{"id":14566,"date":"2025-08-06T10:02:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T10:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=14566"},"modified":"2025-08-06T10:02:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T10:02:20","slug":"what-happens-to-abandoned-boats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=14566","title":{"rendered":"What Happens to Abandoned Boats?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    What Happens to Abandoned Boats?<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    <!-- no image --><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><\/p>\n<div>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Motoryacht resting on top of dock\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-1.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Damaged boats are just one of many hazards left behind after storms.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Randy Vance<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p><iframe id=\"wxuzj5efbz\" src=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.dragonforms.com\/wxuzj5efbz\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Mike Provost was boating with his family one day when they saw a disintegrating boat tied up to a tree on the shore of Long Creek, one of the hundreds of creeks threading through the Virginia Beach area and feeding into Chesapeake Bay. Long Creek is part of a waterway in which Provost frequently boats with his wife, Ashley, and their kids.<\/p>\n<p>The 30-foot cabin cruiser looked abandoned. It was floating, but weeds were growing through the hull, and debris and broken boat components littered its decks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going by this suspicious craft, and my kids asked what was going on with that boat,\u201d Provost explains. \u201cI said, \u2018Well, I think somebody just left it there.\u2019 They asked, \u2018Well, Daddy, who\u2019s going to clean it up?\u2019 I said, \u2018I will.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Provost thought his job was finished when he called local authorities for assistance. But several trips later, the family saw the cabin cruiser still in the water.<\/p>\n<p>One day, Provost noticed that the boat had been relocated into the North Landing River, \u00adlodging onshore of First Landing State Park. \u201cTruly a national treasure, it\u2019s the most visited state park in \u00adVirginia,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a place we like to hike and spend time outdoors as a family. That\u2019s when I kind of got\u00a0\u00adobsessed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Provost is a retired US Navy \u00adSpecial Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman chief warrant officer. Over 21 years in the military, he spent 52 months abroad in 26 countries. He also holds a USCG 100-Ton Master Captain\u2019s License. In short, he\u2019s not someone who gives up easily. He called 100 different people in 30 different state, federal and nonprofit offices, trying to find some entity that would agree to clean up the boat since the owner wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was just relentless. I called \u00adevery single person I could think of, and when they said they couldn\u2019t help me, they gave me a lead,\u201d Provost explains. \u201cFrankly, I annoyed a lot of people, but I was just<br \/>unwilling to let this boat sit there because it was, in my opinion, a clear \u00addifference of right and wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Finally, Provost took matters into his own hands. Following a list of procedures outlined by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, he gained the owner\u2019s permission to remove the boat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd we were off to the races,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe established a \u00adGoFundMe campaign. We had a very generous corporate sponsor jump in, then a private donor did a bulk of the payment. Then we got to work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Provost and his fellow volunteers dismantled and removed the boat in two days. And so Provost\u2019s nonprofit, the Vessel Disposal and Reuse Foundation, was born.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Derelict boat in a field\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-7.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">A growing number of states have created or are piloting programs to prevent abandoned boats.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy TowBoatUS Ft. Lauderdale<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p>Since its formation in December 2021, the foundation has disposed of 77 vessels, removed more than 718,000 pounds of debris from \u00adVirginia waterways, and recycled more than 27,000 pounds of metal. Provost has his sights set on 11 more vessels, but he needs the funding to proceed.<\/p>\n<p>According to Virginia law, it\u2019s illegal for owners to abandon their boats. In 2022, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission received $3\u00a0million from the \u00adVirginia General Assembly to create the Abandoned or Derelict Vessel Program, aimed at removing abandoned and derelict boats from tidal or nontidal marine \u00adwaters of the state. Grants through the program are available to local governments and municipalities for boat removal.<\/p>\n<p>The problem, unfortunately, is not unique to the Chesapeake. Derelict vessels litter popular \u00adwaterways from coast to coast. Each one is not just an eyesore or an environmental concern, but it\u2019s also a potential hazard to other boaters. Here\u2019s how others besides Provost are taking action.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Crane removing abandoned boat\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-2.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Removing abandoned boats can require some heavy machinery.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy VDRF Project<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Nationwide Problem<\/h2>\n<p>During the 1960s and \u201970s, fiberglass boats exploded in popularity. But fiberglass boats, unlike cars or boats made of aluminum or other metals, can\u2019t be scrapped. The \u00adfiberglass is not always recyclable, and the cost of disposing of the boats can be steep.<\/p>\n<p>The BoatUS Foundation is the nonprofit arm of BoatUS, the country\u2019s largest organization of recreational boat owners. It recently won a $10 million grant through the \u00adNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to tackle the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels, or ADVs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you buy a boat, the last thing you think about is getting rid of it,\u201d says Alanna Keating, director of outreach for the BoatUS \u00adFoundation. \u201cI had a 1986 Volvo in my 20s. Somebody wanted it, and they paid me to take it away. Somebody will always take your car for free or give you money. It\u2019s not the same with a boat. There are no sustainable disposal options for boats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Keating estimates the average cost to dispose of a \u00adnonoperating\u2014but still floating\u201425- to 30-foot boat is anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000. Depending on location, availability of services and the condition of the boat, disposal can cost several thousand dollars, she said\u2014even if the boat is on a trailer. It\u2019s just easier for people to abandon boats or sell them for pennies on the dollar.