News article about derelict boats after Ian

[psneeld]

So load a hundred on a barge and out to sea or a parade of a hundred in tow.

Having spoken to reef administrators, they DON'T want fiberglass boats unless they are yachts of maybe 100 feet or more. Not sure why heavily ballasted sailboats aren't welcome, but they were not excluded from the "don't wan't them" discussion. The relatively light weight of small glass boats makes them too easy to shift is strong currents, storms, etc and not desirable for reefs. Previously mentioned in post 11.

It is cheaper with minimal donations to buy pre made concrete reef balls...they are easier to load , move and drop and have a preferred shape over small vessels.

May not be the view of every reef manager, but the ones I talked to and with some background reading.

https://maritime-executive.com/edit...fs, ultimately breaking up into microplastics.

"Some say that dumped fiberglass boats will make suitable artificial reefs. However, very little research has been done on at-sea disposal and the worry is that eventually these boats will degrade and move with the currents and harm the coral reefs, ultimately breaking up into microplastics."

 

[High Wire]

I remember after the last big "I" storm, Irma, that the state did drop some off the Keys as reef materials of last resort. Maybe they figured out that was a bad idea to actually implement. Faster in the long run to just remove the liquids and crush or grind them up for a landfill.
FWIW, in NJ, fiberglass boats (or wood or aluminum) are not allowed as reef materials. Steel >1/4", or concrete. The materials must last at least 20 years on the bottom without moving or dissolving.