As sailors and boaters, we get to experience the wonder of the ocean firsthand. From seeing humpback whales breaching to albatrosses soaring across the sky to green sea turtles popping up for a breath of air, the ocean is a magical, inspiring place. With support from sailors and boaters across the globe, Sailors for the Sea has been able to achieve huge wins to protect this precious resource in 2024. Here are a few highlights:
1. 100,000 Green Boaters stepped up to advocate for our oceans and practice eco-smart habits on the water
Being closely connected to our waters, sailors and boaters are aware of the vast array of threats facing our oceans. We see plastics floating offshore and washed up on beaches, lifeless coral reefs due to rising water temperatures and oil spills smothering marine life. Across the globe, Green Boaters took a stand for the oceans by supporting policies that would reduce the production of single-use plastics, save endangered marine wildlife, and protect sensitive marine habitats. For example, thanks in part to Green Boater’s support of Oceana’s campaign, Amazon has removed all plastic air pillows from its delivery packaging used at its global fulfillment centers.
2. A record number of Clean Regattas aiming to achieve Platinum Level certification
Since 2006, more than 4,100 events and 4 million sailors in 35 US states and 53 countries have helped protect our oceans and waterways by participating in Clean Regattas. The growth and success of the Clean Regattas program is due to the dedication of Clean Regatta organizers who continuously bring sustainability to the forefront of their events and activities. Thus far in 2024, a record 45 events are aiming to achieve Platinum level status, our highest level of sustainability certification, up from 36 certified Platinum level events in 2023. This year, we started a new series of Case Studies to share Clean Regatta organizers’ innovative solutions to sustainability challenges.
3. Two new classes joined our Clean Class Initiative
The Optimist is our newest Clean Class. Photo credit to Matias Capizzano, courtesy of IODA.
During the summer of 2023, we launched the Clean Class initiative, which encourages one-design fleets to implement Clean Regattas best practices into class-wide operations and events, expanding the positive impact sailors can have on our oceans and waterways. The Thistle Class, which has more than 50 active fleets across the US, developed and piloted the Clean Class initiative. By the end of 2023, the Formula Wave and International 29er classes had also joined the initiative. This year, the Canadian Shark and Optimist classes have stepped up to be Clean Classes as well. We look forward to working with these classes to make a significant impact for our oceans and waterways.
4. 20 Sailors for the Sea Skippers worked with their local communities to make a difference for our seas
Sailors for the Sea Skippers, Emma Janson and Maya Hoffman, before the Newport Bermuda Race.
Located in sailing hubs across the globe, Sailors for the Sea Skipper volunteers are conservation leaders in their local communities who are working on projects that will help restore the health of our oceans and waterways. This year, Skippers attended or presented at events to share Green Boating tips, started competitions to grow our Green Boater community, supported Clean Regatta sustainability initiatives, and engaged youth on ocean conservation topics. Several Skippers are developing offshore sustainability guidelines, mobilizing clubs in their region to join Clean Regattas, and empowering youth about single-use plastic alternatives. These dedicated sailing leaders continue to take an active role in protecting our waters.
5. Expanded our KELP program
Our KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) library currently consists of more than 50 marine science lesson plans to help improve ocean literacy and teach about issues impacting our oceans, including plastic pollution, climate change, and invasive species. We added three new lesson plans this year, including building Otto the sea otter puppet (our new mascot!), learning the importance of preventing oil spills and discovering the impacts of deep-sea mining. This year alone, more than 50,000 children used these hands-on activities to discover the wonder of our oceans. We continued to promote our instructional videos, which provide teachers, parents and kids helpful guidance on how to carry out the lesson. We also created an Ocean Explorer KELP kit for kids to explore their natural world.
