I have a sailboat at a marina that I may need to get rid of it. Is there a service that will take it and dispose of it? I know it will cost money but I need to investigate that option. Does anyone know how this is done and what company would do it?
How dispose of sailboat?
- Thread starter QCI
- Start date
You're in Florida, right?
I've been hearing radio ads about a state sponsored program to dispose of at risk boats (Of becoming derelict). I believe the ad says they will come and pick it up and I think the service is at low or no cost. I don't remember the name of the program or the agency. You could ask at your marina, local marine police or politicals. But I'd get on it because these programs can be fleeting.
Florida has had a problem with derelict boats and I think they've decided it's cheaper to pre-empt the situation before it's a salvage job.
I've been hearing radio ads about a state sponsored program to dispose of at risk boats (Of becoming derelict). I believe the ad says they will come and pick it up and I think the service is at low or no cost. I don't remember the name of the program or the agency. You could ask at your marina, local marine police or politicals. But I'd get on it because these programs can be fleeting.
Florida has had a problem with derelict boats and I think they've decided it's cheaper to pre-empt the situation before it's a salvage job.
Thank you very much! I will research. I see those derelict boats all the time and I wonder why the registered owner is not fined. That is one reason that I don't want to risk giving the boat away. I want to control where it ends up and I want to be free of the liability. Thanks again for the reply.
I applaud your sense of responsibility and wish every owner of a derelict felt the same. And I'm glad to see Florida set up a program to help with the problem. We just had a powerboat motor into the shallows and anchor right outside a very large marina near my slip in MD. Witnesses saw a guy get into a dinghy and go to shore. The next morning the boat had settled onto the bottom and was found to be abandoned. Not exactly sure who, but the "authorities" somehow had that boat out of the water within a week (awesome!). I hope they find the guy and fine the crap out of him.
One of the problems with derelict boats, especially in Florida and the keys is the lack of affordable housing. These folks are all lower level employees who can't afford housing, they buy a boat and live on it until it won't float or until they give up the dream. I'd guess many of the boats were never registered after they were acquired.
In any case, don't do what this guy did.
www.syracuse.com
In any case, don't do what this guy did.
Man faces federal prison after secretly sinking boat in Lake Ontario then lying to police
The man lied to police about having donated the boat to someone else, prosecutors said.
Thank you all for the help. I may try the face book forum. The sailboat is not in that bad of condition (new bottom job in October 2022) but I don't want to work on it or put more money into it, or even sell it. Dock fees are going up, too. I may not qualify for the free boat surrender in Florida because 2 of the qualifications for the program are that "You must have at least one written At-Risk Warning or Citation for the vessel being applied for" & "The vessel must be floating and upon the waters of the state" I never git a citation & it is in a slip in marina. Thanks again, I have a project ahead of me.
Different states have different laws, but some things are common to all. If/when you transfer ownership, whether for $1. or hundreds of $... or for no $, sign over the registration and the title, and keep copies of all paperwork, including the driver lic. of the purchaser.
Get this in by email/web/snail mail to your state's boat titling agency ASAP and Pronto.
You cannot control what the next owner of your car/boat/aircraft does 30 seconds after they leave your dock, driveway, or runway. Only thing you can control is your liability for the item that changed hands.
(Our YC had to go thru the proper state process to gain title to an abandoned sailboat in our marina. This took some major paperwork and hassle. Finally we were able to legally own it and then hold a public auction. It "sold" for very little money, but we had all the paperwork in order to show the transfer to a new owner of record. Not wholly unexpected when it further changed hands a couple times over a couple of years, and was reported sunk. Really Sad, but that's reality.)
Get this in by email/web/snail mail to your state's boat titling agency ASAP and Pronto.
You cannot control what the next owner of your car/boat/aircraft does 30 seconds after they leave your dock, driveway, or runway. Only thing you can control is your liability for the item that changed hands.
(Our YC had to go thru the proper state process to gain title to an abandoned sailboat in our marina. This took some major paperwork and hassle. Finally we were able to legally own it and then hold a public auction. It "sold" for very little money, but we had all the paperwork in order to show the transfer to a new owner of record. Not wholly unexpected when it further changed hands a couple times over a couple of years, and was reported sunk. Really Sad, but that's reality.)
As a dealer taking a trade, I would inspect that boat to include registration and titling to insure ownership and no liens. If there was an issue, it was resolved before the sale.
