Norfolk Virgina BULLYING

[Old Skool Neil]

I hate to get into a game of 'what if' but what if this had been a large commercial vessel that had broken its mooring and wound up on their beach? Does the 3 day rule still apply?

Yes? Well three days isn't much time but at least it's equal across the board.
No? Why not? Why would one entity be treated differently than another?

What if it were a Naval vessel that had lost its steering at the height of the storm? Still 3 days?

Color me skeptical. I'm looking at this as a boat on the beach for whatever reason, what happens now? The City starts throwing their weight around and I think arbitrarily and I suspect unfairly. Sure, the boat needs to be removed as soon as practical, no argument there. But is the yachtsman treated the same as everyone else?

The fact that this guy's life is circling the drain is a sad but independent issue to me. If the boat had been owned by say, a congressman (also not known for their stellar decision making), I doubt he'd be facing the same imposed time line as this poor schmuck and to me, that ain't right.

 

[tommays]

IMHP if the guy had any kind of plan they would allow it happen as it sits now the boats going to sit there

I would like to feel bad but it happens all the time here

and they always sit till the town hauls them

 

[KD3PC]

Better yet Neil,

What if this skipper would have just stayed put??

In all the time the Navy has been quartered in Norfolk, have not heard of a significant grounding accident there... Commercial, sure could, but they would have insurance and the salvors would have been on site before she hit shore, or at least a tug..standing by.

If you read the reports of this incident carefully, the shallows he wallowed in kept the commercial tows and the USCG from sending out a boat - they rescued him from shore...so more than likely a commercial or Navy boat would have grounded far short of the beach.

What if....?? Could be almost anything. Coddling this incident will only give the states and localities even more reason to make even more restrictive laws and regulations...that "apply to recreational boats under 65' only"

The best this skipper can hope for is for someone else to do something more "newsworthy" as soon as possible to take away his moment of fame. Sadly this one image (main page of this site) will likely become the "face" of irene for years to come...have you noticed there is no other real boat damage by this hurricane, much to the chagrin of the media...

Thus we have this poor sot, with his every move documented. Knowing this state and Norfolk, the boat will likely be destroyed and carted off later this week, unless the weather prevents them from doing so. or the skipper gets out of jail, again and arranges something differently.

No activity at the site so far..

 

[Spcharby]

Brina,

Your premise that he is being treated inhumanely is false, it may be heavy handed but is certainly not inhumane. If the sailor had insurance, he would have a plan in place within the three days to vacate the beach. The best part of insurance policies is the legal representation they afford. If the city required the boat to be moved within a certain timeframe, and that timeframe is unreasonable, the owner or representative could petition for more time. The city would consider the petition based upon what efforts or plans have been made to take care of it. Simple as that.

Not knowing the motivation behind why the city has required the short timeframe has me at a disadvantage in the argument; however, the timeframe is not the issue at hand. The real issue is that the property has been abandoned in a public space and needs to be removed. The owner needs to either remove it or abandon it. If he has the means or a plan to take responsibility for his property, now is the time to communicate his plan.

Thanks to all that have contributed to this thread - you have made my morning read very interesting, I love the back and forth.......great reading.

Steve
S/V Belle
H36#207
Hampton VA

 

[Rick Webb]

I'll Contend that the Boat is Not Worth the Price to Refloat

There is a similar boat for sale on this site with a rudder and a functioning engine for $130.000 I suspect someone could get it if they showed up with 1,200 pictures of Benjamin Franklin. If you added up the price to refloat and the cost to refurbish the boat I would bet it would go way over even the $130,000 asking price of a boat which everything on it already works.

As for the skipper, no human soul is disposable and God bless those who do that sort of work. You cannot however help someone who will not help themselves and many will not till they reach rock bottom. He must be getting close and I hope he finds his way back.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Brina,

Your premise that he is being treated inhumanely is false, it may be heavy handed but is certainly not inhumane.

If the city required the boat to be moved within a certain timeframe, and that timeframe is unreasonable, the owner or representative could petition for more time. The city would consider the petition based upon what efforts or plans have been made to take care of it. Simple as that.

