Source: Northland Regional Council
Northland’s harbourmaster’s office is warning those keen to do up ageing boats to think carefully about the effort – and costs – involved.
Northland Regional Council Deputy Harbourmaster Peter Thomas says the council’s maritime department disposes of an average of one boat per month somewhere in Northland, many of which had initially been bought as cheap ‘doer-uppers’.
“Many vessels that were built between the 1960s and 1980s are coming to the end of their life and are sold at ever reducing prices as owners seek to limit their liability and offload what can effectively be a costly and time-consuming problem for unwary purchasers.”
He says vessels are sold to people – many on a budget – who are then unable to keep up with the costs of maintaining the vessel to a seaworthy standard.
“A lot of money can be spent on getting one of these vessels into good condition but even then you still have an old vessel that requires a lot of maintenance.”
Mr Thomas says in the interests of navigation safety and keeping the environment clean, the council has an annual budget of $95,000 for debris disposal.
This budget helps with the costs of disposing of hazards to navigation such as trees, logs and other items that end up in our harbours.
“However, by far the biggest cost is that associated with the identification and process of removing abandoned and derelict vessels which are being left to rot in mooring fields and our waterways.”
He says these vessels range in size from a modest seven or eight metres to large ex-commercial vessels of more than 20 metres in length.
The cost of removing, cleaning and disposing of is generally related to size and the construction type of the vessel; they end up at either the scrap metal dealer or the landfill. Occasionally if a vessel is still in reasonable condition they will be sold on Trade Me to offset costs.
Mr Thomas says if an owner is known, or the vessel still insured, the council will look to recover its costs – which can be considerable. “The owner is fully liable for costs that the council may incur in dealing with their vessel.”
He says the issue of older boats being sold at cheap prices is an international problem that many countries are struggling with in an effort to keep their waterways clear and clean.
“So before you commit to what looks like the bargain of the century make sure you get the vessel inspected and get a good understanding from experienced vessel owners the many costs associated with purchasing a vessel especially one that is old and requires a lot of work.”