8 Tips for Eco-Friendly Boating

Hooray for a brand-new year! It’s the perfect time to get a fresh start on how we treat our beautiful home that we share with many other living creatures, plants, and animals. With the changing weather patterns and other earth-related conversations on our minds, doing our best to be kind to our planet benefits everyone and everything—including the water we boat on. To help keep the world we know looking and functioning at its best, below are some ways we can make a positive impact and keep the water in the future of boating healthy and looking clear for generations to come!

Tips to Keep Boating Sustainable

If you're planning to go out on the water, there are many ways to make your boat trip more eco-friendly. From simply keeping a safe distance from marine wildlife to repurposing old or worn items on your boat, conservation is achievable by the masses. Check out the list below for some steps you can take to help today:

1. Reuse and Repurpose

   Not only can this be done with items such as plastic bags, dinnerware, and towels, but old or worn items on your boat, such as frayed rope, life vests, and more, can be donated or turned into something new. For instance, some companies will even turn old wetsuits into yoga mats! And never throw trash overboard.

2. Watch Out for Marine Wildlife

   Although it's a magnificent sight when a dolphin leaps through the waves or a whale swims by—it's best to keep yourself and other marine life safe by keeping a healthy distance away from your vessel. It is also recommended not to feed marine animals as it can endanger their health and alter their natural behavior.

3. Use Eco-Friendly Products

   Use non-toxic chemicals when cleaning your boat's exterior to prevent harm to aquatic life. Choose environmentally friendly boat soaps such as BlueWave or household items like baking soda and vinegar. Exercise caution with sunscreens containing oxybenzone, as they can negatively impact coral and fish.

4. Practice Anchor Awareness

   Avoid harming aquatic life when anchoring in oceans, lakes, or other water bodies. Refrain from attaching or dragging anchors across coral reefs, shellfish areas, or seagrass beds. Consult an underwater chart or choose sandy or muddy areas for safer anchoring, and exercise caution in shallow waters to prevent damage to reefs.

5. Reduce Your Environmental Impact

   There are various ways to be eco-friendly while still enjoying your time on the water. Feel better about how you propel your boat by servicing your engine and boat regularly. Regular maintenance will help to ensure that there are no leaks in the fuel lines and that you're not using any unnecessary fuel, and it’s easy to schedule through the MarineMax App.

6. Go Electric

   Going electric is the ‘wave’ of the future. Currently, fully-electric models, such as the Super Air Nautique GS22E, or eco-friendly yachts like the many from Azimut that lower emissions and fuel consumption are available. Also, a boater can reduce their carbon footprint by using an electric motor such as a Mercury Avator electric outboard. Additionally, Volvo Penta is working on a hybrid-electric engine—another to watch for in the future.

7. Proper Pump-out

   Don't let blackwater or sewage discharge have a negative effect on the marine environment. Dispose of it properly to avoid contributing to algae blooms that ultimately kill shellfish and other aquatic species. Many MarineMax Marinas offer pump-out stations to help keep the water clean. Just drop by!

8. Sustainable Fishing

   By embracing ethical fishing practices and adhering to regulations, anglers can contribute to the long-term health of aquatic environments and promote sustainability. Following safe catch-and-release methods, not using lead and barbed tackle, checking for sea turtles, not feeding wildlife, and disposing of unwanted bait in the trash instead of the water will help protect the natural environment. If you are interested in a versatile fishing boat to practice sustainability on, check out the latest Boston Whaler 210 Vantage.

Sustainability Efforts Within Boating the Industry

Great news! MarineMax and fellow boating industry leaders are on a positive path toward sustainability. For instance, various MarineMax locations are making our shores sparkle more with beach cleanups, and many communications distributed, including MarineMax Lifestyles magazine, are now in a digital format. We also have a number of U.S.-based certified Clean Marinas and work with many manufacturers that share a sustainable vision, such as Aquila Power Catamarans with their state-of-the-art facility that uses solar power, and others such as Galeon Yachts that use carbon fiber in their build to reduce drag and save on fuel.

Additionally, sustainability efforts are happening at industry events. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which included a list such as utilizing clean energy to reducing plastics, put forth many green efforts during the last show. Let's keep this happy green wave going!

Want to learn more?

Want to learn more about the water, the environment, and other ways to be eco-friendly? Check out this From the Helm Boating Broadcast with Eco-Friendly Pelican Ops. You can also save fuel by searching online for the latest boats and yachts.

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