A02velas
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
The horizon is that fine line between reality and hope. At A02velas we have designed realities so that people without a horizon reconnect with the place where we are living, with its rivers and surrounded by the sea from which we had been disconnected. Taking care for water is caring for the planet to which we belong. Designing accessible products for all, nature-friendly services and inclusive experiences, with and for people, open up many opportunities to reduce inequalities.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
I was born and lived in a very charming town, called Redes ("Nets") for its tradition. The women protagonists of an ancestral tradition "redeñas". 6 hours between tide and tide sewing the nets. I... just a girl in love with the sea and its customs. My grandfather fisherman and very grandfather. Sneaking into his boat as a stowaway was not difficult since there was always a place for me. At the age of 9 I was facing my first regatta, in the Optimist category, against 371 participants for the Galicia Cup. In 31st place, I was the winner along with a diabetes I was born with, which had shown that there are no impossible challenges. On the same day as my 28th birthday, the diagnosis hardened and I lost sight in my left eye. The right, well... in the sea it sees everything. After 18 years with low vision, I am still at the helm of a small fleet of 100% electric and 100% accessible boats.
I am Gemma, promoter of A02velas, used to change the cap when the wind blows against or when there are obstacles ahead, but without losing my focus. A project that without other sensitive people by my side would not have been possible to launch. People who asked themselves the same questions, founding themselves with the same answer: impossible. We keep hearing that damn word, but when they say it to us, we know that behind an impossible, there are many possibles. We decided to create a cooperative, touching the horizon on November 11, 2020, weathering the storm of the pandemic, so that no one, no one stays on the ground without knowing the sea. In 2019 we created the A02velas association while the cooperative was being formalized for insurance issues.
We design, prototype and realize activities for people who want to reach their horizon, generating employment for people in a situation of exclusion, manufacturing electric and accesible boat, and recovering abandoned ships at the bottom of the sea, dying in ports or rivers a second chance or recycle them to make new nautical elements.
Key objectives for sustainability
Our team has encountered a lot of barriers in the personal, professional, relational fields, but there are many more questions that we continually ask ourselves: Why is employment not encouraged more in activities related to the sea with all tasks that need to be done to protect it? Why are boats not designed to respect marine ecosystems? Why are ships not recycled, except vessels of more than 100 meters that are taken to Turkey, Bangladesh or China? Why are we disconnected from the sea, when the oceans cover 70% of the planet? Why are navigation rules not respected in special protection areas? Why? Why? Why?
Before launching our electric and accessible boat, they told us that how could it be prevented to sail in special areas (as Natura 2000 Network) with combustion engines if there were no alternatives. In that sense, in 2 years, we changed the rules and the authorities began to take measures. Shy, but a change. We face the same in terms of accessibility in port facilities, it was said why if there are no accessible ships, and therefore people with special needs whishing to sail.
An average boat has a useful life of 30 years. When it can no longer navigate, the options that its owners find are varied: sink it in the sea (although it seems unlikely, it is a not so unusual practice); abandon it in a port; abandon it at the bottom of an estuary...
This ecological disaster is present in our day to day, and it is at the roots of our project since we started it and a pillar of the Cooperative, convinced: - to achieve this year around 10 jobs for people in a situation of exclusion, in particular people with different abilities; to be a business model that can be replicated in different areas; due to their historical and aesthetic value, some boats that can be reused (bird observatories, accommodation in natural landscapes...); the recycled materials, around 50% being fiberglass, will be reused for different elements such as pontoons, furniture, boat fenders...
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
We have a 10 meter long sailboat that we rehabilitate in an integral way, soon our old friend will be 50 years old, it is our laboratory. Faced with new challenges, we set out with the whole team in the middle of the estuary, facing the horizon, and magic arises. Away from the noise, close to nature (it couldn't be more natural), we ideate, chat (even video conferences), dream, prototype, dive, with that feeling that with each outing, we have changed the world a little, with new ideas, proposals, opportunities and solutions. This is where we design most of the inclusive experiences that we carry out with the electric and accessible boat with different profiles, people with reduced mobility, people with low or no vision, with low or no hearing, people with cognitive deficits, people with spectrum disorders autistic, people with degenerative diseases... activities with music on board, craft activities recovering objects on beaches, observation of fauna and flora, environmental education activities, particularly with schools of the area, activities combined with other partners, such as visits to organic producers, farms... all forming part of the Mariñas Coruñesas and Tierras del Mandeo Biosphere Reserve, we are already 74 certified companies, including producers, restaurants and ecotourism companies cooperating.
