Advice on boat abandonment

[charliebc]

I bought a 35 foot wooden boat in Turkey about 10 years ago. Lived on it for a while out there. Couldn't get to it for a few years due to family commitments and then we had the pandemic. Was on a swing mooring. Got damaged by another boat and a friend organised for it to be lifted into a local yard. Intended to repair and place it back in the water. However, my business has not recovered after the pandemic, and am now unemployed. Wrote to the yard owner - a couple of months ago and offered them the boat and all its contents as unable to pay lifting charges or rent. Yard owner seemed okay with the agreement and I had heard nothing from them but tonight contact has been made and he is threatening to put my unseaworthy, uninsured boat back in the water. Where do I stand? I have absolutely no money. Can I walk away? Been trying to find scrap yards but to no avail. I just need advice please - I understand the situation is not good but I am out of my depth.

 

[vyv_cox]

If you are a RYA member you are entitled to some free legal advice.

 

[Aussie farmer]

Hard one , if you could advertise it there for the amount your in debt would be the easiest solution.
You could try call their bluff and tell them you are declaring bankruptcy in the next 14 days and they really should consider the boat as receipted payment before the debt collectors cease it and the end up with nothing.

 

[PlanB]

I'd want to do a bit of research into the position, but my initial thought is that provided you don't want the boat and don't want to go to Turkey ever again.............

 

[Norman_E]

Marinas in Turkey do have a problem with abandonned boats, because they cannot legally sell them. As you have offered to give them the boat they no longer have that problem if they accept. If they simply want to clear space in their yard, they are perfectly entitled to launch the boat and tie it up in their marina, but if they simply cast it adrift the Turkish Coastguard may become involved so make sure that you have a paper trail to prove that you did not abandon the boat in the water. If that is what is threatened I would want the Coastguard told.