How to Ensure That Your New Vessel Is Not a Liability to the Environment
Posted on: 3 November 2017
If you're considering a new hobby and a life on the ocean wave, you may be brand-new to the world of boating and doing as much research as you can to ensure that you approach this properly. You will want to ensure that you fit in with everybody else and always assume best practices with your new hobby. In particular, you will need to be a good guardian of the natural resources that you use and must make sure that your boat is not a source of pollution or any other liability. What do you need to consider when it comes to cleaning and maintenance?
Being a Good Steward
Even though the seas around Australia may be vast and your vessel may seem inconsequential in this situation, you are nevertheless responsible for the environment. You have to ensure that your boat is not only well maintained but spotlessly clean at all times, so that you do not contribute to any potential pollution.
Dos and Don'ts
It's unfortunate, but many owners do not think twice about the materials that they use to clean their vessel and will frequently allow chemicals and soap into the water that are very far from being biodegradable. It is best if you do any particularly deep cleaning when the boat is out of the water at the beginning or the end of the season and ensure that the run-off does not come into contact with the drainage system. It is also best if you clean the propeller or the hull at this time as well, as otherwise you may have to contract with a professional diver to come out and do this when the boat is in the water.
Best Techniques
When any cleaning work is done during the season, all of the waste has to be contained, so that there are no accidental spills at all. You will also want to make sure that any fluids or oils are carefully segregated and transferred to a waste collection centre when you're done. If you need to clean any sewage waste, then you should have a word with harbour pump stations or other similar facilities that can get rid of this for you and always recycle any "hard" rubbish into the appropriate container on land.
Getting the Experts to Do It
There is no doubt that you have a significant responsibility to care for the environment when you embark upon your new hobby. Perhaps it would be best, therefore, for you to delegate all of the cleaning work to professional marine service providers, so that you have one thing less to worry about.
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