Myrtle Beach area ICW - I just gotta know...

[rbryn]

We took the boat south to Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach this weekend and really enjoyed the trip (allthough that narrow strip of ICW appropriately named the "rockpile" was a bit nerve racking).

There was one thing that stood out (other than the $1.00 per gallon lower gas prices) in our trip that has just been bugging me.

In NC we can travel from Morehead to the NC/SC line and see very few abandoned vessels... as soon as we cross into SC we see 30'-45' vessels abandoned along the ICW and was astounded at the frequency of them. Between the NC/SC line to Barefoot landing we counted 4 sailboats, and 5 powerboats in lengths greater than 25'. There was a 35'+ catamaran across from cricket cove marina that still had sails, radar and a lifeboat capsule on it...

Is there some strange law in effect in SC that encourages people to abandon thier boats? or is this just some weird coincedence?

We haven't been any further south (yet) but is the rest of the SC ICW the same way?

 

[SidNet]

The 35'+ catamaran across from cricket cove marina has been there for two years. Most of the others showed up over the winter. I keep my boat at Cricket Cove which is a very nice marina. However when we eat at Snooks there at the marina the abandoned boats take away from the view.

 

[rbryn]

ok, thats even more disturbing... it seems that the salvage on that boat alone would be worth someone's trouble. Maybe I'll jsut run back down there and salvage the sails, electronics and liferaft

 

[Hellman Huddle]

I have traveled the entire SC ICW, and the stretch you ran is the worst. WHen you go below the Socastee Swing Bridge all the way to Savannah it is completely different.

 

[SidNet]

I have traveled the entire SC ICW, and the stretch you ran is the worst. WHen you go below the Socastee Swing Bridge all the way to Savannah it is completely different.

+1, From Little River to the Socastee Bridge the waterway is just a big ditch. But once you pass the bridge, it is a beautiful old river. The Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, and Little Pee Dee rivers all join and flow out of Georgetown. I have not taken the trip from Little River to Charlston but have it on my budket list.

 

[rbryn]

From Little River to the Socastee Bridge the waterway is just a big ditch. But once you pass the bridge, it is a beautiful old river. The Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, and Little Pee Dee rivers all join and flow out of Georgetown. I have not taken the trip from Little River to Charlston but have it on my budket list.

That's our next trip I think... from Wilmington to Georgetown or Charleston. glad to hear that it cleans up past myrtle beach

 

[eman369]

Hey RBryn good idea we could be boat brokers?? till johny law says they were stolen thanks for recovering them I need a bigger boat maby I should go get one of those??

 

[Dave S]

I think those boats were abandoned after the owners received their SC personal property tax bills since SC is probably the highest in the nation. :wow:

I have thought about abandoning mine as well a few times after getting my tax bill. :smt043

 

[JediJD]

There has actually been some interesting chatter on this subject. Across the country, there are a surprising number of boats just abandoned and the state DNR's are raising attention to the issue. Just like some people are walking away from houses...people are walking away from boats.

My guess is that all of them have some inherent problem...over capitalized, repairs exceed value, no market...etc., but there is more of this going on than you would think.

 

[eman369]

So is there a recovery program for these boats??

 

[rbryn]

There has actually been some interesting chatter on this subject. Across the country, there are a surprising number of boats just abandoned and the state DNR's are raising attention to the issue. Just like some people are walking away from houses...people are walking away from boats.

My guess is that all of them have some inherent problem...over capitalized, repairs exceed value, no market...etc., but there is more of this going on than you would think.

I think you hit it on the head... a little further digging on google turned this up...http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/01boats.html

 

[jason78]

I think those boats were abandoned after the owners received their SC personal property tax bills since SC is probably the highest in the nation. :wow:

I have thought about abandoning mine as well a few times after getting my tax bill. :smt043

It seems like it but I have lived in NC and trust me, it is a whole different world up there (especially in Meck County)

 

[Sean]

This may shed some light on the subject of abandoned boats in the ICW:

The Sun News, Myrtle Beach SC

Sept 8, 2010



Horry County mulls abandoned boats issue

Horry County Council on Tuesday gave initial approval to an ordinance that will allow the county to take administrative action when a boat is abandoned in area waterways.
The ordinance change comes on the heels of an increasing issue with boats being abandoned in the Intracoastal Waterway in Little River and in waterways surrounding Bucksport.
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources is prosecuting several of the alleged owners of the boats, but in the end does not have the authority to remove them from the waterway.


Read more: http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/09/08/1681074/horry-county-mulls-abandoned-boats.html#ixzz10Y1r2vqu

 

[dtcohen]

what is the logic on just abandoning a boat? It seems like you could just sell it extremely cheap and still come out better than just leaving it somewhere.