Eco-Boating Makes Waves

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The wind, the water, the wide blue sky — what could be more "green" than a summer day boating on your favorite river or lake?

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100519/DC07742)

According to Caleb Basiliko, research fleet manager at Buffalo State College's Great Lakes Center Field Station, boaters can take several steps to make their summer on New York State's waterways as green as possible.

"One thing we're doing at the Field Station is switching over to bio-based lubricants," said Basiliko, or "Captain Caleb" as he's commonly known. "I especially like bio-based lubricants for the lower units of boat motors. Also, use biodegradable soaps and cleaners when you clean your boat, your fishing gear, and anything else that goes in the water."

However, Basiliko noted that being environmentally responsible is about more than pollution.

"We're very concerned about the VHS virus," he said, referring to viral hemorrhagic septicemia. VHS is fatal to fish; it has already caused a number of fish kills that have hurt Great Lakes fisheries.

To avoid spreading the VHS virus, Basiliko recommended, "Buy your bait from certified bait shops, which carry minnows that are VHS-free. Don't carry bait from one body of water to another." VHS is already prevalent in Lake Erie, but keeping it out of inland lakes — not just the large Finger Lakes but smaller bodies of water like Rushford Lake and Lime Lake — remains a goal.

It's also good practice to drain and wash your boat and to clean gear such as lines and nets before moving on to a different body of water. Actually, according to Basiliko, that's already a regulation. "It's important to follow it to minimize the spread of invasive species," he said. "For example, spiny water flea is pretty much everywhere." The invasive species — actually a tiny crustacean — has already spread to most of Western New York's inland lakes by boats, small amounts of water transported from one body of water to another, and fishing gear.

Overall, Basiliko said that newer boat motors must meet higher emissions standards than old ones, so new motors pollute the air less. But before you rush out to buy a new one, Basiliko said, "You have to consider the carbon footprint left by manufacturing the new motor and disposing of the old one." And, while most boats have an optimal speed for using gas efficiently, calculating it is difficult. "Most of the time, you estimate it by gallons used per hour," he said.

All in all, when it comes to green boating, you might want to consider Basiliko's last observation. "You can probably get by with about 15 gallons of gas a season," he said, "if you take up sail boating."

SOURCE Buffalo State College