As a boat owner, you understand the importance of clean waterways. It can affect the water, the wildlife and how your own well being. Having USCG documentation means you are a responsible owner. It can also mean that you care about your environment because you keep your vessel in good, clean repair. If you are determined to be informed on the pollution guidelines and practices you should also be aware of a few beneficial points to keep yourself and your boat from polluting our waters.
If you’ve documented your vessel with the USCG you probably have high regard for keeping your documentation and registrations in order. You also likely understand the importance you vessel has on the water in terms of keeping the currents free of pollutants. Some people revere their vessel as a member of their family, and it’s an entirely understand the way of viewing such an expensive piece of machinery. You put a lot of working into the upkeep of your boat or yacht and this could mean using products that may not translate well to the waterways. If you use certain waxes, paints or cleaner they could rinse off into the water and negatively affect the ecosystem. The same can be said of any potential oil leaks. A good boat owner is one that is eco-conscious and aware of how their products may affect their environment. A great way of avoiding any damaging issues here is to ensure that the products you use a reputable and intended to be safe for their environments. If you’ve spent years using a chemical that is harmful to the waterways and wildlife, don’t beat yourself up. There is always time to course correct and use the right products.
If you are concerned about your ‘carbon footprint’ on the waterways you can take simple steps to correct any damaging behaviors. If you need to dispose of any bilge waters, don’t dump it into the sea. Instead, you can find a company that collects it for proper disposal. Additionally, when you are fueling try to not over fuel your tank, this can cause spillage that enters the water. When cleaning or painting your boat it may be best (if possible) to do so out of the water. You may not think about the runoff of soaps and paints but they could have a detrimental effect on the biological goings-on in the waters below.
If you own a vessel that has USCG Documentation you know the importance of proper regulations and filing. This understanding should extend to not only how you treat your boat but the waters in which you sail. If you need to learn more about which documentations are appropriate for your vessel you can reach out to us at Maritime Documentation Center. We making filing forms easy by checking the documents before you send them in. Being a responsible boat owner is important and wanting to help the environment should be at the forefront of your mind. We only get one Earth and we should treat our waterways like the precious commodities that they are!