Mooring fees have increased $50 to cover the costs or removing abandoned boats from Auckland's waters. Photo / Supplied
Mooring fees have increased $50 to cover the costs or removing abandoned boats from Auckland's waters. Photo / Supplied
Hundreds of ghost ships litter Auckland's waters and require recovery, costing ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Auckland Harbourmaster Andrew Hayton said when he started in the role over eight years ago they were plucking about half a dozen abandoned ships out of the water a year.
Last year itwas 23.
The costs are increasing too. Last year his team, part of Auckland Transport, spent $135,000 hauling the unloved vessels out of Auckland's waters and disposing of them.
He estimates there could be as many as 200 abandoned boats in the area currently.
The abandoned vessels had all been left on moorings, and typically had been built in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was more popular for people to build their own boats, Hayton said.
Most were built with rudimentary materials, and the owner had likely since died.
"But the vessels still might hold a sentimental value to the children or grandchildren, and hence these boats just sit there, nobody wanting to get rid of them, until they fall into a state of disrepair, or are forgotten about."
The number of abandoned boats in the waters surrounding Auckland is increasing. Photo / Supplied
In other cases the boats might be sold for what looks like a bargain, until the new owner realised how much work it took to repair and maintain.
As these vessels aged them being abandoned was increasing and it was difficult to identify owners, Hayton said.
While the moorings were registered, there was no boat registration in New Zealand.
"Some people put dead boats onto moorings to dump them, so it is quite easy to shirk responsibility."
There was no typical process, rather the harbourmaster's team would take note of what looked like an abandoned boat, and seek to find the owner.
"It is quite easy to tell when they've been abandoned. There might be excessive growth on it, seagulls nesting, or even trees growing on them. They can be real eyesores."
If the owner could not be identified, under the Maritime Act they were required to place a notice on the vessel, an advertisement in the Herald, and contact police.
Harbourmaster Andrew Hayton says it is "easy to tell" when a boat has been abandoned. Photo / Supplied
If no owner came forward they would then seek to sell the vessel, but if it was beyond repair they would salvage what they could and dispose of the rest.
The process could cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars up to $30,000, the higher figure especially if the boat had sunk, as it would require divers.
There were about six boats going through that process now, but about 200 throughout Auckland's waters Hayton and his team are keeping an eye on.
Hayton said rather than simply abandoning boats owners should get in touch with the harbourmaster.
"The onus is on boat owners to keep their vessels seaworthy. But we understand people can fall on hard times, or people pass away and the boat be left with others.
"If you are unable to look after it, please just get in touch with us and we'll do what we can to help.
"Getting onto it sooner you might be able to recover some costs, whereas leaving it will end up costing more money."
Auckland Yacht and Boating Association chair Ian Clouston said a lot of boats were abandoned because the costs of maintaining them were so high.
"You might be looking at 15 to 20 per cent of the boat's value in maintenance a year, so with rising living costs and berthing fees some people simply can't afford it."
Selling boats was also more difficult these days, with them being classed as "luxury items".
He urged people to get onto the problem sooner than later, rather than abandoning them on random moorings.
"It is very irresponsible, and if you don't know the strength of the mooring the boat could be blown off in a storm."
