Derelict Boats

[IdoraKeeper]

The other day as my father and I were putting the rather large cover on my Dad's trawler one of the guys working with us observed that derelict boats are an impediment to the construction of new vessels of any type because they take up space in the marina.
At least in the PNW dockage that is anywhere near convenient is full up. The winter occupancy of the available transient slips is the only way that the marina manager can show an increase in profit. There are several boats in the marina that are not maintained, in fact one of them foundered at the dock last year. There was of course a fuel spill that resulted. The owner was indigent. Luckily he was tribal and the tribe payed for the cleanup. The point being, it's a problem that is not confined to anchoring out. Someone always has to pay. An aggressive policy of derelict removal can prevent environmental damage and free up space for legit boats.

[Cheechako]

All in all I think it's a good thing. Not sure 5 days is fair, who goes to check their boat every 5 days? But realistically, It doesn't sound like they do it in 5 days anyway. (if at all). In the end it should be better for real boaters.

[a64pilot]

I'd bet if your boat is FL registered first call is to tell you your boat is aground, or at least I think they would call you to tell you it is "red tagged"

[model 10]

I watched the guy at Green Cove Springs Marina cut up boats for disposal. What a nasty job. He gets boats from the boat yard and from the local waterway clean up.
He ain't gonna get rich doing this. He parts them out but all the parts are often old junk. Lead looks to be the only money maker in the whole operation.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Halfway between the two city marina's in the bay. It caught my eye when I was out in the dinghy as I though it had to be a bilge keel and went over to take a look, it's obviously aground

Naw, I'm betting it's just a racer who unloaded all the extra weight including cutting the toothbrush handles off to make it faster.

[Strait Shooter]

This was anchored in Sequim Bay.
It twice before in the last two weeks drug anchor.

We knew this was only a matter of time.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Unless measure to remove the data are taken, ownership of cars and boats aren't that hard to determine. Of course if you take those measures your making it obvious you intended to dump and I assume the law takes intent into account. But no obviously owner should pay. I think derelicts usually just sort of happen, people lose interest, can't or don't want to afford the thing anymore and just forget about it, I doubt most are "dumped".
You ought to go to a local country airport and see just how many airplanes there are sitting on flat, rotted out tires. Similar thing.

And I don't think local government pays for the clean up, I would think State does, but I think driving around in high power go fast boats is a whole lot more fun, so that is where the money goes I bet.

The trick is to stop it ahead of time. These boats often pass to indigent as a cheap place to live. Take away the benefits of launching a derelict boat as a place to squat and the issue largely goes away. If the indigent have no use for it the last financially viable owner gets stuck with it and going after them is viable.

Local, State, Federal, doesn't matter it's the citizens that pay in the end and the goal should be to stop it before it gets to that point.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

The other day as my father and I were putting the rather large cover on my Dad's trawler one of the guys working with us observed that derelict boats are an impediment to the construction of new vessels of any type because they take up space in the marina.
At least in the PNW dockage that is anywhere near convenient is full up. The winter occupancy of the available transient slips is the only way that the marina manager can show an increase in profit. There are several boats in the marina that are not maintained, in fact one of them foundered at the dock last year. There was of course a fuel spill that resulted. The owner was indigent. Luckily he was tribal and the tribe payed for the cleanup. The point being, it's a problem that is not confined to anchoring out. Someone always has to pay. An aggressive policy of derelict removal can prevent environmental damage and free up space for legit boats.

There is a mechanism in place to control derelict vessels in a marina such as you describe. If the owner doesn't pay the moorage bill they sieze the vessel and sell it. Some marinas have rules as to what the vessel looks like however most don't care and just want the money. Also here they require 300k liability insurance which in Washington includes 825k in environmental cleanup in the event of fuel spill. Due to some mishap or sinking.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

............and an excellent way to not do something is to claim it's too expensive.

I'm under the impression that money to dispose of derelicts exists, but it may not be being spent on derelict boat disposal

Superb observations.

[seandepagnier]

The police and harbor boats could be row boats, and the saving used to clean up boats.


Another viable option is to just not clean them up and leave them. This system works in other countries. I only had a problem once with a sunken boat cutting my anchor line, but now I use chain so I dont have to worry.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

1. The trick is to stop it ahead of time.

2. These boats often pass to indigent as a cheap place to live.

1. Good idea. How?

2. Not always. In our marina, you have to "pass muster" to get in. Once in, boats do rot away from neglect. And they're not being used to live on. If anything, the anti-liveaboard creed is well & truly here to stay where I live, thanks to the BCDC who maxes liveaboard slips to 10% (this was discussed in the Richardson Bay thread). Seems there are a number of different categories: out at anchor, rotting in marinas... The liveaboards in our marina are usually spiffier than the "never see the owner" boats where I live.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

The trick is to stop it ahead of time. These boats often pass to indigent as a cheap place to live. Take away the benefits of launching a derelict boat as a place to squat and the issue largely goes away. If the indigent have no use for it the last financially viable owner gets stuck with it and going after them is viable.

Local, State, Federal, doesn't matter it's the citizens that pay in the end and the goal should be to stop it before it gets to that point.

That is real tough to do, I for one would not want the job to determine who's boat is pretty enough and whose should be cut up.
Although there are parallels in land living, homes are condemned and torn down in every town across the nation.
I have no idea of the process though

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

The police and harbor boats could be row boats, and the saving used to clean up boats.

Rowboats is silly, but are triple and quad engine boats up to 1,000 HP required to enforce fishing? I don't think so, and I see them belly up to the fuel dock every day and take on in excess of 100 gl, daily. Each of those boats burning a couple of thousand gallons of fuel a month, probably gets a little expensive.
I like toys as much as the next guy, but there needs to be some kind of logic in the size of these FWC boats.
Bay County Sheriff boat is I think twin 150's, and to me that is as big as you need. I can't think of anything that needs doing that you can't do with 300 HP?

[Shanachie]

I think lead sells for as much as $1 a pound these days, so there is some money in busting down derelict boats. Whoever is hauling away the wreck can make a few dollars at it.

The observations on marine patrols are dead on. In South Florida, I never once saw a patrol boat do anything except occasionally harassing someone for drinking a beer onboard.

Meanwhile, they race around -sometimes at dangerous speeds in tricky inlets - and work on their tans. Nice work if you're the chief's favorite and can get it.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by GordMay

It’s not cheap to dispose of a derelict boat.

Case History - Disposal Cost $3,818.57 ➥ http://www.livingoceans.org/sites/de...-Practices.pdf

➥ Derelict boat costs add up for Nanaimo Port Authority - Nanaimo News Bulletin

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...it-100423.html

That's incredibly cheap.

It costs me $400 just to haul my boat out. They are towing it, hauling it, storing it, transporting it and crushing it.

Even so - The fact that they are even paying THAT much says how poorly they are managing the disposal. We had a friend that recently took a boat that had been holed stripped it of anything that could be sold, and then had the hull hauled to a yard and crushed. She walked away with a small profit.

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

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Halfway between the two city marina's in the bay. It caught my eye when I was out in the dinghy as I though it had to be a bilge keel and went over to take a look, it's obviously aground

That's a completely restorable boat. Half the boats for sale up on the hard are not in that great of shape. Looks like a great club racer.