Diary of a derelict

Published 6:00 am Saturday, December 23, 2006

How one nuisance vessel created a month of problems.

They say the two best days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

Whether the adage held true for the former owner of the 53-foot Chris Craft “Dock Holiday” that went down in Eagle Harbor recently, only he can say.

Logs kept as part of the state’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program tell the ship’s tale, which ended with a glug. The following synopsis of the log is an example of the process endured by boat owners, neighbors, the harbormaster and harbor commissioners as they deal with troubled vessels.

Oct. 30: “Dock Holiday” drags anchor in Eagle Harbor. Officials scramble to determine boat’s owner, eventually finding that it was purchased at auction for $25 last May. Phone call to registered owner goes unanswered.

Oct. 31: Neighbors note that two additional boats are now tied to Chris Craft. Harbor commissioners search, but find no one around. Second voice mail is left with “Dock Holiday” owner. It is soon learned that owner’s son – who says he has poured about $5,000 into repairing the boat – came to live aboard in Eagle Harbor three weeks earlier, after being unable to find moorage elsewhere. Son reportedly commutes to work in Seattle by skiff.

Nov. 1: Owner is told by his son he must leave harbor in 10 days, having already exhausted 20 of maximum 30 days allowed for temporary moorage.

Nov. 13: Call to Bainbridge Police says boat is sinking; caller sounds drunk. Report turns out to be accurate: “There was a couple feet of water above the sole. Both gusher pumps going full blast,” official log shows. Two police officers, three firemen, boat’s owners, harbormaster and volunteer tow boat – and second vessel tied to it, with intoxicated person aboard – to city dock to finish pumpout.

Nov. 14: Official papers for state’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program are filed.

Nov. 15: Owners informed they will be ticketed for non-payment of moorage fees – 48 hours max, $0.25 per foot per day. Call received from another harbormaster who knows of “Dock Holiday.” “It sank here two years ago, and the owner skipped out on us,” he says. “We auctioned the vessel off to the on-site boat yard owner, who patched it up. Don’t know much about the vessel after that.”

Nov. 17: After spending three days at city dock, boat is re-anchored in harbor. Promptly begins to sink again. Police, firefighters and harbormaster tow boat to beach next to city dock. Owner refuses to leave vessel, assuring authorities there is no fuel in boat’s tanks.

Nov. 18: Harbor commissioner reports seeing sheen coming from boat. Boom is deployed but isn’t enough to contain spill. “Went to Washington State Ferries and borrowed three more bundles of oil absorbent boom and surrounded the boat,” official log says.

Concerned neighbor writes to city: “I don’t think this sunken, tarp-covered visual is what island taxpaying folks envision for the future of Waterfront Park. When vessels go down, they share the oils, fuels and other toxins in their vessels with our marine waters.”

Nov. 20: Boat is reported as blocking public dock. Man thought to be boat’s owner now denies vessel is actually his. Meanwhile, derelict vessel removal report is completed.

Nov. 24: Another report that boat is dragging anchor.

Nov. 28: Call comes in saying owner has used skiff to tow boat toward Tacoma. More mishaps ensue: “Skiff swamped, Coast Guard called,” official log says. “Owner towed to Elliott Bay Marina, is later hospitalized for hypothermia and maybe carbon monoxide poisoning. He signed the vessel over to (state Department of Natural Resources) as part of their DVRP efforts.”

Nov. 30: City forwards expenses to DNR in hopes of reimbursement. Total cost to city to deal with “Dock Holiday” sinking in Eagle Harbor: $1,029.