I sold on Craig’s List but you have to be careful as the prospective buyer wanted to know previous owner name demanding a copy of the title without asking about the boat. I told him I would send him a bill of sale for his signature which had to notarized. I was also concerned he had an active NYC cell phone but gave me an address downtown Los Angeles , CA. The Bill of Sale was returned stating buyer did not live there
If you sale or give that sailboat away and you do not know the buyer, then have the Bill of Sale notarized and notify where the boat is registered and send them a copy too to avoid any liability. Also state in the Bill of Sale, the boat is sold as is and where is
I sold on Craig’s List but you have to be careful as the prospective buyer wanted to know previous owner name demanding a copy of the title without asking about the boat. I told him I would send him a bill of sale for his signature which had to notarized. I was also concerned he had an active NYC cell phone but gave me an address downtown Los Angeles , CA. The Bill of Sale was returned stating buyer did not live there
If you sale or give that sailboat away and you do not know the buyer, then have the Bill of Sale notarized and notify where the boat is registered and send them a copy too to avoid any liability. Also state in the Bill of Sale, the boat is sold as is and where is
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"floating and upon the waters of the state" include the water in the marina!
But you got to leave it somewhere other than the marina to qualify as an "at risk" vessel.
If you abandon the vessel in the marina, the marina will seize it and then track you down.
A "Free to a good home" ad in Craig's list might be your friend.
But you got to leave it somewhere other than the marina to qualify as an "at risk" vessel.
If you abandon the vessel in the marina, the marina will seize it and then track you down.
A "Free to a good home" ad in Craig's list might be your friend.
Thank you all for the great advice! I have the title and in the ad I put as a condition of sale that we would meet at the local title office and officially transfer the title. I appreciate the tip on mailing the docs to the appropriate office. Well, I have a REAL project ahead of me. Thanks again.
I am with an organization that accepts donations of boats that we sell and use that money to help fund our youth sailing program. We often turn down boats that are not in condition to be enjoyed quickly. So, I was happy to not see a donation suggestion. Very few groups want donations that require a lot of work to resell or to use.
We have been told filling out this form STATE OF FLORIDA (flhsmv.gov) and submitting it to the tax accessors office removes it from their files as being currently owned by you. It is not your obligation to see that it is titled in the new owner's name, I applaud your diligence.
I am sure though if you sell the boat and it is not retitled properly and it ends up washed up somewhere you would be asked about it. This can be also true even if it is registered but in a different state, we sold a boat that went to Alabama and twelve years later to Georgia who called us asking about it. With that form filed with the state you could assert you no longer have obligations to that boat particularly if you have it notarized when you and the buyer sign it along with a copy of the buyer's driver's license.
Good luck with it.
We have been told filling out this form STATE OF FLORIDA (flhsmv.gov) and submitting it to the tax accessors office removes it from their files as being currently owned by you. It is not your obligation to see that it is titled in the new owner's name, I applaud your diligence.
I am sure though if you sell the boat and it is not retitled properly and it ends up washed up somewhere you would be asked about it. This can be also true even if it is registered but in a different state, we sold a boat that went to Alabama and twelve years later to Georgia who called us asking about it. With that form filed with the state you could assert you no longer have obligations to that boat particularly if you have it notarized when you and the buyer sign it along with a copy of the buyer's driver's license.
Good luck with it.
I was in charge of the Marine Environmental Response Unit at one of the USCG Marine Safety Offices on the Gulf and had to oversee a lot of responses to derelict vessels. As someone said earlier, as boaters we all appreciate you taking responsibility. There are a lot of good suggestions here, but if the boat truly has no value, I would suggest the following:
Strip the boat of hardware or anything of value. Antique shops would probably even want some non-functional items if they had that nautical flare.
Dispose of any hazardous materials properly, including having the fuel removed.
Have the boat hauled and hire a clamshell crane and roll off dumpster. I saw a single roll off absorb a 40' fishing boat.
You may need to have the engine disposed of separately.
It would be best to confirm this process with the State of Florida DEP.
Strip the boat of hardware or anything of value. Antique shops would probably even want some non-functional items if they had that nautical flare.
Dispose of any hazardous materials properly, including having the fuel removed.
Have the boat hauled and hire a clamshell crane and roll off dumpster. I saw a single roll off absorb a 40' fishing boat.
You may need to have the engine disposed of separately.
It would be best to confirm this process with the State of Florida DEP.
This thread should be recommended reading for those posters who are looking at a boat in substandard condition. Getting rid of a boat can be complicated and expensive. We commonly see posts about someone getting a great deal on some neglected boat and they should understand the downside on putting their name on a title of such a boat. Disposal can be a substantial expense.
Thank you, rwsanderii. It has crossed my mind to just arrange the disposal myself and cover all bases. And yes, potential boat owners should be told to consider the end game of boat ownership. The kicker is that it is not junk. It is clean, great bottom, It can sail right now. It does need work to bring it up to spec. The bad thing is that the size and draft means that it is at a slip in a marina, it is not a boat that can easily be moved to a backyard so that you could take your time relieving yourself of it. Thanks for the advice!