and that your great-great-great grandchildren will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, as evidenced by M\u0101lama<\/em>\u2019simpressive run, you won\u2019t have to sacrifice speed, performance or offshore capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, the LCA is just a number,\u201d Foxall says. \u201cThe question is: What do you do with that number?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Schmidt is a lifelong sailor and writer. He has worked with <\/em>Cruising World since 2015, he regularly contributes to <\/em>Yachting and <\/em>Sailing World, he\u2019s the North American editor of sail-world.com, and he\u2019s a sailing contributor to <\/em>The New York Times. He and his wife live in Bellingham, Washington. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

11th Hour Racing’s MarineShift360 gives owners and builders a powerful new tool to create more-sustainable boats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":50204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"David Schmidt","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[165],"tags":[1960,197,1959,289,195,290],"class_list":["post-50203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-ocean-race","tag-people","tag-print-july-2023","tag-sail-green","tag-sailboats","tag-sustainable-sailing"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}