If you are a US vessel owner, you may wonder what the procedure is for dumping a boat, whether it is no longer seaworthy or the proprietor has chosen to move on. Whether you already have a customer in mind and are just trying to close the deal or just seeking to unload your craft will determine the best course of action. You can rapidly find a buyer for your boat by listing it on one of the many websites that cater to boat buyers.
You can list information about your yacht on most of these sites, such as pictures, its position, and its present state. Similarly, some of these marketplaces facilitate posting bids for acquiring specific ships. You may find a customer fast through this method if your asking price is similar to other offers on the site. Guidelines for disposing of a U.S. Vessel are presented here.
Make Sure To Remove Hazardous Materials
First, we have to eliminate all the potentially dangerous stuff on board. Batteries, gasoline, and other combustible or otherwise hazardous materials fall into this category. Before removing a gasoline canister from a watercraft, it must be drained, as doing so is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The next step is to visit the Coast Guard to inquire about the expense of an out-of-service examination and the proper disposal of any pollution control equipment. (Which are often expensive). A rough estimate of the cost of watercraft disposal can be derived from this.
When discarding a vehicle with gasoline or dangerous materials on board, the Coast Guard will provide you with a form to complete; retain a duplicate of this document in case they inquire about it.
Find the Right Recycler for Your US Vessel
This is the essential stage in the process, as it will determine how much it will cost and how long it will take to complete. It would help if you made sure that the company you go with is willing to deal with the specific vessel you have, whether that means they can recycle all of its components or they have a simple way to get rid of those components that cannot be recycled.
Either way, you want to ensure they will do business with you. Doing some investigation on the internet is the most effective method to identify a company that can be of assistance to you.
Research the businesses in your region to find out which ones specialize in salvaging containers and which don’t, and then choose one of each. This should help you narrow down which ones can handle your project without adding any additional trouble or uncertainty to the process.
Make Sure You’re Doing It Legally
There are a lot of regulations that influence our daily existence in the United States. We have a revenue structure, guidelines for operating motor vehicles, and rules for removing unwanted watercraft. Disposal of boats is governed by Title 33, Part 160 of the Code of Federal Regulations, administered by the United States Coast Guard. (CFR).
In most instances, you must inform the relevant state and federal authorities that you intend to dispose of your US vessel. There are two methods for accomplishing this: The initial step is called “abandonment.”
You must give a call or radio transmission to the closest Coast Guard station if you leave your boat at sea or if it will be abandoned there (for example, by submerging). If there’s an issue with your complaint, they’ll need a way to contact you, so please provide your name, location, and phone number.
Get Rid Of Personal Belongings and Paperwork
To prepare your US vessel for sale, you must first remove all your possessions. It would help if you got off the watercraft with all your belongings, including all forms of documentation like visas, driver’s licenses, and birth certificates. You should also throw away any medicine and patient documents associated with your practice.
All potentially hazardous materials must be taken from the vessel and disposed of appropriately. This applies to gasoline, oil, and various household cleaners. Equipment with distinguishing symbols, such as life vests and any papers, including instruction guides and records, must also be removed.
In most cases, a sailboat broker will take care of getting rid of these things when they sell the boat, but you should verify this before signing on the dotted line.
We’re here to answer all your questions about the process for disposing of a US vessel. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us at the Maritime Documentation Center today.