The full concept

Sailing for change - The concept

This project is not only about sailing, The project objective is to raise awareness of world cruising and climate change through life style changes,  local encounters, conferences and a publication. From the European green deal " fundamental changes in lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production are likely to be necessary to achieve sustainability goals.". This project will provide inspiration that another way of life is possible. It is not about cruising with an extensive toy. The differentitation with  other sailing initiatives promoting sustainability will be the focus on litterature and art. 

The project: context

This project starts from the postulate that art and cultural change are essential for the carbon-neutral transition our societies are heading to. A number of institutional and academic publications stress the criticality of a collective mindset change. As a deep societal shift will be required in medium-term horizon. And engineering or technology will not be sufficient to solve the deep crises.

Innovative ways of living, new societal values away from mass consumption, news paradigms insisting on the relationships between humans and Nature, and creativity to face new crises, will be key assets for successful societies. These changes must be perceived as opportunities for happiness and by no means punitive constraints as the environmental ideology is currently massively perceived. 

Sailing can be an extremely effective way of shifting this " mindset".  Sailing is deeply engrained in the western culture, including the pre-roman times, all the great discoveries of the late middle ages and the modern practices through cruising and racing. An incalculable number  heroes have been drawn from the sea from all of our history. These "heros" are sharing values which can fully participate are driving lighthouses for societies needed to change. 

• Time is not the essence: the dependency of travelling is on the wind and weather

• Simple joys are all what we need: a sunrise, dolphins, turtles, bird, a warmish meal in a storm.

• The need to share emotions and techniques  within a confined mutually dependent team

• Approaching other communities through stays in diverse locations.

These are through our personal network, and web searches  and meetings will be arranged before arriving at destinations with the objective of understanding cultural, literary and artistic responses to the issue of the "sea and climate change". 

A key focal point of the project will be the production of research papers, literature and art (poems, painting or else particularly are personanlities (writer, artists, activists, witnesses) should be me on the various destinations. 

The participants

You can participate at multiple  levels. 

• There must be at least 2 experienced skippers accepting to spend some  financial resources and significant time  the project

• Enthusiasts to help define and build the project, technically, financially and conceptually.The project concept is bound to evolve over time.

• Participants to the journey, including a mix of experience sailors and "activists" (anyone with an interest  on the subject matter. This can only be for one or several legs. 

Financing requirements should by no means be a blocker to the participation. The cost base can be reduced as compromises on the overall comfort are acceptable.

Research areas

Research areas will be refined as the project takes shape, with a focus on art as a vehicule for change. 

It will also evolve as local encounters will be planned. 

• The emotions conveyed at sea, the fascination of the islands

• The litterature of the sea

• The sailing heroes and their meaning in the western world from the early discoveries, Eric Tabarly, Yann Quenet: how they have supported changes in the perception of others, the world and supported transitions in history.

• The impact of climate change on cruising and coastal communities: including plastic pollution, wildlife evolution, fishing, weather uncertainties. 

• The perception of modern cruisers and messages they share. There has been a significant influx of cruising boats in recent history, more ageing, more luxurious, less adventurous. But still there are a number of sailors acting against this trend.

• Sailing and gender issues. Why sailing has been a perceived as a "men dreams with spouses following" and how a modern initiatives are reverting this perception.

• The perception of the life at sea through poetry, litterature and visual arts