Ghent: refurbished neglected boats given new life as shared fleet

The Ghent start-up and non-profit organization Straal refurbishes neglected boats to give them a second life. Straal’s initiators want to do something with the many neglected boats left along the banks of the Ghent and European waterways. They focus on the numerous polyester pleasure boats because polyester creates a lot of waste.

Refurbishing those boats and ensuring they can sail again will reduce the waste mountain.”We repair those boats in a shed and ensure that they can sail electrically, some even run on hydrogen,” explains Laura Van Wingen of Straal.

Inclusive boat workshop

Volunteers, people with a passion for boats, and people with difficulty finding a place in the labor market mainly help refurbish the neglected boats. “This way, Straal vzw is an inclusive boat workshop where neglected vessels are transformed into a shared fleet.”

“We now have seven boats in our fleet and share them with people who enjoy sailing, who do not have the space to house a boat, or who find it too expensive to own one,” Van Wingen continues. The first seven boats are located in Ghent on Gasmeterlaan, near the Tolhuissluis, but the plan is to quickly expand to other locations and cities.

Boat sharing

Anyone can become a member of the organization and share a boat, just like with car sharing. Members of Straal first receive training to be allowed on the water, and then they can go sailing anywhere. People can locate the vessels via the app and reserve them directly. 

“People need to know the rules on the water, the locks, the times… we take care of maintenance, mooring, and administration, among other things”, Van Wingen adds.

Subsidies

“We don’t just find the boats along the banks of the waterways. Boat owners often donate their boats because they want to get rid of them for various reasons,” Van Wingen continues.

The non-profit organization Straal received start-up subsidies from Flanders, the province of East Flanders, VLAIO, the European Union, and the City of Ghent.