If anyone would like to take on a real project boat, there's an old ketch that is currently adrift and aground about 100 feet from the boss's private dock. It had been anchored out around 500 yards away for about two weeks. No sign of life on it. Yesterday we had a steady 20-25 knot wind from the southwest that finally broke the ground tackle, apparently. It came barreling down, aimed straight at our dock.
I called 9-1-1 and told the dummy at the other end there was a 50-70 foot sailboat drifting down on us and the cops needed to do something.
An hour later, after the apparent wrangling between agencies, first Fish and Wildlife showed up, wandered aimlessly for another 20 minutes before they finally saw the boat (which was sort of hung up on a sandbar). Fifteen minutes later the Jacksonville Sherrif's office showed up, wandered around in circles with the FW boat, looked inside the boat, then, with nothing done, departed at high speed.
I called them on channel 16 and asked them what the H*** they were doing, leaving the boat adrift. They told me 'We aren't authorized to do anything.'
As I've said, I have a temper. I said, "Break, break, break, Coast Guard Jacksonville, this is Ruffian..." and told the Coast Guard what was happening. From that point, we got a little action. Both water cops listened to my complaint to the USCG and immediately were on the radio playing CYA.
The bottom line, according to the USCG, who called me back via landline 4 times, is that there is no 'owner of record' for the boat. It's called the "Lisa K" and was home ported in Miami, FL. My guess is that it was one of the many Dinner Key Derelicts that someone probably just ripped off and brought up here.
Anyway. The boat is there. Anyone who wants a real project boat can lay salvage on her and have her towed somewhere to start the work. I can't tell you anything except the boat is a 50-70 foot ketch, possibly an old ferro cement or homebuilt steel boat (I'm better on ferro cement). The port side, which is all I can see is beat up. THere's a sail sort of blowing around on the foredeck, and the rest ain't wonderful.
Please come and get her. She's yours for nuthin'
Beats having her wind up hard aground in the shallows, or drifting around the St. John's River.
I'm really, truly serious about this. If you want more information, (I don't have too much more, but I can tell you where it is, etc.) leave me a personal message and an email address or phone number. I'll give you the address, etc., and do what I can to help.
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Free Boat, no kiddin'
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