Scrapping old boats

[O C Diver]

Every sunken boat in the world within scuba diving depth is a major attraction. I don't understand why they don't just pump the oil and fuel out of these boats and sink them in designated dive parks. At least in Washington, sunken boats attract an amount of life that is unbelievable. They could also create deeper ones that are too deep for divers, but there for fishermen. Cities should be fighting for who gets all the sweet derelict boats!

I worked with the Ocean City, MD artificial reef group. Small vessels of wood or fiberglass just don't last through storms. 80' steel tug boats we sank 25 years ago are breaking up. Almost all the WWII shipwrecks were piles of junk after 30 years. The only ships that stand the test of time are submarines. This is because of the thickness of the pressure hull.

Concrete has become the reef material of choice. Culvert pipe cut in half, large junction boxes, and odd shapes are often available free when the molds don't fill and there are voids.

Ted

 

[Finnegus]

Had a conversation with a boat yard owner about abandoned boats. He said fiberglass ones were generally not too bad as they could usually find some dreamer that would buy them for next to nothing, and start paying to keep it in the yard or move them. Wood boats were bad but at least they could have their yard guys cut them up and throw them in a dumpster. The worst were Ferrocement boats. Nobody wants them, they had to rent a trackhoe to bust them up, and they are super heavy and expensive to dispose of the waste.

I think that a legal requirement for proof of financial responsibility is not a bad idea. Our local area is chock full of Zombie Boats and every one was some one's dream. I am not rich and have fixed up several old boats but have always had insurance. As in, all US states insurance is required for cars it does not seem like a streach to require it for boats. I know that the program to remove abandoned boats in Washington is funded by regestration fees so its not like it is a new burden for boaters.

 

[Action]

.... As in all US states insurance is required for cars it does not seem like astreach to require it for boats.

Liability insurance requirement for automobiles is nationwide. And yet 10% to 20% of the motorists operating on the road have no insurance. Three guesses as to which ones are not insured! (The first two do not count)
The motorist that is on the bottom end of the economic scale.
Mandatory insurnace for vessels may improve the situstions. It just is not a cure for all situations.

And there are states that require annual vehicel inspections.
Having an inspection program may help as well. (Not a survey)
And maybe it does not need to be annual.

As a trailer boat owner, I would be hard pressed to get behind any kind of program like that. If I had a yacht with a market value in six or seven figues, I would likely not want any inspections.

Like most problems, just not sure there is a simple answer.

Action

 

[PNK]

Scrapping an old boat

If dealing with a sale winds up being more trouble than it is worth, there are three organizations I know of that you can donate the boat to:

Boats For Veterans

Boat Angels

Habitat for Humanity

I am not personally familiar with the first, but all 3 are reliable, from what I know.

You need to call them first to go through where the boat is, the condition, etc. but in general they will collect it from most anywhere, at no cost to you. They all have clear web-sites that explain their process pretty well.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Peter

 

[RickyD]

The issue of aging boats, holding and repair costs that exceed boat value, abandoned boats, and public nuisance/burden has come up a number of times.


This morning we saw a dilapidated boat getting towed in for hauling. When it was hauled, the slings crushed right into and through the hull, it was so rotten. Thankfully it was being hauled in order to scrap it, because it sure wasn't going back in the water like that. I talked to the boat moving company that's hauling it away and got some of the back story.


The owner called the WA EPA people (don't know what the department name actually is) and told them the he had no money and the boat was going to sink, so they could come get it now while it's still floating, or deal with it after it sinks. Nice to have his problem dumped on the public, but at least all of get to pay the cheaper cost of scrapping it while still floating.


Cost was estimated to be about $75k. Fuel had to be pumped out, oil pumped out, anti freeze pumped out, any other wastes removed, all before the boat could even be moved. Then it took two work boats to tow it over to the marina four haulout where a truck and transport trailer were waiting. Thanskfully the whole thing didn't break up while lifting. This afternoon they were cutting up the flybridge, presumably to get the height down for road transport. I don't think I'd want to be the company hauling that down I-5.


It then goes to a salvage yard, and apparently there are several around the break down boats, salvage metals, then crush what's left. We were all speculating about such outfits here in the last few days, so now we know. Yes, they do exist.

There is an old wooden sailboat on my dock. The owner took it for a haul out and bottom paint. The yard took one look and sent him home. I don’t know what he is going to do. I only see him a couple times a year as it is. I cruise my marina all the time so I notice stuff. A new boat showed up. It was a woody with damage. No name on transom. I bet some one scrubbed its identity, then drove or dragged it to our marina, into an empty slip and left.

 

[38ark]

There is a boat disposal program in California. In Napa county my friend disposed his boat through the sheriffs department. Another friend had to take his boat to Solano county because Napa Co had used up the money that they got from the state. Seems like a good program. The boat yard I use charges a derelict deposit when they haul sketchy boats. They give the deposit back when you launch. The deposit is in case the owner abandons the boat and the yard crushes it.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

You can't just pull the batteries and fuel out of a derelict boat and sink it for an artificial reef or diving attraction.

