MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Derelict boats is an issue that is affecting all of South Florida's coast. Thanks to the cost of living, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said they're seeing more and more of them, and Martin County Commissioners are cracking down on it.
Derelict vessels are boats that sit idle in waterways with two or more violations, which could include no motor, no mast, open windows, leaking fuel, etc. They're often, but not always, abandoned.
They've long been a problem in the county and along South Florida's coast, posing navigational hazards or by leaking pollutants, like fuel or battery acid, into the environment.
Lately, with the cost of living rising, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said they've seen more and more homeless people parking derelict vessels in county waterways or inhabiting already idle boats.
"We’ve seen a tremendous increase, actually, throughout the county," Lt. Michael Dougherty, a special operations deputy with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, said."You’ll have vagrants squatting on the boat, it falling apart, there have been several instances where the boats have come loose and ran into the docks.”
WPTV has reported on that before. In November, seven boats broke loose in the Jensen Beach causeway, wreaking havoc on other boats and the boat ramp's dock. While not all were tethered incorrectly, Chief Deputy John Budensiek told WPTV's Kate Hussey it highlighted the danger of derelict vessels.
Weeks later, in December, gusting winds sent abandoned vessels crashing into docks and other boats.
"There’s just too much hazard involved with them," Stuart angler Giles Murphy said.
To help with the issue, Martin County Commissioners created mooring fields at Manatee Pocket and the Jensen Beach Causeway to help control where boats can moor and make sure the vessels are up to code and complying with regulations.
"So they’re not sinking, they’re not falling apart," Dougherty said.
On Tuesday, commissioners also amended the county ordinance to give the Harbormaster, and thus law enforcement, more power in cracking down on boats that aren't supposed to be in the mooring fields.
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Deputies have the authority to tow away any boat that has two or more violations, and has not been touched for 21 days after getting tagged as a derelict vessel.
"As a result, people are moving, they’re moving their boats, they're moving them away from docks, from marinas," Dougherty said.
Still, getting rid of the eyesores is a somewhat lengthy, and costly problem.
Once a boat is considered derelict, deputies can tag it and try to get in touch with the owner to either bring the boat up to code or move it. After 21 days, if nothing changes, deputies hire Sea Tow to move and dispose of the boat, but that can be expensive and often falls on taxpayers.
"It can be anywhere from $6,000 to upwards of astronomical amounts of money," Dougherty said.
The county does apply for grant money through the Florida Inlet Navigation District, which helps with the cost.
However, what isn't covered by grants is absorbed by the county, and for Murphy, who owns Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle, it's a cost that can fall on his shoulders, too.
"This time of year is our busiest this time of year with the snowbirds making their way down,"Murphy, who depends on the tourists to make money, said. "A lot of them are seeing these derelict boats and being like, 'What's up with these boats?' It's a real eyesore. The attraction of our waters to anglers to get out there and fish, and tourists and stuff, I mean, we need to keep it looking good."
So far, Dougherty said the new system is working to better control the floating communities that seem to be forming on South Florida's waters.
With the cost of living rising, and neighborhoods moving from shore to sea, Dougherty said controlling their growth is key.
"Establish rules or guidelines that we're gonna go by to keep everybody safe," Dougherty said.
Dumping a derelict vessel and failing to comply with law enforcement is a crime, and can be punishable by arrest or fines, according to Florida State Statutes.