semi abandoned boats

Birdseye

Birdseye

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We have a growing problem at our club - boats left un launched on the yard by members who have lost any real interest and who then start to be difficult about subs and charges. Whilst everone's initial reaction is to say "auction off their boat" its not as simple as that in legal terms.

We cant be the only club with this problem. How have other clubs dealt with it?

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.
 
Every boatyard has examples of broken dreams. Our boat yard is no different. Boats gradually becoming hulks covered in slime. While the dues are paid they will remain so, slimey hulks but , if dues are not paid then they are impounded and auctioned by the club.
The message is - no pay, no stay.


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It's time to be tough. Inform those members that if their boat is not used during the season that they must remove it. Make this an agenda item for the Clubs next AGM. State in constituting this move that the Club is not a cheap storage area for boats as most boats abandoned at clubs are left there as members don't want to clutter their driveways or back gardens. This should apply to trailers as well.
Failure to comply with a Clubs constitution should in most instances debar members from the Club, and in doing so should allow the club to stake claim to property abandoned by it's members. The Club can then sell the property to the highest bidder and after settling any outstanding fees due to the Club return the balance of monies raised to the exmember.
There is no instant fix to this problem but if it is pursude in the above manner there can be no redress against the Club. Make sure that all members are aware of this type of action and if necessary send reminders to all members.

Good luck Jim.

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This is a repeat post :

A marina owner/manager on the US west coast didn't like the look of some of the boats in his marina and so, at night time he towed them out into the bay - and sank them ! About 10 of them.

John


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We do much the same, there is an area known as the sink where all unused boats are stored being the place where no one would really want to be. I forget how long they remain there before being disposed of, but it does seem to work.

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Re:Unable to give away.

We have had this problem for a year or two.Our first course of action,while sending off loads of letters,is to move boat to half tide mooring.This means we can get to boat if it sinks.Next move is then to foreshore and after that we cut them up and if wood burn,or if glass into skip for final journey to rubbish tip.It would appear that our club is not alone in being the dumping ground for unwanted hulls.It proved impossible even to give away a couple of useable 18ft glassfibre sailing craft with gear which eventually sank at their moorings and ended up life under my grinder./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.
 
Re:Unable to give away.

Thanks. The commonest response seems to be "we impound them and auction them off". But what procedures do you follow before you feel able to auction off ie registered letters etc, and what do you do with old boats where no one is interested in buying. We have, for example, the perfectly good GRP hull of a Cutlass 27 complete with engine etc that no one wants even at £250!

Seems to be an increasing problem with old GRP boats not rotting into the ground as wooden ones used to do.



<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.
 
Re:Unable to give away.

I would give you £250 for a cutlass, but the cost of getting it to Aberdeenshire from (where ever you are) would make the whole thing prohibitive.

Perhaps there should be a website for these "give aways", as I'm sure there are people out there who enjoy DIY projects. It's just getting the 2 together.

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Re:Unable to give away.

Is there some procedure in the club byelaws about abandoned boats? If not, perhaps get something through at the next AGM - x year(s) unpaid subs, unlaunched and neglected etc. Follow the bylaws to the letter and you're surely on pretty solid ground.

Then perhaps advertise in PBO/ST - auction, or "Free to any good home"? How much is a classified ad?

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Re:Unable to give away.

Right now I'd be quite happy indeed to inherit a "fixer upper", even at a small cost. I agree with jmirvine that a site or forum for salvageable wrecks would be cracking idea!

<hr width=100% size=1>You can lead a student to knowledge, but you cannot make them think.
 
Re:Unable to give away.

Right now I'd be quite happy indeed to inherit a "fixer upper", even at a small cost. I agree with jmirvine that a site or forum for salvageable wrecks would be cracking idea!

<hr width=100% size=1>You can lead a student to knowledge, but you cannot make them think.
 
Re:Unable to give away.

Right now I'd be quite happy indeed to inherit a "fixer upper", even at a small cost. I agree with jmirvine that a site or forum for salvageable wrecks would be cracking idea!

<hr width=100% size=1>You can lead a student to knowledge, but you cannot make them think.
 
Re:Unable to give away.

I am shocked by some of these posts as someone who hates to see boats destroyed, unless they are ugly and/or plywood. I am surprised that takers can't be found for fibreglass boats. I know it is a problem for clubs and yards, as it takes time and money to advertise and deal with enquiries when trying to sell/give away the abandoned boats. If they are mentioned on here, with brief details as least more people would know about them, and it could be made clear that anyone interested must come and see the boat for themselves rather than ask lots of questions.

Where is the Cutlass 27? When you say hull, I assume there is no rig, but does it have decks? (No more question!)

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Re:Unable to give away.

I am shocked by some of these posts as someone who hates to see boats destroyed, unless they are ugly and/or plywood. I am surprised that takers can't be found for fibreglass boats. I know it is a problem for clubs and yards, as it takes time and money to advertise and deal with enquiries when trying to sell/give away the abandoned boats. If they are mentioned on here, with brief details as least more people would know about them, and it could be made clear that anyone interested must come and see the boat for themselves rather than ask lots of questions.

Where is the Cutlass 27? When you say hull, I assume there is no rig, but does it have decks? (No more questions!)

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At Levington it is known as "The Pit"
I found out when I took a day off to view a "bargain"
The agent said "Oh yes its in the pit" and waved me in in the right direction with a merry "you will not need a key"
I wondered what the owner would have thought of the "service"
Briani

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Re:Unable to give away.

There is a 'projects' section on the boatsandoutboardsforsale.co.uk site, it is a well used site judging by the no. of yachts that get put on it, but this section seems to be less used, free to advertise though.

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Some clubs have a sliding scale of storage charges.The longer in the yard the more it costs per month.Of course this doesnt help when they dont pay.



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The solution may be called eBay.

SOMEONE will buy ANYTHING there.

D.

<hr width=100% size=1>Last weekend was shopping darling........ so this weekend is boating. (Duck!)
 
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