South Hams: Abandoned boats to be recycled as part of trial

[Sandy]

An interesting article on the BBC website about some action to start cleaning up the amount of dead boats around the coast.

South Hams: Abandoned boats to be recycled as part of trial

I was surprised that some actual news has been posted by the BBC.

 

[Rappey]

An article saying a boat is going to be recycled but nothing explaining how ?

 

[Sandy]

This is normal for the BBC.

 

[blush2]

An article saying a boat is going to be recycled but nothing explaining how ?

Think the intention is to find a way of recycling GRP.

 

[Greemble]

An article saying a boat is going to be recycled but nothing explaining how ?

More on the Council website

Over the next two weeks, Creekside Boatyard in Dartmouth will dismantle a sailing boat that has reached the end of its useful life and with our support, look at ways to fully recycle all parts of the boat.

Although I do agree that the BBC could have written more details. It's not as though their website is going to be limited by the column inches.
Still, that does seem to be very much the trend over the last few years - can't really comment on anything in the news as they leave out far more than they put in.

 

[Tranona]

Looks like a GK24. Just think there was a long queue to buy one when they were new!

 

[Sandy]

More on the Council website

Thanks for the link, sounds like they are trying to re-invent the wheel. Why not ask some sailors what is and what is not re-cyclable.

To be honest a few grumpy old men, including me, did this over a couple of weekends in a boat yard a few years ago and found if did not pay due to the cost of disposing the hull. There is a company that already does most of this. Disposal of End-of-Life Boats

What was interesting was the link to:

Report an abandoned End-of-Life Boat - The Green Blue

I think I have a new hobby!

 

[Rappey]

I watched possibly France 24 where they went to a boat recycling yard. Metal, wood and wiring were put into seperate bins and the hull was ground up and can be added to cement. I saw something about grp being dissolved and then used to make new grp ..

 

[jamie N]

Looks like a GK24. Just think there was a long queue to buy one when they were new!

Wry inwards smile from me, as a bloke who's just paid 'dosh' for one!

 

[Concerto]

Looks like a GK24. Just think there was a long queue to buy one when they were new!

Looks more like a GK29 than a GK24.

There will certainly be some valuable parts that can be recycled like the keel, mast, rigging, deck fittings, etc, but the problem is always disposing of glassfibre. The cost of breaking a vessel down is not cheap and quick, so some investment must be available to ensure this necessary work can be completed.

 

[RogerJolly]

Where do boats go?

Surely hundreds or thousands are bought new each year, but only a handful scrapped according to the news.

 

[onesea]

Wry inwards smile from me, as a bloke who's just paid 'dosh' for one!

It’s the sum of the parts which is the problem with old boats. A boat with no mast is worthless cheaper buy another than buy a new mast.

The costs of som e part for a boat become prohibitive no matter how much good will to keep a boat alive.

 

[Sandy]

Where do boats go?

Surely hundreds or thousands are bought new each year, but only a handful scrapped according to the news.

They litter up every boatyard and backwater around the world.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

In truth is there anything worth recycling on a 50 year old GK24 that has been abandoned? none of the deck gear is going to be serviceable, what state will the mast and boom be in? maybe useful to someone that has lost a mast on a similar boat but there won't be many of them. The fibreglass could be incinerated in a waste to heat plant with the correct pyrolysis and stack scrubbers but there aren't many of them either.
It's the path of least resistance, crush and landfill if you really want to dispose of them.

 

[blush2]

The wind generation industry has just woken up to the fact that fibreglass doesn't last forever, the first generators are now reaching the end of their life and the companies are looking for recycling solutions. Anyone who can come up with a way of really recycling fibreglass, not just grinding it up, will make a fortune.

 

[Greemble]

It's the path of least resistance, crush and landfill if you really want to dispose of them.

I think the whole idea is to find some way of avoiding the landfill option.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I think the whole idea is to find some way of avoiding the landfill option.

I am sure they do but they won't

 

[PeterV]

GK 29. Very sad as I’m very pleased with mine!

 

[Rappey]

Apparently the use of grp is increasing in many different sectors.
Another way of dealing with it could be

• Pyrolysis – this process chemically decomposes or transforms fibreglass into recoverable substances – pyro-gas, pyro-oil, and a solid byproduct. Fibreglass is shredded into small squares and added to a pyrolysis reactor by a vacuum assist. This draws off most of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It’s then heated to incredibly high temperatures of around 500°C and hydrocarbons in the resin decompose into gas. Pyro-gas and pyro-oil are separated and used as natural gas replacements, blended with other fuel oils, or added to asphalt.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Apparently the use of grp is increasing in many different sectors.
Another way of dealing with it could be

• Pyrolysis – this process chemically decomposes or transforms fibreglass into recoverable substances – pyro-gas, pyro-oil, and a solid byproduct. Fibreglass is shredded into small squares and added to a pyrolysis reactor by a vacuum assist. This draws off most of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It’s then heated to incredibly high temperatures of around 500°C and hydrocarbons in the resin decompose into gas. Pyro-gas and pyro-oil are separated and used as natural gas replacements, blended with other fuel oils, or added to asphalt.

See post #14 but there won't be many if any plants with the necessary scrubbers and filters.