Posted on 09/15/2026 6:29:01 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Dozens of abandoned boats are piling up, sitting, or even sinking to the bottom of Marina del Rey.
"This isn't just a Marina del Rey problem, it's a state problem," said Capt. Sean McCarthy from the nonprofit Catalina Crew. "It starts with someone not paying their slip fee or they owe more than the boat is worth."
Sgt. Time Gannon with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Harbor Operation estimated that at least 40 abandoned boats are sitting in their impounds. He said a lot of the time people can't afford the upkeep.
"I think some people think it would be really great to live on a boat in the Marina, and then a few months down the road they're like, wait a second," Gannon said.
Gannon said that budget cuts, which caused the Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange to lose half of its funding, have complicated removing the boats.
"It does need to go through the process," Gannon said. "It goes through the DMV, the entire lien process."
On top of the cuts, Harbor Operations can work with only one contracted vendor to remove all the boats, leading to a backlog.
McCarthy and Catalina Crew hopes to help alleviate the buildup in Marina del Rey by raising money through private funds and donations to either remove or recycle the boats before they become an environmental hazard.
"Our goal, eventually, is to have people call us before it gets to the abandonment time," McCarthy said. "Some are hoarder-ish where there's a lot of stuff piled up."
Deputies said they are listening to concerns and working as quickly as they can.
"There's a lot that goes into it," Gannon said. "It's not a simple process at all."
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If you don’t want your boat anymore, why not leave it parked on the street with the keys in it? *SMIRK*
Sinking in Marina del Rey....man you better get a job
Translation: Private impound yards won’t take the boats because the state screws them on payments.
On top of the cuts, Harbor Operations can work with only one contracted vendor to remove all the boats, leading to a backlog.
Why?
Here’s the problem, in writing.
Why only 1 vendor?
Cue George Strait.
Follow the money on that. Money needs to flow through a single path - a contractor that can't get the job done.
The Golden State is just falling apart in so many ways, big and little.
It’s a Florida problem too. We’re always seeing wrecks by Coconut Grove Marina.
You know the saying: The two best days in a boat-owner’s life are the day he buys it and the day he finally gets rid of it.
A hole in the water where all of the money goes.
Holes in the water into which you throw money.
Boat ownership is like standing naked in an ice cold shower while tearing up $100 bills.
L
Better yet, donate it to The Salvation Army..........not Goodwill.............
The back story is that marinas are canceling the slips for lack of insurance by the boat owners. The reason for no insurance is because insurance companies are refusing to renew policies for older boats. And if a boat is uninsurable it is impossible to sell because you cant rent a slip without it. So people just quit paying for the slip and abandon the boat and let the marina deal with it.
The back story is that marinas are canceling the slips for lack of insurance by the boat owners. The reason for no insurance is because insurance companies are refusing to renew policies for older boats. And if a boat is uninsurable it is impossible to sell because you cant rent a slip without it. So people just quit paying for the slip and abandon the boat and let the marina deal with it.
How ‘bout a “Boats for kids” TV ad with the fake band playing a fake song.
Only one vendor to handle the issue, so there is a back log? I smell grubby hands and silent money.
Let the military take them and use them for target practice out at sea.
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