Should wreck owners be held accountable?

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

This is the reality of where most of the “Derelict” boats come from that fill the anchorages, boats are required by law to be registered by the current owner, yet are not, so that is why requiring Insurence wouldn’t work, and I’d bet would increase our Insurence bills, even though we all have Insurence currently that covers wreck removal and environmental clean up

I sold a boat to a guy that never registered it in his name, he never even told the marina at which it was berthed. I had told them I sold it and said the new owner should be by soon to do the paperwork for the slip, I moved hundreds of miles away. I got a phone call about a year later saying I owed the marina thousands in slip fees. I called the top marina manager who just happened to remember me telling him goodbye and thanks for letting live aboard in his marina. I simply gave him the guy's contact info and never heard another word about it. I saw the boat a couple years later being refit by some other guy, not the one I sold it to.

I've also bought a boat from a person that didn't register, that was a pain getting that straight.

Both have taught me lessons and I'll make sure that I'm never put in that position again. I'll make sure any buyer from me follows through with getting a boat registered.

I see it a lot in low end Craigslist ads, sellers stating that there is 2+ years of registration left. Like they are encouraging a buyer to use those years before registering it. Brave souls, those.

[Island Time O25]

I almost had a similar thing happen to me.

I sold my Oday25 to two seemingly nice guys. They brought a very salty friend of one of their father's with them who did all the "surveying" etc. We shook hands. they handed me the agreed upon price, I signed the title over to them and we signed (in duplicate) a bill of sale. I thought that would be that. This was Saturday.

Monday or Tuesday next week, I get a call from the Harbormaster sounding very irritable asking me what was wrong with my boat that I left it anchored in the middle of the busy channel. I explained the situation and gave him the contact numbers of both buyers. He advised me to de-register the boat ASAP, which turned out to be a very simple procedure online since I had of of the duplicate bills of sale. I meant to do it anyway but didn't think it was such a pressing matter. I know better now.

[Metal Boat]

Looks like old mate is trying to clean up his mess......




https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/russ...3ft/1204571980

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Metal Boat

Looks like old mate is trying to clean up his mess......




https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/russ...3ft/1204571980

He has tried to palm it off on someone else since he was rescued.
No one wants it
Therefore it is rubbish that is illegally dumped.

[Metal Boat]

I tend to agree.

[rlevin73]

As one who used to sell boat insurance yes you are liable for your mess and can be sued. Ask your insurance company to cover that expense. The fact you walk away does not limit your liability.

[achil]

Originally Posted by bletso

Actually that would not work. Some people are just that bad. We had a rental property and when the tenants moved out w/o notice and I went to the property I was astounded at the filth they not only made but dumped there as well. We had to take a 30 cu yd dumpster and filled it.

We must have had the same renter.

[Diver Duck]

Owners in the USA absolutely should carry wreck removal insurance. If a sunken vessel obstructs navigation here, the owner must remove it and must mark it with "a buoy or beacon during the day and a lighted lantern at night" until it is either removed or abandoned -- but the government will no longer accept abandonment. If the owner fails to mark and remove the wreck, the government may mark and remove it and charge the owner for the expense. Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 [the "Wreck Act"], as amended, 33 U.S.C. §§ 409 et seq.
There is also the issue of pollution from a wreck, with the potential of much more serious costs.

[jimisbell]

Originally Posted by bletso

It is one thing to be poor, but poor doesn't equate to slovenly.

I too am a landlord and have seen similar things. But I think the problem is the reverse of the above stated. I think if you are Slovenly you are not socially acceptable so cant get a job, so therefore are POOR. Its not the other way around.


But to make laws against slovenlyness is also being slovenly in that you are dirtying up the legal environment with more and more laws. There are too many laws NOW. We need fewer laws and more responsible people. You cannot legislate responsibility. Its a character trait that if you are missing it you should be deported..........

