Grants

The Green Blue research programme

Phase 1 of the Green Blue research programme was a major desk study into 'The Environmental Interactions of Recreational Boating'. This identified a number of gaps in knowledge about boating and its interactions with the environment.

The Green Blue has now launched a programme to link with students to fill existing gaps in knowledge. We are keen to hear from universities, students and other organisations interested in undertaking research related to boating and the environment. Applications from M.Sc., Ph.D. and final year students are all welcome.

Students and industry undertaking quantitative research into these areas are welcome to apply for a contribution towards the expenses of the project. To do so, please complete an application form giving more details of your proposed research and return to The Green Blue Project Manager.

Conditions of funding include the following:

• Permission must be obtained from the student's academic supervisor to participate in the programme
• Expenses covered include the cost of collecting and analysing samples, travel and other miscellaneous costs associated with completing the project.
• In return, The Green Blue must receive a copy of the final report, rights to publicise or circulate the findings and to hold a copy electronically in its database.
• A list of suggested topics is available below. Applicants wishing to undertake research outside this list must submit an explanation of how their research will benefit The Green Blue.
• Priority will be given to projects which measure quantitative outputs.

The Green Blue grants scheme is now open for 08-09, grants are up to £250 and must have 50% match funding.

The Green Blue - Research Titles for MSc students

Below is a list of research titles suitable for MSc students. If you would like to use one of these titles, or suggest one which is related and relevant, please do get in touch. The Green Blue will make every effort to put you in contact with a network of experts and give you access to any data sources available to us.

Topic area – Disturbance of wildlife

Boat Traffic – An investigation into the impact of boat movement on local populations of marine wildlife around Black Head, Falmouth*

Mitigations – An investigation into the impact of awareness raising programmes on changing recreational boaters/commercial boaters behaviour near wildlife.

Speed – An investigation into the relationship between propeller noise, boat speed and disturbance of birdlife in Scottish Lochs*

Topic Area – Boat Cleaning and Sewage

Toxicity – An investigation into the relative impact of environmentally friendly boat cleaners on marine ecosystems compared to standard cleaners and bleaches.

Discharges – An investigation into the nutrient (and/or bacterial discharges) from recreational boating at specific events e.g. regattas, race meets* etc and a comparison with background levels.

Discharges – An investigation into the volume and content of grey water discharges into the marine environment from boats in X Marina/Hamble River*.

Topic area – Resource Efficiency

Fuel Use Data – An investigation into fuel use in marine engines comparing perfect condition fuel use to real life.

Energy Consumption – An investigation into the trends and causes of trends of power use in new production yachts and motorboats.

Boat Production – An investigation into the energy consumption for boat manufacture in the UK.

Boat Production – A life cycle analysis of a standard 36-42ft yacht in the UK.

Boat Production – An investigation into the quantity and type of raw materials used in boat production in the UK and an analysis of replacement materials. (Could be extended to cover the UK fleet which includes a lot of boats manufactured overseas.)

Boat Production – An investigation into the number of end of life hulls (and their age) in the UK* and make up of the waste stream.

Topic Area – Antifoul

Inland waterways – An investigation (using primary and existing data) into the influence of antifoul (and its derivatives) on water quality in inland waterways in the Norfolk Broads*.

Coast Environments – An investigation (using primary and existing data) into the influence of antifoul (and its derivatives) on water quality in coastal environments in the Pembrokeshire National Park*.

Antifoul development – An investigation into (the impact of market factors including copper pricing on) antifouling paint development and future trends in the UK and global markets.

Alien Species – An investigation into the role of the recreational boating sector in the transfer of invasive species in Wales*.

* Other locations are welcome.

Other Research topics

Gaps in knowledge identified as requiring further research

Antifouling

• Leach rates: what are the leach rates for different types of antifouling e.g. bonded (e.g. Copperbot) compared to hard compared to soft antifoulings. Does bonded copper antifouling deposit less copper into the water over its lifecycle? How do leach rates compare under pressure washing?
• Loading: What is the volume of copper coming from recreational craft and is this significant in the context of copper entering the marine environment from other sources e.g. sewage works, run-off from land, storm drains, roads etc
• ‘New types’ of antifouling: are there any likely adverse effects from new ‘environmentally friendly’ types of paint now appearing on the market on aquatic life? E.g. those containing teflon, silicon etc
• What is the cost of not removing fouling e.g. increased fuel usage and engine wear due to higher revs, more noticeable wash, risk of transferring alien species etc?
• Do different marine environments support more/less amounts of copper e.g. mud, sand, rock

Cleaning Products

• What are the ingredients of the commonly used cleaning products used for boat maintenance e.g. teak cleaner, fibreglass brightener, washing up liquid?
• What are the impacts on aquatic life and are these localised or more significant e.g. can ingredients accumulate in sediment etc
• Loading: what are the volumes entering the water from recreational boating (greywater and boat maintenance) and is this significant compared to inputs from other sources e.g. from agriculture, sewage, industry etc
• Labelling: can a labelling system or protocol be devised to indicate to yachties which products are less damaging to aquatic life? There is now a tendency for products to be labelled ‘biodegradable’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ despite including large amounts of perfume, artificial colouring, phosphates etc.

Blackwater / Boat Sewage

• What is the volume of nutrients entering the environment from recreational boating compared to other inputs e.g. sewage, fertiliser, waterfowl?
• What is the environmental impact of discharging boat sewage in different environments e.g. open sea, estuary, strong/weak tidal areas, sea bed type?

Effects of Anchoring

• What are the dynamics by which a boat swings around its anchor with tide and wind? Does the chain regularly circulate around the anchor, scouring the sea bed, or is the tendency for the boat to swing around a certain point on the chain while the rest remains stationary?
• Are there any positive or negative effects of anchoring by recreational boats on oyster beds? Are different effects caused by different types of anchors, chain or ropes, or by different hull profiles or boat sizes taking the ground?

Physical Structures

• Can physical structures used to provide moorings have a beneficial effect on marine life e.g. by effectively providing an artificial reef

Slipway Maintenance

• What is the most environmentally friendly method of cleaning a slipway? Do the various products on the market have any noticeable effect on aquatic life immediately adjacent to the slip or indeed further afield? What is the recommended frequency of cleaning to maximise effectiveness and minimise environmental impact?

Hull Materials

• What is the recycling potential for different types of hull materials?
• What is the scope of the issue i.e. how many boats coming to end of their life are currently lying around in clubs, training centres, boatyards and marinas?

Alien Species

• Does in-water hull cleaning have the potential to transfer alien species? Which species are most likely to be transferred? Is the contribution from recreational boating significant compared to commercial fishing, shipping etc?
• Do craft moved between inland water basins have the potential to transfer alien species? Which species are most likely to be be transferred? What is the best practice mitigation advice to prevent transfer?

Electric Boats

• Conduct a life cycle analysis of an electric boat engine. What are the indirect emissions associated with operation? What about the manufacture and disposal implications of the additional batteries required? Whilst there are undoubted advantages with regard to low emissions on the water, low wake and low noise, do electric boats it produce less carbon emissions and cause less harm to the environment overall?

How do I apply?

For more information or to apply:

Research Application Form
Please complete the document and either email to info@thegreenblue.org.uk or send to our main address; The Green Blue, RYA House, Ensign Way, Hamble, Hants, SO31 4YA

The Green Blue Scientific Papers Database
Search our database for results of the desk study

 

 

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