<\/p>\n<p>The grant will help the \u00adBoatUS foundation issue awards to communities and organizations to remove ADVs from local waterways. The foundation is also working with state governments, local \u00adorganizations and the boating public to build a national database to identify abandoned vessels for removal. A third part of the grant funded a conference, called Turning the Tide, that BoatUS hosted this past February. The \u00adconference brought industry experts and \u00adacademics together to discuss end-of-life \u00adoptions for boats, including addressing challenges for recycling fiberglass boats.<\/p>\n<p>Keating says that inland areas can pose a particular challenge for ADV removals. \u201cThere\u2019s never been funding on a federal level for inland areas, and most of the time, I don\u2019t think they even know\u00a0the scope of the problem because the\u00a0programs aren\u2019t there for them to address it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The BoatUS Foundation plans to use the bulk of its grant to help with these types of removals. The foundation began to award the first wave of grantees this past spring. Awardees and all grant applicants also were invited to the February conference in order to learn about disposal options as well.<\/p>\n<p>Keating developed the national ADV database in partnership with state agencies based on a survey of the public and partner organizations working in ADV removal. The database was on track to be available online by this summer so that the boating public might also help in tracking the issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe big question is: How many ADVs are out there? The answer is: Nobody knows,\u201d Keating points out. \u201cWe are uniquely positioned to have that strong connection with BoatUS and the over 700,000 BoatUS members who are on the water all the time who can tell us about those ADVs.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Damaged boat sunk in its slip\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-8.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Removing a disintegrating boat from a waterway is an expensive task.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Randy Vance<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">State of Urgency<\/h2>\n<p>Trashing a boat is expensive. \u00adRemoving a disintegrating boat from a waterway is vastly more expensive\u2014notwithstanding the additional environmental cost of abandoned boats.<\/p>\n<p>Troy Wood is the program manager for the Derelict Vessel Removal Program, part of Washington\u2019s Department of Natural Resources. He points out the environmental impact of abandoned boats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOther than the obvious things like fuel and oil that spill out of vessels, there\u2019s a lot of hidden stuff in these vessels that pose a risk to human safety in the environment such as asbestos,\u201d Wood says. \u201cCopper bottom paints shed into the environment. There have been studies that have found contaminants in orcas that were directly related to possibly derelict and abandoned vessels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Washington initiated its program in 2002, and since then has removed more than 1,500 vessels from 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands. The state funds its program through a tax on the registration of vessels as well as a portion of sales tax on sold \u00admarine products.<\/p>\n<p>The program also won funding through NOAA\u2019s Marine Debris Program to both help remove vessels from marine waters and establish a vessel turn-in program. With the money, Wood and his team of six employees coordinated the removal of seven vessels from South Puget Sound and sponsored six vessel turn-in events. The last event accepted about 30 vessels from the Swinomish Tribe in Skagit County.<\/p>\n<p>The state prioritizes removal based on the boat\u2019s threat to human safety and the environment. To take custody of the vessel for removal, the state has to make contact with the owner to give them the opportunity to remove it themselves. The boats can languish for as little as a week or for a few years, Wood says, depending on the human and environmental risk. There are currently about 300 identified abandoned vessels in the state.<\/p>\n<p>Once the boats are recovered, Wood has to grapple with what to do with the removed and surrendered boats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously, we recycle the \u00adaluminum and steel vessels, but our problem is the wooden and fiberglass vessels. How do we recycle that? Because we don\u2019t want to take the trash out of the water and just stick it on land,\u201d Wood points out.<\/p>\n<p>The state found a facility that accepts the crushed boats and recycles what they can. What they can\u2019t, they sell as \u201chog fuel\u201d to \u00adfactories that manufacture \u00adconcrete or paper.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was a study done in Rhode Island a few years ago where they burned fiberglass \u00advessels instead of what they normally burned to produce concrete, and it lowered their emissions,\u201d Wood reveals. \u201cYou still get emissions from burning fiberglass vessels, but it\u2019s not as bad as their normal fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Washington program is making good headway. Prior to the watercraft excise tax, the program\u2019s budget was about $2 million every two years. Now, the tax funnels about an extra $8 million into the program every two years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe quadrupled our budget, and we more than quadrupled the amount of vessels we were pulling out,\u201d Wood says. Over the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, the program removed 319 vessels from state waterways.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the removal \u00adprogram, Washington also has a vessel turn-in program, which Wood hopes boaters will use, to prevent boats from becoming abandoned in the first place.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Boats grouped together near sunk vessel\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-6.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">It can take years to remove some boats, depending on the human and environmental risk. <\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Rick Legow<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Florida Program<\/h2>\n<p>Phil Horning, administrator of Florida\u2019s Derelict Vessel Program, has a map of Florida peppered with dots. Each dot represents an abandoned boat that the state is actively working to remove.