[jimisbell]

Originally Posted by rlevin73

As one who used to sell boat insurance yes you are liable for your mess and can be sued. Ask your insurance company to cover that expense. The fact you walk away does not limit your liability.

It can....if they have nothing, you can sue all day long and a judgement is worth the paper its written on. Many of the wrecks that are abandoned are boaters that have nothing but their boat. They become penniless when its gone.

[pbaumann]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Should boat owners have a wreck removal fund/insurance in place?

You might remember this article about a capsized cat in Australian waters.



His cat was recovered, stripped of parts and left dumped on a mainland beach for others to clean up.
To me, that is nothing more than illegal dumping.

From what I gather, a simple vehicle and trailer hire, chainsaw and trip to a dump would have sorted it out.
Meanwhile, he jets back out to Hawaii, not a care in the world and gets another unsuitable boat for round 2?????
He clearly has money, why not clean up your mess before moving onto the next potential disaster

Do we really want an endless stream of crap dumped in the oceans simply because there is crap in the oceans now?

Before answering the question "Should boat owners have a wreck removal fund/insurance in place?" it would be helpful to know, whether or not there already is legislation and/or policies in place dealing with wreck removal. If so, this legislation and these policies ought to be enforced.

[I36guy]

Derelict boats are becoming a huge problem in our area.

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/loc...e-99678e5c3235

Sheriffs are trying to tackle the problem but there are only so much funds to deal with so many abandoned/sunken boats.

[daveball]

Cruising in Fiji 1997 folks we know hit a reef and their boat sank. Fellow cruisers were there and got them off and ashore. The owners contacted their insurer and were told by the insurer to get outta Fiji immediately to avoid incurring the cost of salvage. They did just that.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Because requiring insurance is easier than every jurisdiction receiving an advance deposit.
How else could accountability be cost-effectively be enforced?

In my area we have problem of people buying boats in the States (cheap) and sailing them here on a lark, then tiring of the work, expense, heat, etc (or their girl friend begs them to come home) and leaving the boat un-attended on anchor. Maybe they plan to come back, often that never happens. With such little invested they have nothing to lose and little incentive. Usually these boats become either wrecks, sunken hulks, or somebody else's' problem.

A solution is possible:

1. The local port authority can require each arriving vessel to check in and obtain a anchoring permit, to be displayed on the vessel.
2. The owner must show positive identity and proof of insurance (easily verifiable) otherwise post a refundable cash bond.
3. The owner receives and signs a copy of the rules, including maintaining the vessel in operable condition and not leaving it unattended without another person taking responsibility for the vessel.
4. The local port authority patrols the anchorage on a daily basis and verifies that a permit is displayed. Vessels without permits are posted with a violation and removed within 30 days.

People who cannot or will not follow this procedure won't stay.

[LargeMarge]

Originally Posted by [redacted

;2799227] [edited for brevity]
We should all be responsible...It also burns me up when I see folks dump trash from their car windows. Complete disregard for the planet and lack of respect...

Well! Responsible people should also not evacuate their bowels on the sidewalks of Frisco!

People should be all be responsible. I think responsible people should have a law against responsible people using plastic straws like the responsible people of Frisco. And and and black rifles because pistol grips are clearly designed only for militaries for wars such as proposed by The Honorable Diane Feinstein of Frisco! Not for responsible people! Especially responsible people in Frisco!

I also agree hole-heartedly [in original, possibly analogous?] with those fun-loving responsible folks over at People For The American Way == nobody should have "...rapid fire ammo..."! Especially responsible people in Frisco!

And and and responsible people should not spread Ebola, either. Am I asking too much? No! I am completely-responsible here. I think we should all learn our lessons from the responsible people in Frisco!

And The Honorable Speaker Of The House Nanci Pelosi is grounded, no trips around the world on the shoulders of the working class (clearly made-up of responsible people!). At least, until The Government Shutdown is shutdown.

There are limits, people! (But only for some people. Not for the responsible people of Frisco! Or the responsible people with 'Honorable' in their names!)