Going to sea in a 'boatle' takes bottle

Recycling bins just not doing it for you any more? How about building a boatle. Kiwis Marcel Syron, 31, and Cameron Holm, 28, have found an innovative way to reuse old plastic bottles while helping a worthy cause.

The two friends - they are from Auckland but have lived in London for several years - have built a "boatle", a craft made completely out of plastic bottles.

"We're not boat builders," says Mr Syron. "The key element is Kiwi ingenuity."

The boatle is made of about 600 plastic bottles. It weighs about 80kg and is 3.8m long.

Mr Syron says the idea to build it came after walking the streets of London every day.

"Recycling is a huge thing in London. People see the bottles as a problem, but I see it as such a huge resource. We just started collecting and it took off from there."

For the next six to eight months, the pair worked on their vessel at weekends and during their free time.

They have become well known among locals, having tested their boatle in several canals and beaches around London.

Their next challenge is to sail across the English Channel on September 2, as they look to raise up to £1200 (nearly $3000) for the Mental Health Foundation in London.

Tackling one of the world's busiest shipping channels in a craft made from plastic bottles will not be easy and could even be dangerous, Mr Syron says.

"It's about 50km and it's the busiest shipping channel - there's a real risk of being run over. But it's for a good cause. A support boat will accompany the two as they try to cross to France next month.

Mr Syron said it was nice to know people from around the world had heard about the "two Kiwi guys with the bottle-boat" and had contacted them to show their support.

But it was people from back home they want to hear from the most, he added.

"We're just a couple of Kiwi guys doing something that's showing off Kiwi spirit.

"Come on New Zealand, get behind us and show the world what Kiwis can do!"

To help the two men achievetheir goal, visit: www.justgiving.com/boatle