Repair and recycle old things instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. Use renewable instead of finite resources. Thinking alternatively. Corentin de Chatelperron is doing all of this on board. From 2016 to 2022, the Frenchman sailed around the globe in 25 stages on the catamaran "Nomade des Mers" to discover, try out and further develop low-tech ideas worldwide and disseminate them on an open source platform. Low-tech concepts are original solutions for the sustainable utilisation and reuse of resources.
In Morocco, for example, the Frenchman's small team developed a technique for desalinating seawater, harvested algae for food in Madagascar and utilised plastic waste in Sri Lanka. The ship, a Kennex 445 VPLP catamaran, served as a laboratory to provide the crew with a self-sufficient supply of energy and food. The saloon resembled a greenhouse, a chicken coop was attached to the stern and home-grown insects supplemented the galley - admittedly not for everyone.
Young people in particular are interested in low-tech
Without question, it takes great commitment and a passion for the subject to go this far. "This is something for people who want to lead a sustainable lifestyle, are really interested in low-tech and are talented craftsmen," summarises Chatelperron in an interview with YACHT. "Many people write to me and ask me how they can install low-tech on board. Especially young people." His counter-question is then how low they really want to go. If there is serious interest in living with simple technology and self-built appliances on board, he explains, for example, how the solar oven works for cooking on the "Nomade des Mers" and how they managed without a refrigerator while sailing around the world.
He himself has gone one step further: Chatelperron spent four months living on a bamboo raft in Thailand. He wanted to show that he could be completely self-sufficient there. You can read about his findings in his books. "In any case, low-tech is better known today than it was ten years ago. More and more people are hearing about it," says the likeable inventor, who is firmly rooted in the scene. "Perhaps my journey has also inspired one or two others."
- More info: LOWTECHLAB.ORG
Further topics in the sustainability special:
- 25 tips to help you sail more environmentally friendly
- These projects are available for marine conservation
- Sailing yacht vs. motorboat: which model is more sustainable?
- Boatbuilding ecolution: These shipyards are working on sustainable concepts
- Shipyard portrait Greenboats: Boats made of flax and components for Boris Herrmann
- Sustainable fashion: oilskins and other functional clothing - the best products
- Boat recycling: the never-ending story of GRP
- Sail recycling: not just stylish bags - what happens to old cloth
- "Losing is not an option" - Boris Herrmann on sustainability in motorsport
- Sustainable management: Wooden boats in charter operations
- Equipment: Every sailor should reach for these green alternatives
- Drinking water on board: you can filter water correctly using these methods
- Baltic Sea: How does a harbour become sustainable?
- Research yachts: Climate protectors under sail
- Pallets, bottles, flip-flops: creative recycling ideas in boatbuilding
- Monsoon 31: Greenfit instead of refit, what does that mean for the 50-year-old Hallberg-Rassy?
- Self-build yacht "Ya": Totally self-sufficient on a trip around the world
- Sustainable boat project: 55-foot catamaran made from recycled aluminium
- The Schwörer family and the "Pachamama": on a long voyage for climate protection
- Nike Steiger on her recycling project