Not knowing the motivation behind why the city has required the short timeframe has me at a disadvantage in the argument; however, the timeframe is not the issue at hand. The real issue is that the property has been abandoned in a public space and needs to be removed. ...I love the back and forth.......great reading.

Steve, those are somewhat conflicting statements.

Inhumane vs. timeframe not the issue. The timeframe certainly IS the issue, regardless of who the skipper is.

Great reading, yup. I agree.

zeehag has this in her signature:

treat others as you would have them treat you

Works both ways: they could give him the time and he can stop crapping in police cars!

 

[c_witch]

Not amazed

You know there are some in the trailer sailing community who view 'SOME' or you big boys(?) as being the 'Snotty Yachty' types who see themselves as 'Privileged'. I must say that some of the posts have done nothing more then to reinforce that idea. I guess the old saying that 'If you haven't lived it you can't be bothered to understand it' holds water.

I really really hope that I don't have to cross any of your wakes when I sail off to fulfill my dreams.
Unfortunately for me I'll have to sail down the eastern seaboard to do that .

Brina

 

[Old Skool Neil]

Okay, ya got THREE DAYS!!

 

[Ross]

Every place that I have ever lived was interested in intentions by the owners of a property in violation. When the county inspects a house and declares it "not habital" they will give you time to bring it up to code. But if you attempt to defy them they will order the house boarded up and the sherrif will padlock it.
We have no knowledge of the discussions that have taken place between the boat owner and the city officals but apparently they have not been productive. I don't trust the news media to get the details absolutely correct.
They may have told the owner that he had three days to come up with a plan to remove the boat from the beach or they would do it for him. A week has passed and I suppose that the boat is still on the spit and the owner has not used his time and resources wisely during the week.

 

[KD3PC]

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/sailboat-owner-accused-of-defecating-in-police-car

the judge has given him until Sep 5th to "remove the boat from the beach"....so in effect he has had over a week, and as of early this morning, Saturday has presented no plan to anyone. He missed the noon friday deadline to have a plan submitted to the city for the boat's removal by trailer...


YMMV

 

[Paul Brinkley]

Not so!
kd3pc "...have you noticed there is no other real boat damage by this hurricane, much to the chagrin of the media..."

I think you need to check the news for McCotter's Marina in Washington, NC, and some other places from NC to New England. There was plenty of other damage that was very real to the boaters who experienced it... -Paul

 

[Spcharby]

Update!

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/norfolk/sailboat-on-norfolk-beach-catches-fire

 

[Bad Obsession]

That is highly suspicious. I wonder if someone will get arson charges out of that. At least it wouldn't qualify as an occupied dwelling.

 

[Bill Roosa]

given the background on this it will only get weirder. the local witness said he heard an explosion. Perhaps the propane tank leaked and a spark set off the fumes?

 

[Ross]

The Coast Guard had removed all of the fuel.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Like I said, weirder and weirder. Kinda hard to get metal and fiberglass to explode.

 

[tommays]

You still had and electric system and batteries in who knows what condition and i have seen so many abused and NOT so abused batteries POP over the years it sure not that out of the question


I know the maxi boat Titan died this season form a Lion Battery or whatever high tech battery fire

 

[KD3PC]

You still had and electric system and batteries in who knows what condition and i have seen so many abused and NOT so abused batteries POP over the years it sure not that out of the question

Part of the CG/LLEO process of "decommissioning" the boat would be to remove the batteries, to minimize the risk of an acid spill, and as they were no longer safely placed. At a minimum, cables would be cut to render them no longer a risk, just in case someone flipped a switch or tried to use the panels.

Use of an "accelerant" were widely reported in the various news stories.

Will be a drama still, until something is found and it is actually removed.

 

[Gary_H]

Well I guess the owner no longer has to worry about how to get the boat off the beach now. Is he still in jail? if not, I hope he has a good alibi.

 

[zeehag]

the only doubts i have are to his starting it hisself--i think someone else did that....