In an environment (nautical sector) considered elitist and exclusive, we got what we were looking for, beyond accessing a ship naturally, without artifacts such as lifting elements, beyond not getting seasick by not producing noise or gases, beyond discovering inaccessible areas by land, beyond seeing cormorants or dolphins up close, beyond observing the seabed, the most important and motivating, is smiling. The "length" and "duration" of a smile is our main KPI.
It is a plus for the whole team. It's our prize. At sea it's not always easy, different factors govern, on land either due to administrative obstacles but smiles make us invincibles.
Key objectives for inclusion
The statutes of our Cooperative have the following purposes: design and develop activities accessible to all people, particularly nautical activities; promote the universal accessibility and design for all; design triple bottom line business models: through mentoring, advice, training, assessment, implementation; mentoring entrepreneurs with special needs or situations of vulnerability; advise on diversity and inclusion policies in professional fields (companies and institutions).
Inclusion is at the roots of our project, a principle that we usually describe as firm and non-negotiable. It will be because of our trajectory, our sensitivity or way of being, our way of thinking about the world, we don't know, but it is a constant. Any injustice, exclusion or discrimination makes our hair stand on end. In fact, we are not sure if the pandemic increased inequalities or if it made them more evident. What is clear is that inclusion remains a challenge.
Due to the changes because of the Covid, it is not without doubt when we are shaping the cooperative at the beginning of 2020 , due to limitations, threats, uncertainties. In fact, there are several SDGs that guide or reinforce our day to day and the decisions to be take: 5 (Gender equality), 8 (Decent work and economic growth, 9 (Industry innovation and infrastructure), 13 (Climate action ), 14 (life below water), 17 (Partnerships for the goals), and we recognize that sometimes we scatter ourselves, or we do not have a sufficient field of vision, or pending promises from the administrations that with the damn pandemic but also the damn excuse that many times we must wait, but when it comes to validating, any decision we take has to consider in all the cases 2 of them: 3 (Health and well-being) and 10 (Reduction of inequalities). We do not undertake any project if these 2 are not explicitly fulfilled. It is the route traced on our map, and as sailors we are, we have to change the cap, but never lose focus.
Results in relation to category
A real dilemma. When we read the call, it was impossible for us to choose one, neither by the statement nor by the examples.
1. Reconnecting with nature: bringing individuals and communities closer to nature, contributing to regenerate natural ecosystems and preventing loss of biodiversity... providing local solutions to global challenges...
2. Regaining a sense of belonging: bringing a “meaning” of places, communities or goods and that celebrate diversity... connecting with local historical heritage and traditions... restoring pride for communities at local level... involving the development of products, processes and business models...
3. Prioritising the places and people that need it the most: contributing to addressing the needs of territories, communities and individuals that need a particular and urgent attention because of specific economic, social or physical characteristics... involving the physical regeneration of territories...
4. Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking: contributing to the transformation of the industrial ecosystems towards sustainable practices in a spirit of circularity, taking into account relevant social aspects... involving the transformation of elements of value chains...
Without solving the dilemma we opted for category 2.
A few months ago, a 94-year-old man, a fisherman all his life in the small port of Redes, until 4 years ago. We went to greet him. His daughter told us that he was in bed, sick. Just tell him that we are from the Sardine (name of our ship in Galician). At 5 minutes, we were going down the port ramp. It's an electric boat we said. That doesn't exist, he answered. 1 minute later he naturally climbed onto the ship leaning on his stick, and another minute later he was at the helm. We sailed for a couple of hours. He was happy with a smile from ear to ear. He said: an electric boat that everyone can get on: It should not be for the future, thanks for being here today.
How Citizens benefit
As we said before, in a complicated and uncertain context, we achieved what we were looking for, beyond creating a new concept of boat, beyond eliminating barriers, beyond breathe healthy air, beyond seeing a sunset: that all the people who participated in the different activities throughout 2021, many of them sailing for the first time, and that from land they see the sea every day since they can remember, discover from the water the biodiversity of the area, smiling, happy. In fact, all these people are our ambassadors, who better than them to talk about us, what we do and how we do it. Despite many communication efforts on social networks, word of mouth is the most common way to contact.
