ʼˁ ʴʶˇʼ˂ˁ


on Oxfordshire’s canals and rivers ˔˥˘ ˔ ˦˔˙˘˧ ˔˗ ˣ˨˧˜ ˥˜˦˞ ˔˗ need to be dealt with. Towing away ˔ ˦˨˞˘ ˩˘˦˦˘ ˖˦˧˦ ˧˔ʠ˙˨˗˘˗ organisations such as the Canal ˔˗ ˅˜˩˘˥ ˇ˥˨˦˧ ˨ˣ ˧ ʤʣʣʣʣ ˣ˘˥ boat.


However, efforts are growing to


˖˥˘˔˧˘ ˦˨˦˧˔˜˔˕˘ ˣ˔˧˛˔˦ ˙˥ ʸʿʵ˦ ˙˨˥˧˛˘˥ ˔Ѓ˘˗ʡ ʹ˥˔˖˘Ϡ˦ ˕˔˧˜˚ industry funds dismantling through a levy on new boats. Norway offers Ѓ˔˖˜˔ ˜˖˘˧˜˩˘˦ ˙˥ ˣ˥ˣ˘˥ ˕˔˧ ˗˜˦ˣ˦˔ ˘˔˗˜˚ ˧ ˠ˥˘ ˕˔˧˘˥ engagement. Recycling FRP for use in new


Abandoned boats become an expensive problem for local authorities.


Environment


ˇ˔˖˞˜˚ ˔ ˧˜˥˘˗ Є˘˘˧ W


hilst boating is more affordable and accessible than ever, the number of ageing


vessels reaching the end of their service is increasing. Most small leisure craft built from the 1970s onwards were constructed from highly durable Ѓ˕˥˘ʠ˥˘˜˙˥˖˘˗ ˣ˔˦˧˜˖ (FRP), with a yacht or ˣ˘˥ ˕˔˧ ˧ˣ˜˖˔ lasting 30–50 years in active use and smaller boats less than that. This means many boats are now reaching the end of their useful lives, bringing the issue to a head. ˊ˗ ˔˗ ˠ˘˧˔ ˖ˠˣ˘˧˦ ˜


old boats can be recycled relatively easily; FRP doesn’t easily ˗˘˖ˠˣ˦˘ ˧˛˨˚˛ ˜˧ ˗˘˦ ˣ˛˦˜˖˔ ˕˥˘˔˞ ˗ ˩˘˥ ˧˜ˠ˘ʡ Derelict boats at the end of their ˜˙˘ ˥˘˘˔˦˘ˠ˜˖˥˦˖ˣ˜˖ Ѓ˕˥˘˦ ˧˛˔˧


ˊ˛˘ ˚˘˥ ˙˨˦˘ ˗˩˘˦˦˘˦ ˣ˦˘ ˔ ˣ˥˕˘ˠ that’s costly to authorities and our waterways


ultimately enter the human food chain. There’s also the damage caused by fuel, oils and chemicals ˙˥ˠ ˔˧˜ʠ˙˨˜˚ ˣ˔˜˧ ˔˗ ˨ˣ˛˦˧˘˥ ˘˔˞˜˚ ˜˧ ˧˛˘ ˔˧˘˥ and marine ecosystems. This all means that abandoned ˘˗ʠ˙ʠ˜˙˘ ˕˔˧˦ ʛʸʿʵ˦ ˥˘ˣ˥˘˦˘˧ ˔ ˦˜˚˜Ѓ˖˔˧ environmental and logistical challenge for coastal communities, marine authorities and the boating industry, if not ˗˜˦ˣ˦˘˗ ˙


˥˘˦ˣ˦˜˕ʡˊ˜˧˛ limited and costly


ˠ˘˧˛˗˦ ˙ ˗˜˦ˣ˦˔ ˧˛˘ fate of old boats sometimes leads ˧ ˚ʠ˧˘˥ˠ ˔˕˔˗ˠ˘˧ ˦ˠ˘˧˜ˠ˘˦ ˜˧˛ ˛˔˔˥˗˨˦ Є˨˜˗˦ or batteries still onboard. ˂˙˥˗ ʸ˔˦˧ ˀ˃ ʴ˘˜˘˦˘ ʷ˗˗˦


