By Timon Singh, Source: Inhabitat

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Each year the french city of Saint-Victor-sur-Loire hosts a popular raft race that draws visitors from around the region. However one team, Open Sources, decided to put a green spin on their entry to this year’s competition by using recycled materials. Working in partnership with the city of Saint-Etienne and assorted local civic organizations, the team built a catamaran out of plastic bottles and reused wood.
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The team built a similar raft last year, but this time they have unveiled a new design. With the new catamaran they hope to introduce young people to the challenges of recycling and green design and of course win the race!

To improve the catamaran, the team redesigned the hull and the sail, which is placed in the center of the boat. The craft’s main hull and deck is made from reclaimed wood, while the ship’s buoyancy is achieved with a pile of filled plastic bottles that are wrapped in sheeting. Albeit not as grand as the Plastiki boat designed by David de Rothschild, this lovely intervention does set a fabulous green example for the rest of the teams.
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