Final Topic 6 - Boat Cleaning & Maintenance is Published

The sixth and final topic of the IODA Version of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Program is now published and available on the IODA Website.  

Topic 6 – Boat Cleaning & Maintenance introduces the importance of keeping boats cleaned and maintained by using environmentally friendly natural cleaning alternatives. It also describes how invasive species can travel to new places by attaching to boats, equipment or even a wetsuit and the importance of cleaning equipment thoroughly.

It also provides tips on how to lengthen the life of sails, as well as some ideas on how to reuse them to the end of their life.

Click here to download the Topic 6 – Boat Cleaning & Maintenance Booklet, Trainer’s Guide and Worksheets. The Booklet provides the overall content and information on the topic.  The Trainer’s Guide contains the lesson plans and steps on how to complete each section, as well as the answers to the questions and activities of the Worksheets.

Five Topics have been published since the program was launched on Earth Day, April 22nd.

Topic 1- Race with World Sailing introduces different kinds of boats and competitions for young Optimist sailors from the WS Youth Worlds, to the Olympics, to the Americas’ Cup and the Ocean Race.

Topic 2– Resources & Climate Change introduces climate change and how it affects the ocean and sailors, as well as the use of water in a sailing club. It also outlines how using resources effectively reduce the impact of climate change as well as how the circular economy helps to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Topic 3 - Navigating Wildlife & Biodiversity introduces cetaceans and a variety of aquatic plants and what sailors can do to protect biodiversity as well as how to be a responsible sustainable sailor. It also provides information on how to navigate plant life while sailing and launching and learn what to do about non-native and invasive species.

Topic 4 - Reducing Waste introduces the types of waste and the waste hierarchy, as well as the types of plastic pollutants generated by sailors and Sailing Clubs and ideas on how to make changes to reduce plastic waste.  It also introduces Dame Ellen MacArthur and her work in the circular economy system that will help us to be more sustainable with the products we buy and use.

Topic 5 – Oil & Fuel introduces different types of spills that might happen on and off boats and around the club and how spills impact the marine food chain and biodiversity.  It also describes some actions that prevent spills from happening and what to do if there is a spill on a boat or in the sailing club.

The programme, targeted to sailors between the ages of 6-12 years of age, forms part of World Sailing’s Sustainability Agenda 2030 – sailing’s commitment to global sustainability.  It is delivered in partnership with the World Sailing Trust and 11th Hour Racing and developed with The Ocean Race.

The IODA version includes Optimist images by Matias Capizzano and is co-branded by IODA (SailOptimist) and World Sailing.

Click here to access all six topics of the IODA Versions of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Programme materials published to date.

The IODA Version of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Programme will be available in several languages soon. There will be an announcement when they are published.