blue jacket yacht abandoned new jersey

Why Abandoned Boats Linger in New Jersey

New Jersey’s coastline, with its picturesque views and rich maritime culture, is grappling with a persistent challenge — abandoned beached boats. These vessels, left to weather the elements, not only mar the natural beauty of the area but also present significant environmental and navigational hazards.

What adds to the mystery of this issue is the seemingly protracted timeframe it takes for authorities to address and remove these abandoned boats.

This became very apparent with the most recent beaching of the Panache around Halloween.

The vessel was gifted to two men from a man from New England who could no longer take care of it.

The ship had no motor and so the pair tried to sail the boat around Cape May Point in the middle of the night and mistakenly beached it. The ship sat for about a month before funds were sent in via the owner to have it removed. (well it caught fire before being removed but it was still removed).

Boat Beached In Sea Isle

In some cases, these ships are left for a few months before they could be removed via owner or city expense.

Let’s delve into the factors contributing to these delays in the removal process.

Navigating Jurisdictional Waters:

One of the foremost reasons for the sluggish removal of abandoned beached boats lies in the intricate web of jurisdictional responsibilities. Coastal areas are a patchwork of federal, state, and local jurisdictions, creating a challenge in coordinating a unified response.

Various agencies, each with its own protocols, priorities, and funding sources, face bureaucratic hurdles that impede a swift removal process. The complexity of jurisdictional tangles often leaves abandoned boats stranded as authorities grapple with determining who should take the lead.

Strained Resources:

Removing abandoned boats isn’t a walk in the park; it demands substantial financial and human resources.

Local and state agencies, grappling with limited budgets allocated for environmental protection and maritime enforcement, find it challenging to promptly address this issue. The result? A backlog of abandoned boats awaiting removal, exacerbated by the additional strain on resources required for specialized equipment and expertise in the boat removal process.

The legal landscape surrounding abandoned boats adds another layer of complexity to the removal process. Determining ownership, liabilities, and the appropriate legal steps for removal is a labyrinthine task.

The absence of clear legislation dedicated to abandoned vessels often leads to legal disputes, further stalling the removal process.

Legal proceedings, notorious for being time-consuming and resource-intensive, contribute to the prolonged presence of these abandoned boats along New Jersey’s shores.

Approaching the removal of abandoned boats requires a delicate balance with environmental concerns. These vessels often carry hazardous materials such as fuel, oil, and pollutants. Authorities must meticulously plan and execute removal operations to minimize the environmental impact.

While this cautious approach is undoubtedly necessary to protect the ecosystem, it inadvertently extends the timeline for removal, as agencies work diligently to mitigate potential harm.

Also See: Royal Hawaiian Motel To Transform into Madison Resorts

Coordination Hiccups:

Efficient removal of abandoned boats necessitates seamless coordination among various stakeholders, including local governments, environmental agencies, and law enforcement. Delays rear their head when communication and collaboration break down, leading to a lack of consensus on the best course of action.

Establishing effective communication channels and collaborative frameworks becomes crucial for streamlining the removal process and preventing the persistence of these maritime eyesores.

Addressing these multifaceted problems requires a concerted effort from federal, state, and local authorities, alongside collaboration with environmental organizations and the community.

Only through a united front can New Jersey hope to swiftly clear its shores of these maritime relics and preserve the pristine beauty of its coastal areas.

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The Top 10 Abandoned and Retired Boats in NYC (and one in New Jersey)

In the days before the modern day MTA , fire department and major roadways, boats and ships served a number of purposes in New York City history. Some boats were simply a means of transportation between boroughs and neighboring states, while others protected New York’s harbors during war. Here is a list of the top ten abandoned and retired boats in New York City (and one in New Jersey!)

10. The Frying Pan

Before the Frying Pan called New York City its home, it was known as Lightship #115 Frying Pan in North Carolina. The lightship was built in 1929 and guarded the Frying Pan Shoals in Cape Fear, which at the time was the site of a number of shipwrecks in history. According to the Frying Pan website , the 15 men lived on the ship from 1930 to 1965. They were assigned to spend three months on the ship and two months on shore, and was a job that was filled with months of boredom followed by minutes of pure fear .”  The ship was subsequently replaced by the Frying Pan Shoals Light Tower from 1966 to 2003 . The Frying Pan was reportedly abandoned for 10 years at an oyster cannery in the Chesapeake Bay, and then sank in 1986.

After it was resurrected,  the now-defunct lightship was sold to its current owners and is docked in front of Pier 66 Maritime Bar and Grill  in Hudson River Park . The ship is currently open to visitors seven days a week from noon to 12 am, and is free to the public.

Next: #9 Waterfront Barge Museum View all on one page

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Luxury Yacht Ship Wreck, Raritan River, New Jersey

This abandoned yacht, just west of the mary murray staten island ferry wreck, apparently once belonged to the shah of iran.   this ship is located on the south bank of the raritan river in east brunswick nj..

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Hoboken to remove some abandoned boats that have been there since Superstorm Sandy

Shipwrecked boats, some of which have been in a cove bordering weehawken and hoboken for nearly a decade, will be an eyesore no more come monday..

News 12 Staff

Apr 29, 2022, 9:08 AM

Updated 848 days ago

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Abandoned Vessels

What is an abandoned vessel.

A vessel is considered abandoned if it has remained moored, grounded, docked, or otherwise attached or fastened to any public land or waterway or any private property without consent for more than 30 days.

The following scenarios may permit a vessel to be identified as abandoned.

• A boat marina or storage facility has a customer who has not made a storage or maintenance payment in over 30 days without an alternate arrangement having been made with the storage facility.
• A private property owner who has found a vessel on their land without the property owner’s consent, and the vessel has been there for more than 30 days.
• A municipality locates a vessel partially or completely submerged or grounded on its beaches, roads or waterways.

