A marina in Gosport has become a dumping ground for dumped boats. The problem of owners leaving a boat to rot in a boatyard is a growing issue.

The marina is a stone throw away from St Vincent college and Explosion museum. The area of water known as Forton lake has been a hot spot for abandoned boats in recent years. This is due to it being a quiet corner of the harbour, only accessible on the top of the tide.

Owner’s Dissapearing

There may also be an element of naivety from the marina as boat owners could have pulled the wool over their eyes about their plans for the boat. Many owners disappear off of the face of the earth once they lose interest in the boat.

The boats are not always being abandoned with intent. Sometimes boat owners may fall on unexpected hard times either personally or financially. When trouble sets in the first thing to go is usually the boat. We often hear of family members inheriting a boat that they have no interest in after a loved one passes.

Boats have been getting Dumped

Whilst speaking to the local news reporter a spokesperson said, ‘These boats have been getting dumped in the area for the past couple of years – but recently it has got out of hand.

‘There is one that is rotting away and a total of six boats that have just been abandoned. With one of them we have even had a huge fuel leak. For people to think that they can simply get away with this is just idiotic.’

The main problem facing the boatyard now in removing these dumped boats is the cost to have them removed. It should be the boat owner’s responsibility to pay the disposal bill for their boat.

Deliberately Destroyed

‘We have this beautiful corner of Gosport to use and that is being deliberately destroyed – it’s infuriating’ added the spokesman.

Another spokesperson continued, ‘We have a licence for this area so the boats aren’t being fly-tipped, but they are being dumped and abandoned here by clients – we’ve already lost more than £6,000 because of it.

‘We’ve passed on all the information we have to the Queen’s Harbour Master, but there isn’t much we can do except pay for somebody to take them away, which we can’t afford as a charity.’

A National Issue

This isn’t just a local issue. There are boats being dumped in every harbour, boatyard, marina, river and canal in the UK. And the developing national problem will be who will pay for the boat’s disposal.

Read the Portsmouth news article: Here

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