University student promotes sustainable change in sailing

When 23-year old Helena Schneider relocates from Southampton University to continue her studies in North America, she will do so in her Hallberg Rassy 31 Freedom, her home for the last four years.

Helena’s aim is to promote sustainable change in the sailing and cruising community, and to promote ways in which sailors can reduce their environmental impact.

“Having sailed all my life, I find it astonishing that we as sailors still think we are living ‘greener’ than motorboaters, for example,” says Helena. “We might not burn as much fossil fuel, but we still have a large impact on marine life around us. Just think about antifouling paint and black water discharge for instance. To me, it’s important to show the small changes that all of us can embrace and the positive impact they make.”

Helena approached Halyard, the UK distributor of Wave International’s products, for help as Wave’s mission to develop products that reduce marine pollution supports her own aims.

On Halyard’s advice, Helena installed a Wavestream filter between the bilge and bilge discharge to ensure that only clean, oil-free bilge water is discharged overboard. The filter works using a cartridge which contains a filter media, which hold up to three times its own weight of oil. Water from the bilge passes through the cartridge, and any pollutants adhere to the cartridge.

Helena says: “Not many sailors are aware that the tiniest trace of oil discharged from your bilge is actually breaking the law set by the Marine Pollution Authority, which creates the standards for marine pollution all over the world. Oily discharge standards are 15 parts per million – if you have just one drop of diesel in half a litre of discharge, that’s more than three times over the standards.

“Fitting the Wavestream was incredibly easy, and the filter will last at least a year, giving me confidence that I will never pump polluted water overboard.”

Completing most of the refit herself, Helena was concerned to see tiny traces of plastic in the Wavestream filter when she did the first flush of bilge water. “Even though I was being incredibly careful during the refit, it’s obvious that tiny parings of plastic have got into the bilges. I would have inadvertently discharged those overboard if the Wavestream had not been fitted.”

Safe and adequate drinking water is another issue faced by cruising sailors. Helena has fitted a Flostream water filter system to address this.

“Discovering the Flostream was really exciting in my mission to be sustainable,” said Helena. “Having clean, safe and palatable drinking water available at all times will mean I never need to use plastic water bottles on board. The Flostream fits between the tank and the tap, and its cartridge will last for the length of my journey before it needs replacing.”

The cartridge technology is designed to remove all contaminants, chlorine, bacteria, metallic tastes and odours from water. Certified to NSF 42 and 53 standards for health and aesthetics, the smaller Flostream 2 will filter up to 3,800 litres with the Flostream 4 catering for up to 7,600 litres.

“With the Wavestream and Flostream on board, I’m fighting one oil spill at a time, and one plastic bottle at a time,” comments Helena.

Dan Maund, Technical Sales Manager at Halyard, says: “We’re delighted to be supporting Helena, who is showing such passion and concern for the environment, and is trying to promote the effectiveness of sustainable boating to the cruising and live-aboard community.”

Helena’s route will take her via the Bay of Biscay to the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic to the Caribbean before heading north to Maine.

You can follow Helena’s journey via her Facebook page.