Where Old Boats Go To Die Part II small boat

Where old boats go to die Part II



Judging by reader reaction to Fridays video of derelict boats meeting their demise, were not the only ones with a latent frustration toward the problem of abandoned vessels cluttering our coasts.

One reader even directed us to a site where we could find more footage of old boats meeting their end. SSI Shredding Systems is a Wilsonville, Ore.-based company that prides itself on helping corporations find a way to shred pretty much anything. And that includes boats.

So how do the machines reduce a boat to bits? According to SSIs Web site there are three actions that the cutting edges take to reduce the vessel to scrap. Shearing, which cuts the material like an enormous pair of scissors; tearing, which pulls apart materials like soft metals, fabric and plastics; and fracturing, which breaks down the glass, hard plastics and certain metals.
The shape and size of hooks on cutters vary according to the type of material they are intended to grab. For certain applications the company hardfaces the cutters by welding proprietary alloys to the cutter edges. This allows the cutters to keep their edge longer, giving them an average hardness level of HRC 61, according to the company.

Find a copy of this video at www.watchitshred.com, where you can also see numerous other items being put through the machines -- including hurricane debris, refrigerators and even a torpedo -- or sign up for SSIs Shred of the Month e-mail.

Incidentally, SSI Shredding Systems has nothing against boats the companys founder and president, Tom Garnier, is an avid sailor who won first place overall in Transpac 07 aboard Reinrag2, a 41-foot J125. No word about what Reinrag2s fate would have been if Garnier had not taken home the trophy.

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