As the thing deteriorates all the parts will end up floating off. Headliners, doors, hatches,flooring. Eventually huge pieces will break lose and migrate.

Liability is also an issue. A diver getting snagged and drowning inside a wreck would cause lawsuits.

Those light, small wrecks would never stay in one place, eventually ending up in canals or on shore.

Just what we do not need is more garbage dumped in the oceans.

pete

 

[esheufelt]

The math doesn't add up on the cost

I don't see how this should cost 75K, I think Florida charges $8000 if the can find the owner. Seems like the WA State subsidizing the salvage industry.

Tow 5000 to 10000
Haulout. 2000
Trucking 5000
Disposal $500 per ton so maybe 25000 being generous.
Fuel disposal 5000

Going high on all of them would be $47000.

Seems like a common problem that businesss charge way outside normal rates and the state doesn't know or care that they are getting a bum deal.

The numbers I put are higher than I've ever paid for each task.

Saying the owner should be responsible is fine but at the market rate not the state rate.

Same thing happens for pollution clean up although there is a high fixed cost for the cleanup vessels so maybe more justified.

 

[Action]

Seems like a common problem that businesss charge way outside normal rates and the state doesn't know or care that they are getting a bum deal.

The numbers I put are higher than I've ever paid for each task.

The state had to hire ten more people to administrate the program and they have to fill out documents. (paperwork) So of course there is a handling fee.

 

[Cleanslate]

Boat in the photo is a Pacemaker. Could be a 48’, 53’ or a 55’ . Hard to tell. An Ocean Yachts predecessor.
Well it’s a good thing they got it up and out before it sank.
I’m not happy too, that the owner didn’t pick up the bill.

 

[Nomad Willy]

]esheufelt wrote;
“ City: Oregon
Vessel Name: AYO
Vessel Model: PDQ MV32
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 12”

You’re a new skipper here so not pick’in on you but calling attention to your calling Oregon a city. But in my opinion you did us a favor.
If you’re writing a post on TF and seeing that the one you’re addressing the info to lives in Madras (small town in Oregon) you probably wouldn’t have any idea where he is if you are an average American in say Tracy California. If your post is about painting and the boater and boat is in Florida (that’s reading your post) your location makes it possible to formulate useable content for your post.

So by accident perhaps Oregon would be usable geographical information. Where-as Portland may be also even if it was Portland Maine.

I’ve always thought “State or Province” would be a better question … but I don’t know how you’d handle “Oblast” in Ukraine?

All of this is not in vain if there is a city named Oregon.

 

[SeaDogAK]

Oregon City, just south of Portland.

 

[Action]

]esheufelt wrote;
“ City: Oregon
Vessel Name: AYO
Vessel Model: PDQ MV32
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 12”

You’re a new skipper here so not pick’in on you but calling attention to your calling Oregon a city. But in my opinion you did us a favor.
If you’re writing a post on TF and seeing that the one you’re addressing the info to lives in Madras (small town in Oregon) you probably wouldn’t have any idea where he is if you are an average American in say Tracy California. If your post is about painting and the boater and boat is in Florida (that’s reading your post) your location makes it possible to formulate useable content for your post.

So by accident perhaps Oregon would be usable geographical information. Where-as Portland may be also even if it was Portland Maine.

I’ve always thought “State or Province” would be a better question … but I don’t know how you’d handle “Oblast” in Ukraine?

All of this is not in vain if there is a city named Oregon.

In the users defense, part of the issue is how the profile data is posted. A used fills out data. However all of that data does not migrate over to the avatar area of a user.

With that said that user listed a commonly known state in the city data box. Not necessarily useful. And I find many users just get the registration process over as fast as possible so they can ask a question. The data may or may not have much bearing on reality

 

[Painless]

Non payment

I have a friend that has a boat storage yard and when a storage owner stops paying rent and many requests over months and months, he will take the boat on his hydraulic trailer and deposit it in front of either the person's house or the entrance to their workplace. Usually with their name spray painted on the hull.
He can pull up and put 3 55 gal drums down and set the boat down on them and drive away very quickly.....
Its hilarious to watch.

 

[twistedtree]

I have a friend that has a boat storage yard and when a storage owner stops paying rent and many requests over months and months, he will take the boat on his hydraulic trailer and deposit it in front of either the person's house or the entrance to their workplace. Usually with their name spray painted on the hull.
He can pull up and put 3 55 gal drums down and set the boat down on them and drive away very quickly.....
Its hilarious to watch.

I love it. We need pictures...

 

[hollywood8118]

If the State of Washington contracts to do anything the costs escalate out of control.
Look no further than the homeless issue.
Hollywood