The story of Thor Heyerdahl and his now-famous Kon-Toki expedition where he sailed 4300 miles across the Pacific in a pae-pae raft made from balsa wood, seems to inspire people. And David de Rothschild is one of them. He’s planning to embark on a similar journey from California to Australia, but adds a modern twist to the whole deal.

Using discarded plastic bottles as the main building item, De Rothschild is working on a catamaran that will have 90% recycled materials. Hoping to draw attention towards recycling and waste issues that plague our planet today, the excited adventurer is set to start in San Francisco this April or May.

Known as Plastiki, the catamaran will sport hulls filled with 12,000 to 16,000 bottles and is covered with skin-like panels, also made from recycled PET bottles. Using its sails and running entirely on wind power, Plastiki will be home to a three member crew that will accompany De Rothschild, and a few scientists.

With each bottle being pressurized using dry ice powder that will sublimate into carbon dioxide gas, the catamaran is going to feature two wind turbines and an array of solar panels will charge a bank of 12-volt batteries that will power all the electronic devices on-board.

David’s effort (11,000 miles is no easy task for any boat) is to show the world that what we dispose off as waste can actually be used effectively once again if we have the time, patience and creativity to tap into its existing potential. The trip is symbolic how the tons of trash that is being discarded on a daily basis and piles up at the landfill can actually be recycled with ease.

While the detractors point out the cost and energy needs of building a boat like Plastiki, this is more of a symbolic message and is aimed at promoting awareness among people. Once the boat finishes the voyage, De Rothschild says that it will again be recycled.

Let’s just hope he actually finishes the rough voyage and reaches safely to the shores down under!