Salmon Harbor seeks out lawyer regarding derelict boats

"We've had a couple of abandoned boats," he said.

"We're just now getting his contract approved so we haven't got anything yet," Stallard said of the attorney at Miller & Nash.

One boat is named the Gypsy Rose and measures 47 feet. The other abandoned one is on shore and is the 35-foot-vessel Tacora.

"We had a commercial boat walk into the harbor and go away," Stallard said, referring to the Gypsy Rose. Staff have tried to contact the owners, finding out exactly whose boat it is, when it was made but to no avail.

Finally harbor staff had to put the boat into storage and Salmon Harbor is paying for that storage. Upon recommendation from one of the two Douglas County attorneys, Salmon Harbor staff is now working with a Portland maritime attorney "until we can get the (vessel) sold or demolished."

The hopeful news out of this is that Salmon Harbor is working with Oregon State Marine Board personnel to get reimbursed after the 47-foot vessel is demolished.

The port master serves as vice president of the Pacific Coast Congress of Harbor Masters & Port Managers Inc., which has a territory spanning from San Francisco to Canada, and "every time the same topic comes up -- derelict and abandoned boats."

A variety of reasons may lead to such instances. For example, someone purchases a vessel, excited about going out to sea for fishing. Then 10 years later that enthusiasm wanes and in the meantime the boat still just sits at Salmon Harbor, deteriorating and the owner owes back moorage fees. Or perhaps an owner passes away, leaving the vessel to his or her spouse but at this point the boat's not worth the moorage.

"Then the harbor's faced with having to get rid of it," he said.

There's also the issue of testing for asbestos or if vessels leak oil or other fluids into the water.

One bit of hope for Salmon Harbor personnel that Stallard is that there's about $10,000 worth of fishing gear on the 35-foot-long commercial boat. In turn, selling this would help with repairs.

Salmon Harbor personnel aren't simply looking at abandoned boats. They also call current owners who are at risk of having vessels that need a lot of upkeep. This comes with teeth.

Stallard said that as of April 1, harbor workers can revoke their moorage privileges "and they have to leave the harbor."

Moorage fees differ on the boat length.

"It could be $1,100 per year. It could be $2,200 a year," he said.

Plus moorage has dropped over time and this is due to more recreationalists hauling their smaller boats on trailers, not storing them at harbors.

The Umpqua Post reached out to one boat owner, Butch Crumm, who had concerns with Salmon Harbor. Crumm couldn't be reached for comment by deadline. Supposedly Crumm was going to email a note to the Umpqua Post outlining his case against the port. As of Jan. 31, the newspaper still hadn't received a phone call or the correspondence.