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you took the map away, the vessels, which are the dots on the map, would make a perfect outline of Florida,\u201d Horning says. \u201cThey\u2019re everywhere, and they\u2019re mostly on the coast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Florida has a little more than 1.2 million registered boaters. For how many boaters the state has, the rate of abandoned boats\u2014though a \u00adserious problem\u2014is \u00adpretty low.<\/p>\n<p>People who abandon boats in Florida receive a misdemeanor citation. In each case, the derelict boat has to be investigated by a sworn law enforcement officer, and then the \u00admisdemeanor charge has to wind its way through the court system. The owners, if known, receive an \u00adopportunity for a civil hearing on vessel removal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUltimately, the vessel owner is responsible for their vessel, and at the end of life, they should be taking this thing off the water and disposing of it,\u201d Horning believes. \u201cBut what happens in many cases is that they sell it to somebody for a dollar, and those people don\u2019t have the means to take care of it, and it ends up becoming a $12,000 removal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Florida may have found a solution: the Florida \u00adVessel Turn-In Program. The state established the program in \u00adSeptember 2022\u2014just in time for Hurricane Ian to hit. The program began shifting into gear in March 2023. Since then, boaters whose watercraft meet a certain set of criteria have turned in 155 vessels, which have been removed and disposed of. Twenty-seven are on schedule for removal, and 19 are currently in review.<\/p>\n<p>Both programs are under \u00adFlorida\u2019s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and are currently funded through the state. The vessel turn-in program is completely voluntary, and \u00adtypically the boat owners are self-reporting, \u00adaccording to Horning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a win-win situation,\u201d he says. \u201cWe get a potential derelict vessel off the water before it goes derelict. The owner doesn\u2019t have a criminal penalty imposed against them, and they aren\u2019t charged for disposal. They can get rid of this thing before it becomes their nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read Next:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/how-to\/avoiding-post-storm-hazards\/\">Avoiding Post-Storm Hazards<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Containing fluids from abandoned boat\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/BTG725-Abandoned-Boats-4.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Protecting waterways from hazardous fluid leaks is an important part of the process.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy VDRF Project<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cleaning Up<\/h2>\n<p>Abandoned vessels are a problem, but a growing number of states have created or are piloting programs to prevent them. Florida modeled its program after similar ones in California, Oregon, Texas and Washington. In 2024, South Carolina piloted a turn-in program, funded by NOAA, for people and businesses in the state\u2019s eight coastal counties.<\/p>\n<p>In Virginia, Provost hopes to add a vessel turn-in program to his nonprofit. Preferring to work through corporate and private sponsors, he just needs funding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way that we solve this is to treat the root cause,\u201d Provost explains. \u201cThere\u2019s no easy and affordable way to get rid of an \u00adunwanted vessel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo we need to get these vessels while they\u2019re at risk of becoming abandoned and derelict,\u201d he adds. \u201cAnd frankly, nobody\u2019s doing it, so somebody has to.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Turn It In<\/h2>\n<p>With all the problems caused by abandoned boats, the best \u00adsolution seems to be to make it easier for owners to turn in their old vessels before they become a risk. If you have an old vessel that you can no longer maintain or operate, here is a list of just a few programs that you can contact for help.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myfwc.com\/boating\/waterway\/vtip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Florida Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rimta.org\/environmental-stewardship\/fiberglass-vessel-recycling-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rhode Island Fiberglass Vessel Recycling Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dbw.parks.ca.gov\/?page_id=28768\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnr.wa.gov\/programs-and-services\/aquatics\/derelict-vessels\/vessel-turn-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Washington (State) Vessel Turn-In Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oregon.gov\/dsl\/waterways\/pages\/adv.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oregon Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.des.sc.gov\/programs\/bureau-coastal-management\/beachfront-management\/marine-debris\/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">South Carolina Vessel Turn-In Programs<\/a> (run on a sporadic basis, check for opportunities)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For nationwide information on abandoned and derelict vessel programs, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marinedebris.noaa.gov\/resources\/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels-info-hub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marinedebris.noaa.gov\/resources\/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels-info-hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/boats\/what-happens-to-abandoned-vessels\/\">What Happens to Abandoned Boats?<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/\">Boating Mag<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    Morgan Sherburne<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.com\/boats\/what-happens-to-abandoned-vessels\/\">Go to boatingmag<\/a><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Happens to Abandoned Boats? Damaged boats are just one of many hazards left behind after storms. Randy Vance Mike Provost was boating with his family one day when they saw a disintegrating boat tied up to a tree on the shore of Long Creek, one of the hundreds of creeks threading through the Virginia [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5157,126,148],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-14566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-august-september-2025","category-boatingmag","category-boats","tag-boatingmag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14566"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14566\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}