On the other hand, we have the support of several local agents. Our Cooperative, after a one-year process, obtained in January 2022 the seal of belonging to the Mariñas Coruñesas Biosphere Reserve. Distinguished in December 2021 with the Tourism Quality Commitment seal. We are integrated into Sherpa do Mar, Euroregional platform in the marine-maritime field. We participate in the UNESCO Chair on Food, Culture and Development. Also collaborating with The Galician Innovation Agency, The Network of Alternative and Solidarity Economy Networks, or the Galician Association of Nautical Activities, and the municipalities with ports in which we carry out our activities, among other agents.
A network and necessary supports. The balance is certainly positive although with a mitigated balance. To get this support, there are many meetings, documentation submissions, presentations, and a lot of temporary capital, time that must be subtracted from the care of our team and collaborators, from the time necessary to investigate, create, design... and connect directly with local people. In fact, the decision we take for 2022 is to not dedicate more than 15% of our time to care of institutional relations and dedicate more time to the care of our team and close partners, associations...
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The innovative character? a great question. Innovating consists of making improvements in processes, products, services or creating new ones that have a favorable impact.
Our approach is not based on innovating just for the sake of it. It comes out of the conviction that action must be taken to allow anyone who wishes to enjoy our beautiful environment; the conviction that accessibility is not expensive when any specific measure could be useful for everyone; the conviction that there are real alternatives to CO2 emissions from conventional ships; the conviction that ships cannot continue to be abandoned on the seabed, when apart from being polluting materials, they can be recycled to design and build elements for common nautical uses.
An example: when we thought to access to a boat with a harness lifting system, the first thing we did was ask potential users. We ask them if they would like to sail. 2 types of response: yes, I would like to / a dream for me. Now, since it's about enjoying, don't lift us up on a crane, even for a few minutes. We know what it is and represents, to get on a hospital bed or for a transfer.
Faced with a need, a lack, a barrier, the first step is to ask people what they think, feel, want, wish... From these insights, a map of possibilities is drawn up, associating roles, resources available or to be designed, and looking at laws and regulations in parallel. The ideation process begins, after validating ideas to go on to prototyping and testing. This process, summarized here, applies to any problem to be solved. For example, in the case of universal accessibility, we have seen so many actions that did not count on people from the beginning, then it's difficult to fully solve the problem. Changes or patches follow, saying that accessibility is expensive.
What we usually see in other similar practices is anticipating, declaring that this or that is going to be done, without verifying the scope with the people involved and their needs.
Learning transferred to other parties
In 2019 the paper was enduring everything, with a lot of Excels predicting positive results. We start 2020 with the sailboat almost ready and the electric catamaran in the shipyard. On March 14, State of Alarm.
As sailors that we are, before leaving, it's essential to have everything planned, nautical charts, safety material, provisions over the planned trip time, shelter ports identified in case of storm. Although we have everything ready, we know that nothing is 100% guaranteed, for nature rules, and in March 2020, the Covid left us all stranded.
As sailors we know that we cannot go against the wind, at most we can go upwind at most 35 degrees, and we have to tack (beating in zig-zag) to sail in the desired direction. It means putting all our energy and attention into the 290 degrees in which we can maneuver, 110 degrees if we don't want to go back. It is our space to advance, innovate and take care of ourselves. It was in those 110 degrees that we sailed throughout 2020 and 2021, easing a bit the wind.
For this, as we said, we must be prepared. With our Strategic Tree (business modeling methodology), a strategic plan with calculated risks, a management plan based on the Triple Balance (see video) based on 3 scenarios: "strong headwind", "broadside wind" and "sailwind" plan. Of the 3 balances, economic, social and ecological, in those 2 years, financial assets were the most affected, but thanks to the available capital, social, human, knowledge, time, structural, natural, relational or bond, we were able to weather the storm. The storm is still in force but with more clearings planned in 2022. We will continue to be vigilant.
We are aware that our projects inspire others who want to do the same, and we would like there to be many projects like ours. But we are never going to say what they should do. For this reason, we invite anyone interested to come, all the time they want and sail with us, living the experiences and drawing their own conclusions.
