Abandoned Boats Becoming "A Problem"

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Here's an interesting article from today's New York Times, talking about a pattern that's emerging across the country--financially strapped owners of bigger boats abandoning them, or actually sinking them, to get out of moorage payments, and/or boat payments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/01boats.html?_r=1&th=&emc=th&pagewanted=all

We've noticed a bit of this over the past year in the Puget Sound area, where there certainly are a lot more "free boats" advertised--many of them being larger cruisers and sailboats. Nationally, boat clubs have noticed the untimely death of a lot more large, classic cruisers (or cruiser projects) that folks have given up on and chainsawed or burned.

Members of NWCBC are doing their best to rescue rotten boats, but there's only so much we can do!

- Marty

[Helmar]

I am all for that, NMB is Need More Boats, wait!, No, No More Boats??

I get confused. I Need More Boats :D Just getting picky now is all.

[GregS]

I recovered a boat from the Kenmore boat launch about a month ago that was half under water. The owner knew his bank, BECU, was coming to repo it so he sank it at the boat launch and called them to let them know where it was. He screwed himself of course as the he owed $10,000 on it but it was worth $14,000. The bank then gave it a "freshly sunk and damaged value" of $3000. The bank was going to sell it to clear up his debt prior to the unfortunate sinking. Now instead of being clear of the debt, he owes the bank his total bill, plus the recovery cost of removing it from the water, plus the fine from the Sheriff's Office and finally the State wants to have a piece of him for polluting the delicate ecosystem. The boat was a Bayliner(sorry for swearing) so I personally think the fines should double for depositing such a stinky piece of garbage in the water. :rolleyes:

Greg Jr.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Generally, when the stock market goes down, the barratry goes up.....
McSkagit