Standing room only? If you are wondering, and for a while we did, the transom is to the left. 11th Hour’s new Mālama does not take the enclosed cockpit concept to the extremes of Alex Thomson’s hermetically sealed 2020 Hugo Boss, but the downward-sloping aft coachroof does severely limit headroom for much of the working area. Mālama was the first entry for The Ocean Race when she will compete with a crew of five onboard – it is very hard to see, without one or two trimmers on deck, just how that is going to turn out…
l Next largest proportion of greenhouse gas emissions was the appendages at 27% (includes keel, rudders, foils and cases). l Fit-out accounted for 13% (includes hydraulics, electronics, deck fittings and machinery). l Rig was 6% (includes rigging and spars). l Sails at 4% (includes seven sails).
And the actual study of the boat as constructed l Global warming impact The total emission of greenhouse
gases was 553 metric tons of CO2 (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent C02e). This amount is the equivalent to 2.2 million kilometres driven by an average passenger vehicle, or
the annual electricity consumption of 100 US homes, or the manufacture of 100 mid-range Renault cars. l Mineral resource scarcity The total extraction of available reserves of minerals (stated as CuE – copper equivalent). The mineral resources needed to build the new Verdier design were 10,300kgCuE, or enough to produce 130 new electric cars. l Energy consumption The energy consumed by the production of materials and building process of the Imoca was 15.9 million MJ, equivalent to 370 US homes’ annual energy use. l Water consumption The total quantity of water used in production of the goods and services associated with the design and build of the new boat. The total, 7,500m3
(7.5
million litres or 2 million US gallons), is the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools, 50,000 baths or the annual water consumption of 115 people in the US. l Marine eutrophication Stated as nitrogen equivalent. This is the modification and degradation of an aquatic environment due to excessive supply of nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus associated with materials and/or processes. The impact of the design and build of the Imoca was 231.7 kgNe.
The 11th Hour report continues with a detailed breakdown of all
the major components contributing to the overall figures. Interesting to read that the second largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is the appendages, particularly the foils. Although not the heaviest composite parts within the inventory, the related carbon
36 SEAHORSE
footprint of the foils is extremely substantial (23 tonnes CO2e vs 20 tonnes C02e for the hull and deck shell). This is primarily due to the high amount of materials used in foil
manufacture and the very high level of waste generated (circa 300% of the final delivered component weight). If I then think back to my ‘research’ for my Seahorse article last
month, cost and footprint follow similar patterns… possibly not surprising but then again possibly showing us where to look for the biggest gains?
A useful tool The 11th Hour report is a good introduction to the practices and effects of composite boatbuilding, as well as providing a good number of leads and ideas for changes and improvements. For those designing and building boats it might not bring that much news but it is still good to see it all set down in numbers. For sailors and class associations generally, and those marketing
and promoting events and regattas, I feel there is much to take onboard. Ever larger, faster, more complex, more extreme, more elite… always it brings with it a price. Besides the price of the product of course. Then again, this price can also be expressed in money – and possibly should be once the inevitable concept of ‘impact-compensation’ comes into play? I am not arguing to ban one-off design and construction, nor
composite boats, nor complex boats for that matter. But it will be good to – or one should – acknowledge the environmental conse- quences and consider options to reduce these consequences when making some of the big choices. I very much doubt that uniqueness and unlimited choice are
required for better sport, greater satisfaction or glory. Often promoted but uniqueness is really not much more than a sales gimmick. As an individual or as a group of owners, or as a class association,
just as when working in the marine industry one can derive satis- faction from seeking smart ways to have better sport or a better product as well as less environmental impact. Reading this report might give you inspiration, if not perhaps
some direction:
www.11thhourracingteam.org. Rob Weiland, TP52 and Maxi72 class manager
q
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124
