Boatbreakers team surrounded by derelict boats. If it’s not dealing with derelict boats at work it’s seeing them in our spare time.
We are surrounded by boats as the majority of the Boatbreakers team live in Gosport. Whether it’s whilst at work, at home, or out and about around town we’re never far away from them. From nice boats worth thousands of pounds to derelict boats.
On a recent dog walk around one of the local parks (Gosport Park) we noticed how many boats now lay derelict in the water. The water next to the park is an offshoot from Portsmouth harbour. Therefore it is a quiet backwater area where people have always chosen to dump boats. Even as a child it was commonplace to see old boats left on the shorelines there.
Taxpayers’ Money
If Gosport Borough council ever did decide to clean up the area, which ultimately they should do. It would be using council taxpayers money to clear the old boats away. Furthermore, this means that everyone in the area will have to pay the price for irresponsible boat owners actions. The registration processes for owning a boat are pretty non-existent. People know they can dump a derelict boat and get away with it.
In the space of around 400 metres of shoreline at Gospel Park around eight boats are visible at high tide. One of those is a wreck which just pokes out of the water. When the tide is down a few more boats reveal themselves as they sit covered in mud on the stones.
National Problem with Derelict Boats
Now, this is just one quiet corner of Portsmouth harbour. All over the UK, this problem is replicated.
It’s not only waterways people abandon boats. We also collect many boats from peoples gardens and driveways. In some cases people have sold homes with an old boat still sat in the garden and left the new owner to foot the bill.
Gosport Park is a good example of a place where people will commonly walk past and not even notice the derelict boats are there. As they have been sat there for so long. When people realise that eight abandon boats could cost more than 8 to £10,000 to clear using their tax hopefully they start to see them as a problem.
