Derelict Boats

[a64pilot]

We buy a lot of lead at work here and pay I think about $2 a lb.
But i just looked up what you get for lead scrap and it's like 39c a lb? Large discrepancy there.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Large discrepancy there.

Because lead scrap has to be melted down, cleaned of impurities, and then recast before it can be sold. And being toxic, this all has to be done in a very careful, controlled, and thoroughly documented way. So, not a cheap process.

[Simonsays]

Originally Posted by zboss

So, shame on them for not pursuing a way to make it not only cheaper but also profitable.

oh, i think you don't get how capitalism works... they are making a profit of it, it's just to small yet, so they want more tax money send this way.

[Terra Nova]

Here in MdR, Los Angeles County owns the 1 square mile of land and leases it out to property management/developer lessees who sublet the rental apartments and boat slips. These leaseholds are so lucrative that they sometimes change hands several times in a year, the seller each time realizing a huge capital gain. These lessees occasionally have a derelict boat owner fall on even harder times and just walk away from their virtually worthless boat. So that the lessees don't have to pay for their disposal the state has held taxpayers liable for the costs, through a more recent change in the law.

[capt-couillon]

Was anchored up in Manatee Pocket when the vessel went aground in the St. Lucie crossroads... As it was out of the channel, the USCG took care of spill containment, but the county was responsible for removal as the owner did not have the funds. In order to do so, they were required to notify the owner 5 days before removal and then proceed. Obviously, the mechanism exists to remove derelict boats. As for funding, here is a quote from the TC Palm article covering the issue (Martin County officials get cost estimate for boat removal from St. Lucie Inlet)

The county's derelict vessel program, which is paid for by part of boat registrations, has about $258,000 available in its fund for boat removals, Ferraro said. The county budgets to use $100,000 of that annually even though the most that's been spent is about $70,000 in the 2013 budget year.

Before we start using "Derelict Boats" as an excuse for anchoring restrictions, lets start using the available laws and funding to deal with the issue.

One last note, I noticed on the bulletin board at Marathon City Marina, that the City of Marathon passed a motion (March 2015) opposing the proposed anchoring restrictions... specifically the 200' buffer zone around mooring fields. They noted the fact that a 200' zone (vs the existing 50" buffer) would reduce or eliminate several traditional anchorages in Boot Key Harbor causing possibly unsafe conditions during peak seasons. At least one city in FL likes its visiting cruisers. Just sayin...

[Rock-Head]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

It appears that these funds disappear into the county general revenues, never to be seen again.

A government entity misappropriating taxpayer funds? Garsh, that NEVER happens! SMH

[CSY Man]

I have personally disposed 4 sailboats that can best be described as derelict.
2 woodies, 1 ferro and 1 fiberglas ranging in size from 46' to 62'.
Sold 2 on eBay, sunk 1 in deep water and took one apart with chainsaws and axes, then disposed of the pieces in 4 huge dumpsters.
Made money on each one and no cost to the state of Florida.
Not hard to do, a bit of elbow grease and some wheeling and dealing.

[Custom30]

There is a boat aground near my current panhandle berth, on the shoal in front of a city Park.

When it first grounded, my slip neighbor had his skiff ready to pull it free at high tide. The FWC showed up and threatened him with arrest if he didn't untie from it immediately. It has now been there for 3 years! We have been told that once the orange sticker goes on, it cannot be touched or salvaged.

Since then it has been scavenged at night of everything of value, and is an eyesore and a hazard, as the mast and halyards are used by kids to swing out over the very shallow water.

According to the Officers, the owner must be contacted, but the registration traces back to a warehouse in Missouri. The boat was clearly purposely abandoned.

Bottom line is it was a nice boat, and salvageable, yet the FWC assured that it would be part of the derelict boat program. Maybe because there aren't any derelicts here to illustrate the created "problem".

In 3 years storms have moved it high and dry at low tide, and an excavator could easy walk out and crush/retrieve it for scrap lead, yet it is not allowed. The cost to the taxpayers could have been eliminated by simply allowing a normal salvage to take place.

Current enforcement is a joke, and it seems as if it is deliberately so.



,

[model 10]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Because lead scrap has to be melted down, cleaned of impurities, and then recast before it can be sold. And being toxic, this all has to be done in a very careful, controlled, and thoroughly documented way. So, not a cheap process.

Are you kidding? He has one of those large outdoor burner things for large cooking pots, he puts a piece of metal roofing over that and melts the chunks of lead on it. Molten lead runs into small molds. No concerns about impurities, so yes it is cheap.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We buy a lot of lead at work here and pay I think about $2 a lb.
But i just looked up what you get for lead scrap and it's like 39c a lb? Large discrepancy there.

That is how the guy at Green Cove can make money at it. He is selling lead for the $2 or whatever and not spending anything to refine it.
Get this, he ships it by US mail! They have some deal where anything you can fit in a box goes for a fixed price. They have started making him come in the loading entrance because he has been shipping tons of lead this way.

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

I have personally disposed 4 sailboats that can best be described as derelict.
2 woodies, 1 ferro and 1 fiberglas ranging in size from 46' to 62'.
Sold 2 on eBay, sunk 1 in deep water and took one apart with chainsaws and axes, then disposed of the pieces in 4 huge dumpsters.
Made money on each one and no cost to the state of Florida.
Not hard to do, a bit of elbow grease and some wheeling and dealing.

I see by your profile hat you are currently boatless? Now I know why......I can understand being frustrated by a boat but boatacide is new to me.

[CSY Man]

. I see by your profile hat you are currently boatless? Now I know why......I can understand being frustrated by a boat but boatacide is new to me.

Funny guy...
None of the derelict vessels were my personal boats. Did that demolition as a sideline, so to speak.
A yard in my neighborhood had abandoned boats they were trying to get read off.
They gave them to me for free if I removed 'em.

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Funny guy...
None of the derelict vessels were my personal boats. Did that demolition as a sideline, so to speak.
A yard in my neighborhood had abandoned boats they were trying to get read off.
They gave them to me for free if I removed 'em.

Sorry, it reminded me of a tale on this forum.. The one about the guy's Ex wife who let herself into the boat yard after hours and discharged a large caliber hand gun numerous times into the boat. Now that's jealousy and dereliction all on one fell swoop.

[CSY Man]

Reminds me of my present wife after I bought a brand new red convertible in 1992:
We were kind of talking about what she would do if I ever fooled around with young flight attendants:
She promised to drive my shiny new convertible into our 9' deep swimming pool.
Needless to say, I kept my noodle inside the zipper

[Sailorbob8599]

I moved into the only marina at Point Roberts, WA, this past summer ... There are about 1000 boats moored here I'm told, the majority being sailboats as determined by the naked eye.
Now, I'm only familiar with the finger dock where my boat is tied up, but on 'my' dock, I see a number of sailboats that obviously have not been used for a very long time. In fact, I would venture to say 'years' ... topsides are covered in grime, canvas work severely deteriorated, bottoms are inches thick with marine growth. One vessel even has an inflatable still tied up alongside, also covered in thick marine growth. Yes, I would call them derelicts.
Makes one wonder why the owners don't dispose of these vessels when they still had some value. I'm sure the inflatable was once worth a couple hundred bucks; but no longer, due to the damage the marine life has inflicted on the fabric.
One presumes that as with a 'Mechanics Lien`the marina has to wait a certain period of time, in order to take action against these owners ... sad!