A Tasmanian man has crossed Bass Strait in a boat constructed entirely from marine debris, including fish farm waste, oyster bags, and agricultural plastics. Samuel McLennan, 48, spent two years salvaging materials to build the vessel, which uses black polyethylene pontoons from fish farm infrastructure for buoyancy. Even the sail is made from debris: a tent base, a truck tarp, and a drain tarp stitched together with fishing braid.
McLennan's journey began after a series of business setbacks left him homeless by choice. When the government rejected his proposal to convert a decommissioned ferry into a floating innovation hub, his father suggested building it from fish farm debris. What McLennan thought would take six months stretched into two years. Maritime authorities initially restricted his vessel to coastal waters, calling his ocean-going plans “foolhardy”.
Despite official scepticism, McLennan successfully navigated hundreds of nautical miles. On a calm morning, powered by a four-stroke outboard motor, he made steady progress across Bass Strait's glassy waters from San Remo to Cowes, then on to French Island. Halfway across, a lone dolphin named Bendy joined them, travelling alongside for most of the journey.
Upon arrival at French Island, a small crowd gathered at Tankerton Jetty, eager to see the unusual craft. Local tour guide Sean Ryan showed McLennan around, including the island's tip, where discarded materials are transformed into homes and useful objects. McLennan praised the island's creative freedom, saying, “There aren’t the rules and regulations which we find in other parts of the country. It’s created the space for people to be creative and to play with different materials.”