recently called for a ‘collective solution’, saying abandoned boats


˘˕˔˧˦ ˜˦ ˣ˧˘˧˜˔ ˔ ˣ˧˜ ˔˗ ˛˔˦ ˣ˥˩˘˗ ˦˨˖˖˘˦˦˙˨ ˜˧˛ ˦ˠ˘ ˧˛˘˥ ˣ˔˦˧˜˖˦ ˔˦ ˜˧ ˠ˘˔˦ ˧˛˘ ˠ˔˧˘˥˜˔ ˜ ˔ ʸʿʵ ˧˛˘ ˛˔˦ ˔ ˩˔˨˘ʡ In the UK, technological solutions ˔˥˘ ˕˘˜˚ ˗˘˩˘ˣ˘˗ ˧ ˘˧˥˔˖˧ ˧˛˘ ˥˘˦˜˦ ˔˗ ˧˛˘ ˦˨˦˧˔˜˔˕˘ Ѓ˕˥˘˦ ˙˥ˠ ʹ˅˃ʡ ʸ˧˥˜˖˞ ˜˦ ˘ ˖ˠˣ˔ ˗˘˩˘ˣ˜˚ ˖ˠˣ˦˜˧˘ ˥˘˖˖˜˚ʡ ˇ˛˘ ˔˨˖˛˘˗ ˧˛˘ ˣ˥˘˖˧ ˔˧ ˧˛˘ ˝˥˘˘ ˇ˘˖˛ ʵ˔˧ ˆ˛ ˜ ʥʣʥʥ ˔˗ ˔˥˘ ˦˘˘˞˜˚ ˙˨˗˜˚ ˧ ˣ˥˚˥˘˦˦ʡ Regulations on the use of recycled content may be required to make ˧˛˜˦ ˔ ˥˘˔˜˧ʡˇ˛˘ ˅ˌʴ ˜˦ ˔˧˖˛˜˚ ˣ˥˚˥˘˦˦ ˔˗ ˥˞˜˚ ˜˧˛ ˗˜˙˙˘˥˘˧ ˦˧˔˞˘˛˗˘˥˦ ˧ ˘ˣ˥˘ ˦˨˧˜˦ʡ Is wood the way forward? Read our wooden boat building feature on p50.


ʻ ˨ ˖˔ ˛˘ˣ The number of boats involved is


˦˧˜ ˗˜˙Ѓ˖˨˧ ˧ ˞ ˚˜˩˘ ˧˛˘ ˜˗˘ ˥˔˚˘ ˙ ˧ˣ˘˦ ˔˚˘˦ ˔˗ ˣ˔˧˧˘˥˦ of use. But in 2018 British Marine


˘˦˧˜ˠ˔˧˘˗ ˧˛˔˧ ˧˛˘˥˘ ˘˥˘ ˩˘˥ ˘ ˠ˜˜ ˕˔˧˦ ˔˗ ˔˧˘˥˦ˣ˥˧˦ ˖˥˔˙˧ ˘˗ ˕ ˈʾ ˛˨˦˘˛˗˦ʡ ˆˠ˘ ˦˨˥˖˘˦ ˦˔ ˜˧Ϡ˦ ˖˦˘˥ ˧ Ѓ˩˘ ˠ˜˜ ˜˙ ˔ ˖˥˔˙˧ ˦˨˖˛ ˔˦ ˣ˔˗˗˘˕˔˥˗˦ ˔˥˘ ˜˖˨˗˘˗ʡ ˅˔˜˦˜˚ ˔˔˥˘˘˦˦ ˙ ʸʿʵ˦ ˜˦


˘ ˔ ˘ ˖˔ ˔ ˛˘ˣ ˦˨ˣˣ˥˧ ˠ˔˥˜˘ ˖˦˘˥˩˔˧˜ʡ ˇ˛˜˦ ˜ ˛˘ˣ ˧˛˘ ˅ˌʴ ˔˗ ˝˥˘˘ ʵ˨˘ ˛˜˚˛˜˚˛˧ ˧˛˘ ˣ˥˕˘ˠʡ ʼ˙ ˨ ˛˔˩˘ ˦˘˘ ˔ ˔˕˔˗˘˗ ʸʿʵ ˥ ˛˔˩˘ ˘ ˔˧


˨˥ ˣ˥˘ˠ˜˦˘˦ ˣ˘˔˦˘ ˘˧ ˨˦ ˞ at thegreenblue.org.uk/you-and- your-boat


rya.org.uk AUTUMN 2025 43


Photo: Alamy


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