They are of course an eyesore, but abandoned and derelict vessels (officially known as ADVs) do more than just look bad. They can leak chemicals like fuel and oil into waterways. They can drift away and damage sensitive habitat or block a channel. Fiberglass does not rot away, and can linger in a waterway for an eternity.
And they are not easy to remove. However, local environmental groups are taking on this challenge, and they are on course to remove 100 ADVs from Hampton Road’s waterways during the next year.
According to Karen Forget, Executive Director of Lynnhaven River Now (LRNow), they started with a list of over 200 local abandoned or derelict boats. They have narrowed that down to 100 vessels they are in the process of removing. There are numerous boats left behind in Willoughby Bay, some causing noticeable issues. One Willoughby Bay boat is partially jammed into a culvert. A sailboat has washed up by the Navy’s helicopter pads. In the North Landing River, a 63-foot two-masted sailing vessel is way too close to a bridge.
Getting these vessels out of the water is a process, in both paperwork and the physical removal itself. “It takes about a year to get full approval,” said Forget. “We have to try to identify the vessel owner. If we cannot contact them, we have to advertise.”
Ownership of the property where the vessel is sitting has to be dealt with as well. The water site could be under local, state, or federal jurisdiction. “Our removal plan has to be approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as well as the Virginia State Historic Preservation Office,” she added.
And there is also the physical disposal of the vessels themselves. Sadly, fiberglass boats are not readily recyclable. Forget noted that Lynnhaven River Now recycles any materials they can from these boats, like metal railings and fixtures. After that, the boats are crushed and put into a landfill.
Forget noted that it is a lot of work to remove some vessels. They use inflatable bags, pumps, divers, cranes, and barges in the process. It will take contractor assistance to remove the masts and the engine from the 63-foot vessel in the North Landing River. Then it will be towed.
LRNow is also working on prevention of these vessels languishing in waterways to begin with. There is no cost-effective, readily available way for boat owners to dispose of non-serviceable recreational vessels in Virginia.
Forget said, “People who abandon boats are not bad people, they just don’t know what else to do. We want to learn more about why people abandon their boats. Economics is a big factor, but what else? How did they come to the decision of where and when to abandon their boat?“
Funding for the project came from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. At the moment, they have final approval for the removal of 35 of the 100 vessels funded. Approval for a second batch is pending. Also participating in the project are the Elizabeth River Project and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program.
In their effort to learn more about ADVs, LRNow has an online survey for boat owners. Previous boat owners can take it as well. The survey results will be a big help in reducing future ADVs. Results may lead to programs that help boat owners dispose of unwanted boats. Any boater or past boater can take the survey here.
