Salvage Rights

[svGenesis]

Just like others Dinner key called me to let me know a salvage company had my boat, Then Captain burts wife called me and told me they had the boat. I told them when i was getting there He agreed to release it to me if we reach a deal. When i arrived my boat was docked at dinner key in a transient spot, So got on and had possesion right then, I noticed that all my anchors and rode were gone, the steering wheel was off and in the cockpit. I re-installed the wheel, dove on and cleaned the prop and rudder and moved her back out to the mooring ball. That is when Captain Burt arrived. (BTW he anchors his Houseboat and RIB/towboat about 50 yards West of the mooring field.) Thinking out loud....(It would be a "shame" if someone came by and molitov cocktailed his boats and he needed a salvor.)

[svGenesis]

At this point I we had a short discussion and basically he wanted $2500 from me for the salvage and tow. When i got to Dinner key the manager there told me my boat was sitting West of the mooring field sitting heavy on mud for 2 days and Burt pulled it off and put in the slip. Then I found out he was holding someones fairly expensive boat, Another guy already paid him $2000 cash for his 32' sailboat, and another was settling for $2500. I showed my docklines to the manager at DK and let him know my anchor, chain and rode we all missing. He told me to call FWC and Miami PD. Both showed up and FWC took over, They agreed the lines were cut but they couldn't do anything, (proof) They were well aware of Captain Burt's tactics. They took my report of missing anchor, chain and road and left. I consulted with several Maritime lawyers who all said He doesn't have a proper claim. I offered to pay Burt $500 as a goodwill down payment towards settlement as long as my tacle was brought back (at this point He confessed he dumped my tackle in the bay with a tag to find it.) He refused and I never settled with him. I sold the boat a few months later. About 6 months later he actually sold "his claim" to a debt collector who contacted me...LOL...I told the debt guy He got scammed and that his claim was bogus. He never called again.

[Bylnr4387piracy]

I apologize for my bad grammar im posting this from a cracked smart phone from my tiny apartment because of legal loop holes ancient systems and professional liars.. I wasnt sure about the guys rights to my boat or if I owed him all that money so I called my sister an attorney for a construction firm . she told me everything was legal . I know now she didnt really look help me at all and mislead just like most of the country.
If there was such a law anyone could go a unmanned boat and say it was just floating adrift so its there's until you pay them because finders keepers . This isnt kindergarten and were not talking about a juice box..
If you have not actually notified the courts of your salvage claim filed the arrest request or been granted then your stealing and breaking the law your supposed lien on the boats is theoretical and invalid until the courts say otherwise.
If professional salvors and there attorneys would let all that be known from the start people would at least question if there being taken for not . I understand that most salvors professional or not dont go around
Stealing people boats to perform this scam SeaTow came and pulled me off a sandbar and jumped my dead batteries and didnt charge me but 50 bucks because it took 10 minutes and was just a passer by that guy was awesome .
I'm sure he was fully aware that he could of filed claimed for his salvage operation and voluntary actions but that's just old and flimsy outdated system that's being totally exploited by certain criminals with no more effort that untying a boat

[boatpoker]

Do nothing. Let your underwriter handle it. .... from a guy who has done hundreds of insurance claims investigations.