Is it really possible? Here at Superyacht Tenders and Toys (SYTT) we are working hard to try and reduce our environmental impact and in a superyacht world where everyone wants everything immediately this can have its challenges.
We do feel that times are changing and that everyone needs to step up and take some accountability. Our team are a collection of lifelong sailors and watersports enthusiasts and it goes without saying that we want to do our part to protect the environment we all so much enjoy. At SYTT we are working to have a sustainability standard which will inspire others and promote and push companies and products who also share in this philosophy.
With this in mind we recently launched our own yacht toy and tender rental operation, with an office in Monaco and warehouse in Nice, France. This was partly due to market request but also because we so often find that when we sell something to a yacht it is sometimes only used only a handful of times for a single charter and is then left unused in the back of a garage.
The sharing economy is becoming increasingly popular in our more environmentally aware society, as seen by companies such as Urban Outfitters the clothes sharing company, or Borrow a Boat in the marine industry who are headline sponsors of Southampton boat show in 2019.  By renting equipment to clients as a viable alternative to selling we believe that the carbon footprint of manufacturing will be less and the goods will be used more which is more sustainable for the environment. Small steps indeed, but positive ones. It is with this environmental consideration that we only provide ‘eco-friendly’ rentals, which includes wind powered and electric toys. Owners, captains and crew (especially engineers!) are responding very favourably to this, as there is less chance of an item  breaking down on charter, as they are all plug and play. Electric toys often have an App that goes along with them and they can be logged into by our team and updates done remotely in the event of issues. This also solves the issue of storing petrol onboard in yacht garages, which are often not certified to store petrol.
SYTT have selected companies which have sustainability programmes in place to partner with for the rental arm of the business. A key partner being RS Sailing. RS has one of the most thorough sustainability policies in the market and considers the way boats are sold, designed, manufactured and end of life practices for their boats. As a result, their boats are increasingly built from natural fibre basalt, flax and hemp bio based epoxy infusion resin. A recent study found that using natural fibre with bio resin compared to traditional glass fibre with epoxy resin saved 28% on carbon emissions alone. Adding in recycled composite materials this improves even more. 70% of RS sailboats hulls are presently made from 100% recyclable polyethylene material with 70% of RS spars and 50% of foils made of aluminium and recyclable. SYTT has a fleet of 6 RS21’s available for hire.
If you are looking for a more sustainable way to enjoy your time on the water contact Superyacht Tenders and Toys to discuss our eco options both for rental or purchase.
www.superyachttenderandtoys.com
Pic: – NERD recycled cardboard SUP
Pic: Lift eFoil – electric foiling surfboard
Link: SYTT Rental brochure – https://superyachttendersandtoys.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TOY-RENTAL-180419-reduced.pdf