How to obtain an Abandoned Vessel title

A landowner on whose property an abandoned vessel is located, or a municipality, harbor commission, or other entity having jurisdiction over the area in which an abandoned vessel is located, may institute proceedings to acquire the title to an abandoned vessel.

The Abandoned Vessel Disposition Law (N.J.S.A. 12:7c-7 et seq.,) provides property owners with a mechanism for legal acquisition and disposition of vessels abandoned upon their property; however, this is not a substitute for the settlement of disputes between the property owner and vessel owner.

• If the vessel is less than 12 feet long, upon acceptance of a properly completed packet, the MVC will issue a non-titled proof of ownership receipt in the applicant’s name, which will allow the vessel to be registered.

The Instructions to Implement the Abandoned Vessel Disposition Law packet is available online.  The packet contains several forms (OS/SS-66; OS/SS-65; DO-22; DO-11A; and OS/SS-64) with a total of 16 pages.  If you choose to download the packet, ensure you have all the forms and correct number of pages.  If you need assistance, you may call the MVC’s Abandoned Title Unit at 609-292-6500 ext. 5069; or submit an email to [email protected] .

You may also call the MVC if you want a packet mailed to you.  Although a packet may be requested and sent to your through the mail or by email, you must submit original paperwork and the required fees only through the mail.  Checks or money orders should be made payable to the NJMVC, in accordance with the amounts noted on the forms contained in the packet.

Submit the packet to:

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Special Titles - Abandoned Title Unit 225 East State Street PO Box 017 Trenton, New Jersey 08666-0017

Congers yacht mystery solved in NJ

The mystery surrounding an abandoned boat that washed ashore on New Jersey's Long Beach Island last week has been solved.

New Jersey State Police said they've located the owner of the Mel Rae, a Silverton cruising yacht that bore the hometown of Congers, New York.

While that had once been true, police said the vessel had recently been sold by a Rockland owner to West Virginia resident Ricky Adkins.

New Jersey State Trooper Alejandro Goez said Adkins was out boating last week when he encountered mechanical trouble and didn't think he would make it to shore because of the strong tides.

EARLIER STORY: Congers yacht washes ashore in NJ, police stumped

He said Adkins anchored the boat in the the waters of Little Egg Inlet, went to shore on a good samaritan's boat and tried to make arrangements to have the boat towed, which didn't work out.

"He assumed the boat was still there, but the tides took it away," Goez said.

Officials found the boat washed up on the beach on Tuesday and arranged to have it towed away themselves.

"It was an unusual situation, but there wasn't anything suspicious," the trooper said. "And it wasn't like he purposely left it there. He was just unfamiliar with the area."

Goez said the boat is now in Long Beach Township Public Works Yard, awaiting Adkins' arrival to claim it.

MORE WATER MYSTERIES:

On the Water: 'Ghost ship' floats in Mamaroneck Harbor On the Water: Spooky stories of Rockland's lakes

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BLUE JACKET Yacht Video

33.53m  /  110' | de vries lentsch | 1958 / 1999.

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See the eerie graveyard of WWII-era ships off N.J. coast (VIDEO)

• Updated: Mar. 31, 2016, 5:55 p.m.
• | Published: Mar. 31, 2016, 4:55 p.m.
• Craig McCarthy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Just off the New Jersey coast, lies the skeletons of forsaken ships, sunken and stuck in coastal mud -- a few more than a century old.

Out of view while driving across the Outerbridge Crossing, the closest span to site, sits the abandoned Arthur Kill Ship Graveyard on the Staten Island side of the tidal strait, dividing New Jersey and New York.

But thanks to Chad Aaronson, also known as Jersey Drone on social media , his eerie drone footage shows the afterlife of a number of deteriorating tugboats, decommissioned steam-powered ferries, wooden barges and other old ships at different states of submerged.

"I've always been intrigued by abandoned places," Aaronson, a Freehold resident, told NJ Advance Media on what motivated him to make the trek out to the forgotten area. "I love exploring places that not many people know about or even want to know about."

And Aaronson said one day he just stumbled upon the site while browsing Google Maps.

"[I] noticed what looked like 'junk' sitting in murky waters," he said. "To some, that is probably what it still looks like. But to me, I saw ships that, at one time, were things of beauty."

The graveyard, which sits less than 20 miles from the city that never sleeps, is a time capsule to an era just after World War II when it once operated as a marine scrapyard across from Tufts Point in Carteret.

But due to an overwhelming number of once-sea-worthy vessels, ship-breakers gave up on the unsuccessful effort tearing down the abandoned boats, leaving the ones that remained to rust.

The now partial-sunken maritime museum was originally known as the Witte Marine Scrap Yard.

Aaronson said what he saw last year when taking his aerial drone tour of the graveyard was "once pride and joys, lying in muck, stripped of their shiny brass and electronics, just sad hunks of metal left to rot."

A documentary of the grave yard, "Grave Of Arthur Kill,"  calls the site a "glimpse into the city's maritime history that you won't find on any tourist map." The 32-minute doc made in 2014 offers gorgeous up-close views of the decaying ships.

However, the reason why the boat boneyard isn't marked for travelers is that it's inaccessible to the public. The debris filled land on Staten Island side of the Arthur Kill is clearly marked with signs reading  "No Trespassing," according to Wired.

The 24-acre property is currently held by the Donjon Marine Company , which is part dredging company, whose owner Arnold J. Witte  calls the area one of the largest collections of old ships, according to WNYC.

Witte, the son of John J. Witte who started the scrapyard, says the location is closed off to the public due to safety concerns, the report says.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter  @createcraig . Find NJ.com on  Facebook .   

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