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Students from Rio Grande do Sul built a 5-meter sailboat with 1,200 PET bottles and sailed to Montevideo.
In January 2014, students from Instituto Estadual Cecy Leite Costa, in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, drew attention by building a sailboat approximately 5 meters long by 2 meters wide using recyclable materials and simple structures. The project was part of the “Navegar Rio Passo Fundo, from source to sea” initiative, created to study the fauna, flora, and environmental conditions of the Passo Fundo river through a practical expedition.
The most impressive fact was the composition of the vessel. According to the Rio Grande do Sul Department of Education, the hull was covered with bamboo, while the bottom was filled with about 1,200 PET bottles. The sail also deviated from the conventional: it was made from recycled umbrella and parasol fabric.
The group’s goal was to sail approximately 1,200 kilometers from northern Rio Grande do Sul to Montevideo, Uruguay, passing through the Uruguay River until reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The expedition transformed a school project into one of the most curious stories involving recycling, navigation, and environmental education in Brazil.
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5-meter sailboat born from an environmental project created by Gaúcho students
The project “Navegar Rio Passo Fundo, from source to sea” emerged with the proposal to bring students into direct contact with the region’s rivers and environmental studies outside the classroom.
Instead of limiting the initiative to theoretical research, the group decided to build a real vessel using recycled materials. The idea was to travel long stretches of the river while observing fauna, vegetation, and water quality along the way.
The project brought together students, volunteers, and Professor Antônio Carlos Rodrigues, who directly participated in the construction of the sailboat and the organization of the expedition.
About 1,200 PET bottles were used in the bottom of the vessel
The most impressive aspect of the project was precisely the sailboat’s structure. The bottom of the vessel received approximately 1,200 PET bottles, used to aid in the flotation of the assembly.
According to the Department of Education of RS, the hull was covered with bamboo, while the sail was made using recycled umbrella and parasol fabric.
The combination of simple materials, reuse, and creativity transformed the boat into one of the most curious experiences involving recycling and navigation in the country.
Vessel had capacity for up to six people during the expedition
The sailboat built by the students had a capacity for approximately five to six people and an estimated weight between 150 kg and 180 kg.
Even though it was a school project, the vessel underwent several evaluation stages before the main voyage. The group conducted successive tests on the Passo Fundo river to verify the stability and functioning of the assembly.
The preparation was considered fundamental because the expedition would involve long navigation across different river sections.
Seven stages of tests were carried out before the trip to Montevideo
Before starting the main expedition, the sailboat underwent seven stages of tests in the waters of the Passo Fundo river, from its source to the border with Santa Catarina.
These tests served to evaluate the vessel’s behavior, balance, structural resistance, and the group’s adaptation to navigation. Only after these phases did the project begin its main journey towards Uruguay.
The journey officially began on January 8, 2014. The group started navigating in Iraí, in the extreme north of Rio Grande do Sul, following the Uruguay River southwards.
The final destination was Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, after the route reached the Atlantic Ocean. The estimated distance of the journey was approximately 1,200 kilometers.
The expedition transformed a school project into a long-distance environmental crossing.
Group used support boat, engines, and land structure during the journey
Although the sailboat was the central symbol of the project, the trip had a support structure to ensure the group’s safety.
According to the report from the Department of Education, the navigation team consisted of eight people, while another six provided land support using two vans.
The group also had a support boat, gasoline engines, oars, and safety equipment during the expedition.
Environmental project collected information on water, vegetation, and fauna
The journey did not have only a symbolic objective. Along the way, participants conducted environmental analyses and observations in different stretches of the river.
According to the RS Department of Education, a final report would be delivered to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the city hall, and the management committee of the Passo Fundo river basin.
The document would include information on water quality, vegetation, fauna, and the environmental situation observed throughout the journey.
Simple materials transformed the sailboat into one of the project’s most curious vessels
The contrast between the simplicity of the materials and the scale of the journey drew attention at the time. The project used PET bottles, bamboo, repurposed fabric, and an artisanal structure to create a sailboat capable of traveling hundreds of kilometers.
The image of the vessel sailing through the rivers of southern Brazil helped transform the initiative into one of the most curious stories involving recycling and environmental education in the country.
The project also gained prominence by showcasing a practical application for materials normally associated only with disposal.
Sailboat built by students from Rio Grande do Sul continues to be an example of creativity applied to recycling
Even more than a decade later, the story continues to draw attention due to the expedition’s scale and the boat’s unusual structure.
Transforming about 1,200 PET bottles into part of a 5-meter sailboat that sailed to Montevideo created one of the most striking images involving waste reuse in Brazil.
In the end, the project showed that creativity, collective work, and material reuse managed to transform a school activity into a real expedition through the rivers of South America.
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