Sunken boat

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Daydream believer

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A few months ago an owner moored a boat on anchor near our moorings. He was asked to move it but denied it was his. He later accepted it was his when it was pointed out that he had been seen on it
The local council ( who would normally charge the mooring fee for that position) did not claim that fee
The boat has now sunk. The harbour master has asked him to recover it. The owner has said he would but it has now been sunk for a month
The local tug boat operator wants recovery monies first & is not particularly happy doing the job. He would do it if an order came from the local council as he regularly works for them & knows he will get paid
The harbour master says the council has no funds for recovery so it is up to the owner & the council will do nothing
The local coastguard are warning craft of its position
The boat is not in the main fairway
We cannot put boats on 5 or 6 moorings as this boat is in the way
Our moorings are not in the local council's area but the sunk boat is ( being just on the boundary)
Question
Who can i approach to get the mooring recovered bearing in mind no one wants responsibility & owner has just left it & will not/cannot pay
Is here an ultimate authority who will recover the boat & sue the owner for cost?
 
Isn't this what harbour masters are for? Surely they should get the job done and sue the owner for the costs.
 
What size of boat, wood or GRP, Depth?

If its tidal and its accessable at low water then its a job that could be done with a few willing helpers.
 
Barnacle Bill said:
Have you tried the local diving club? They might love a project like that!
Click to expand...

No local club. The water is so silted that divers cannot operate plus we have no means of raising it
Plus where do we put it once raised. Believe it or not We would have a possible liability to the owner if we damaged it further & we cannot put it in someone else's backyard
What we need is the ultimate legal authority responsible for safe navigation to take action- whoever that is
 
Thistle said:
Isn't this what harbour masters are for? Surely they should get the job done and sue the owner for the costs.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the right process to me. But a bit of a problem if he's refusing to. I guess he's worried that it won't be easy to get the money out of the owner, which certainly seems like a valid concern guessing the type of person this is.

An old wreck of a trawler sank on the Itchen a couple of years ago; ABP hoicked it out, but I heard they had difficulty recovering costs from the owner, and also getting him to remove the wreck from the quayside in the car-export terminal where the salvage tugs dumped it.

Wonder if the Police would prosecute your guy for littering? :)

Pete
 
It very much depends on the position the wreck is in the harbour and the harbour itself.

Is the harbour governed by an enacting Act of Parliment? If that is the case then By-Laws will exist to deal with this problem. It also comes under the Receiver of Wrecks interests and the Lighthouse Authority if I recall correcectly.

Wreck removal is insured under P&I cover for big ships, separate to the Hull and Machinery insurance, but for yachts I think you will find it is included in the cover.

I am afraid until you tell us (1) The harbour (2) Wreck position we cannot sensibly comment.
 
There is no harbour authority
The local council are supposed to collect rents but are a bit lax in this area. The harbour master for the area does not chase moorings much
The boat is in the river 200 yards out. We have no means of hooking it to drag it even if that was possible
As I said We feel we cannot touch it without incurring liabilities
 
So its a river ? Is there not a River Authority who possibly the HM works for ? In any event he must work for someone and it is to his employers you need to go.

If HM is warning folk about it then is it not a Hazard to Navigation ? Has it been marked with a buoy ?
 
Daydream believer said:
There is no harbour authority
The local council are supposed to collect rents but are a bit lax in this area. The harbour master for the area does not chase moorings much
The boat is in the river 200 yards out. We have no means of hooking it to drag it even if that was possible
As I said We feel we cannot touch it without incurring liabilities
Click to expand...

If there is no Harbour authority, who appoints the Harbour master, and what authority does he have? If you belong to RYA, an email to their legal department for advice might give some pointers.
 
Sounds to me like the Council shirking its responsibilities with the usual excuse that they have no money.
Time for a letter to the CEO.
 
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