A solution for derelict boats!

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by cappy208

I’m not a lawyer. But this is probably a 4th amendment violation. Unless the state is a ‘stop and ID’ state, it is illegal to demand the IDs of anyone ‘unless the police have ‘reasonable, articulable suspicion’ you have/are (or are about to) commit a crime. This is related to ‘motor vehicle laws’ in each state.

Then get the name and address off the boat registration.

I think people are really missing the point.

[Leighpilot]

When the police ask for your ID ,will they say “ Papers Please “ and be wearing black uniforms ? Yeah , no. Hard pass on demanding personal ID. Check the boats ID by all means. But if it’s legally anchored leave it be. Or change the law.

[notoldbilbo]

It may not have relevance to States in the US or Australia, but here in England we have a company called 'BoatBreakers' which disposes of old, unwanted boats. https://www.boatbreakers.com/


Its associated company, 'BoatScrapyard', markets usable items of chandlery recycled/repurposed from some of the above.... and other sources.... usually at a significant discount on new. https://tinyurl.com/433suwyh


There may be the bones of a business model there....

[Spring-Fever]

A solid idea, for sure. Except for the legal matter of requesting an ID from someone where there is no probable cause that a crime or vehicle violation is taking place.


"You are only expected to identify yourself to Florida law enforcement officers (police officers and Sheriff's deputies) when you are stopped on suspicion of a crime or a traffic violation. If you don't have identification documents, you may choose to remain silent."

[AA3JY]

At least one county in Fl is doing something…

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Then get the name and address off the boat registration.

I think people are really missing the point.

1) That presumes a registration
2) #1 presumes a current registration

I'm just guessing, as I'm not among that population, but I'd bet that the problem boats may not have ANY registration (even USCG), or if they did, that it's lapsed, perhaps several owners ago.

As a now-ex cruiser, we used to leave our boat unattended for weeks at a time while we were land cruising. Admittedly it likely looked better than the typical derelict, but that aside there was nothing to indicate that it wasn't one of "those" boats. How I could be assured that nobody would, after seeing no person approach, let alone BE ABOARD, declare our home derelict and seize and destroy it, boggles the mind.

No easy answers...

[Be Free]

It does not really matter if the registration is current or not. The last registration documents the owner - from a legal standpoint. "I gave it away to some guy five years ago" is not going to cut it.


Once it is registered to you it is yours until you legally transfer it to someone else. In the long run it's a lot cheaper and a lot less work to make sure that the ownership of the vessel is properly transferred than it is to try to argue long after the fact that you don't really own it any more.