Free Boats on the ICW

[hellosailor]

"I don't know if it's a State or Federal mandate, but whoever wants to remove an apparently abandoned boat from "it's" waters has to search for the boat's rightful owner with due diligence."
There is no mandate involving this. Motor vehicles are normally titled property in all US states and if you take tilted property without making a good search for the title holder? State laws call you a thief and place you under arrest and then the fun begins.
Likewise there are, AFAIK, no salvage laws that allow anyone to claim salvage over an anchored vessel. Salvage if for abandoned vessels and an anchored vessel is presumed to be anchored--not abandoned.


Somebody steals my boat, takes it for a joyride, drops the anchor and goes away. It is still MY BOAT and you are not entitled to touch it. Got it?


If Florida wasn't such a laissez-fair "let's keep the taxes and services low" state, they could easily solve the problem by setting up a fund and using it for a removal program. But the residents of Florida, the voters of Florida, the politicians of Florida, and several other states, either don't want it or can't conceive of it.


It isn't hard to solve the problem, but it is politically expedient to hoot and holler about it and use it as an excuse to chase those waterborne non-voting vagrants off the pretty waterfront.


The system works just fine, for the folks who fund it and run it. All these damned middle-class Yankees moving south try to improve things, and just wind up ruining it for the rich (by driving up labor rates) and ruin it for the poor servants as well, by competing for housing and driving up the rents. Damned Yankees, ruining life for everyone in the South! Them derelicts? They don't harm no one, leave 'em be.

[W4JKJ]

"Florida has no salvage laws giving the finder of an abandoned vessel rights of ownership. Florida is a title state, thereby requiring a transfer of vessel title from owner to purchaser in order to obtain legal ownership. A person who finds an abandoned vessel and who wants to make claim to it must comply with Section 705.103, Florida Statutes. This will allow for a person to make claim to the property and make application for title transfer into his name."

Additional details and claim process can be found at:
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

[achil]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"





Damned Yankees, ruining life for everyone in the South! Them derelicts? They don't harm no one, leave 'em be.

Bravo!

[a64pilot]

Yankee's are like Hemroids.
If they come down, but then go back up, well that ain't so bad. But,
If they come down and stay, well that is a real pain in the A**

[evm1024]

Just listened to the oregon state marine board talk about abandoned boats.

Many owners decide that the boat is not worth keeping and costs too much to dispose of properly. So they put it on craigs list for a $1. Along comes someone who either needs someplace to stay or thinks a boat is for them. in either case they underestimate what it will take to take care of a boat or don't have the funds to do so. hen it gets abandoned.

The advise is to write the OSMB when you sell your boat because they do go after the last registered owner for disposal costs. Having a bill of sale generally takes you off the hook.

The law says that you need to report the sale but the speaker does not remember a case of anyone being cited for not reporting.

Barring any threat to life or the environment OSMB has local law enforcement sticker the boat with a notice and then 14 days later the boat can be seized. Once seized they wait 45 further days before destroying the boat. A strong attempt is made to locate and notify the actual owner.

So, at least in Oregon it takes (15 + 45) 60 days before an abandoned boat can be disposed of by the state.

I suspect that if you were to find an abandoned boat and then talk to your local marine board (however they call themselves) asking about the registered owner you may be able to get a new Bill of sale from them and thus register the boat in your name. Should you do this is another topic....

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yankee's are like Hemroids.
If they come down, but then go back up, well that ain't so bad. But,
If they come down and stay, well that is a real pain in the A**

[fjwiley1]

a64 you are a hoot...


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[gwbull]

Another ICW traveler SHOCKED by the number of derelicts and the absence of entrepreneurial enthusiasm for whatever profit could be derived with some imagination and effort. The cloud cover of legalities, liabilities and environmental impact obscure the simple fact of the matter: it's ALL about money. Some young lion needs to come up with an offer that can't be refused. And then let Marlon Brando present it.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by gwbull

Another ICW traveler SHOCKED by the number of derelicts and the absence of entrepreneurial enthusiasm for whatever profit could be derived with some imagination and effort. The cloud cover of legalities, liabilities and environmental impact obscure the simple fact of the matter: it's ALL about money. Some young lion needs to come up with an offer that can't be refused. And then let Marlon Brando present it.

You don't seem to understand. The boats are worth nothing. The parts are worth nothing. It costs money to remove them and money to scrap them. And if you leak oil or fuel into the water the EPA will come after you for big money.

[garrobito]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

So you complain that there's no government solution, then when you are shown a government solution you complain that it's too complicated.


I can tell you however, that California is actively removing abandoned vessels.

..that tug went down during the '90 if I remember well.. was the biggest sunk boat on alameda channel.
About CA rebates.. they're not accepted nothing bigger than a 20'..
Cost me 5K this month dispose and old motoryacht... very expensive...

[bobconnie]

Down here in So Louisiana, when there are enough complaints on Left to Sink vessels, the Parrish (County to most of you folks) will dispose of them ! By then there is mostly nothing left of any value on these boats ! As most of them have been stripped by the owners or night time shoppers!! It's sorta a hit or miss deal !! Some boats stay abandoned for a long time and others seem to be removed pretty quick ! Seems like the more sunk they are the longer it tales to get them removed! LOL But all kidding aside the Parrish doe's a great job cleaning up the Bayous of these wreaks!

[RTB]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

But all kidding aside the Parrish doe's a great job cleaning up the Bayous of these wreaks!

Maybe a boat load of Cajuns should go to Floriduh, and clean up their mess for them. For some reason, they can't seem to figure out how to "git er done"....


Not a derelict (well maybe, but not abandoned), but weird looking thing on the East Coast of Florida -




Ralph

[letsgetsailing3]

Seems to me that this is what the taxes paid on boat sales and boat registration fees should be going towards, or at least part of it.

[Neeltje]

Originally Posted by RTB

Maybe a boat load of Cajuns should go to Floriduh, and clean up their mess for them. For some reason, they can't seem to figure out how to "git er done"....


Not a derelict (well maybe, but not abandoned), but weird looking thing on the East Coast of Florida -




Ralph

Looks like one of the old Navy tugs they were auctioning off in Mayport some years back. I missed the boat on that one, but at 60 gallons an hour, I'm kinda glad I did.

Jacques

PS - Looks like he doesn't even need to drop anchor there. He's probably stuck in 10 feet of muc.

[kenamick]

Unbusted,
The schooner south of ST. Augustine belongs to a friend of mine.

He told me he has his own ideas on how to save money by bottom painting his own boats by grounding them and as they roll over, quickly apply as much goop as he can in a couple of hours between dry hull and "Will the paint dry in time?".

That boat was an abandoned vessel a couple of years ago and he bought it for a dollar from the City of St. Augustine. I helped him seal all the thru-hulls and get it launched within a week of his purchase.

Quite a few folks live on their boats just south of Auggieville, free of charge and most of them watch after each other's boats while they are away.

Florida has been aggressively gone after abandoned vessels and their previous owners for a few years, but the funding is running out and it's hard to find a government agency who will pull the trigger and cough up funds to have them hauled and stored. It all is coordinated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

(why is the rum always gone?)