‘Bottoms Up’ — First Boat To Be Made of Dryer Lint

Greetings from Humboldt County, where the weed is fresh and the beer can be cold. Although I am young at heart, I am a longtime Latitude reader who looks forward each month to a unique perspective on all things sailing and boatbuilding.

I am waiting to hear from Cal Maritime about my acceptance into an Applied Arts program I want to start next year. Meanwhile, as I wait for my acceptance letter, I have taken to reading as much as I can about boatbuilding, and really like Phil Bolger designs. Now I have a plan to build and live on a Bolger-designed Loose Moose, a creative 38-ft go-anywhere boat that I want to name Bottoms Up after my grandmother’s stage name when she worked at the Condor in San Francisco in the late 1950s.

As a visual artist, beach-sand sculptor, and hollow-log drummer in tune with nature, I am concerned about putting toxics into the environment, so I want to use locally sourced materials that are sustainable. After seeing the increases in the cost of new lumber, I think I have come across some materials that will make the basis of a sound hull and a great sailer. Over the years, I have gotten concerned about the amount of plastic going into our oceans, our landfills, and into animals’ and our bodies. In a recent news article I read there is a Ziploc lunch bag of plastic in our brains already. I know that plastics are a real problem, and the best way to deal with them is to use them again, rather than just throw them away.

During the winter, when I can take time away as a cutter and trimmer for the season, I often come down to Sausalito, and by accident have struck up friendships with men such as Captain Paul Dines, Davy Jones and Jamie White, who are respected in the boating and maritime scene, and who I do hope will become my mentors in finding my footing and building here. They all suggested I write a letter to Latitude 38 for assistance in not only finding a free work space in Sausalito that will need to be big enough for a 38-ft build, but also a donated good truck to use, and a living place for me, my girlfriend, and our three rescue dogs.

Since I am planning to make my boat out of community-sourced, donated dryer lint, old T-shirts and older open cans of epoxy, I am going to need to set up collection facilities. It would really be a great help if I could use the Latitude 38 offices as our drop-off location until we are able to bring all the materials over under one roof. I am working on ways to separate the hair from the polyester and wool and use it for other materials in my build. Any other technological help or hand would further be greatly appreciated. I am also looking for an experienced social media specialist who is good with computers, fundraising and other things to make this a success.

It is my goal to have this boat done before I start my second winter semester at Cal Maritime, so I have a place to live while I finish up school and before starting my new family. It is my goal to not only build this boat to prove that locally sourced dryer lint and old liquid polymers can make a world-saving vessel, but to travel on her around the world in representation of locally sustainable building from recycled and upcycled materials.

Thank you for your help.

Teddy Daidreamer Hoppe
SV Bottoms Up, Sausalito and (soon) the World.