Source: Heal the Ocean
Photo by Hillary Hauser.
After grappling with two major boat wrecks on Santa Barbara County beaches in 2021 (and paying MarBorg Industries for the removal of one of them), Heal the Ocean has started this year working to find a solution to the problem. The HTO “Derelict Boat Task Force,” assembled by HTO Field Advisor Harry Rabin, had its first meeting on Monday, January 10, 2022, to discuss potential solutions to this persistent coastal hazard of unattended boats hitting the beach.
The task force has agreed that the issue will need to be addressed using a combination of preventative measures and enforcement. Discussion included evaluation of mooring vs. anchoring and options for non-navigable boats, development and implementation of County ordinances to work with City ordinances for non-navigable boats, need for a population survey on moored and anchored boats to determine the number of boats that serve as shelter for those who would otherwise be unhoused, potential development of an on-demand contract with a towing or vessel assist company to respond to unoccupied drifting boats, and possible installation of a third-party radar system (Protective Seas M2) that would monitor boat movement and alert officials of potentially drifting boats.
The Task Force consists of Kadie McShirley: County Supervisors Office of Sustainability; Todd Van Epps, CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Oil Spill Prevention & Response; Santa Barbara County Supervisor Das Williams; Paul Ricketson, Coast Guard Oil Spill Response & Planning; Erik Engebretson, City of Santa Barbara Harbor Operations Manager; Jon Menzies, Aquatics Coordinator Santa Barbara County Parks; Butch Arnoldi, County Sheriff; Harry Rabin, HTO Chair Task Force; and Hillary Hauser, Executive Director, Heal the Ocean.
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Most photos by Harry Rabin.
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Comments Penalty Box
No Comments deleted due to down vote
2 Comments deleted by Administrator
29 Comments
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Jan 21, 2022 10:54 AMShouldn’t the city be responsible for this ? they have enough employees and managers Should’ve been handled decades ago
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Jan 22, 2022 07:59 AMNot all beaches in the County are in the City. Butterfly Beach, for instance, is in the County.
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Jan 21, 2022 11:04 AMHillary Hauser should get more praise from all corners of SB County. With little fanfare and no political bend she has accomplished more environmental wins for our area in less time than any other individual I can think of.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:46 AMAgreed. For decades. Though I'll also shout out EDC, Bud Bottoms RIP, Robert Sollen RIP, Linda Krop, Phil Seymour (rabbits!), Marc McGinnes and
SO MANY MORE!
So many unspoken heroes; the ones who make things happen by their hard un-glamorous work. I know, I've been one of those in the health non-profit field.
THANK YOU ALL.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:56 AMI left out the CEC and George Relis and *everyone* else associated with CED, though I mentioned Mr. McGinnis.
There are always too many to note!
I was only 8 but I remember the Santa Barbara Oil Spill/Oil Well Blow-Out.
Take note, those who criticize older people as uncaring and inactive.
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Jan 21, 2022 11:16 AMI'm sure that we already have laws and procedures on the books for dealing with abandoned, derelict vessels. Why do we need to have a task force for something already in place?
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Jan 21, 2022 12:57 PMSure there are laws, but many owners whose boats end up trashed on land are the floating homeless and or don’t have funds or insurance. Also the jurisdictions and scope for harbor, city and county is different.
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Jan 21, 2022 01:12 PMSail, fully agree, and btw, that boat was on craigslist for sale...by Matt of course. what a pile. sadly there are several crap boats at fools anchorage, but many good and well kept/attended sailboats and liveaboards.
why are we wasing tax money on this?
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Jan 21, 2022 01:12 PMmesarats jurisdiction and scope are irrelevant when the city and county both double charge us in taxes for the same thing.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:33 AMWe are *spending* tax monies on cleaning up something that needs to be cleaned up. We are not "wasting" tax money on removing derelict boats from the shore.
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Jan 22, 2022 05:03 AMWho is Matt and which boat? Are you saying someone was trying to sell the boat pictured? Before or after it was beached and destroyed?
As someone who donated to the owners of the Sunfish, you made me look that one up again to make sure you weren't referring to it, as I don't keep the names in my head.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/operation-rescue-surfish
I'm no sailor but I'm not stupid, I have a close friend who lived safely in the anchorage for years. I know how stupid people can be. And how stuff can happen.
Still curious who Matt is. If it's private, keep it off this board.
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Jan 22, 2022 10:28 AMA-1642856612, Who is Matt? Do you participate in voting the local elections?
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Jan 22, 2022 12:49 PMI guess people didn't follow the mayoral election very well if they're asking who Matt was.
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Jan 23, 2022 09:10 AMMesarats, Are derelict, abandoned boats to be treated different than a abandoned vehicle left on the streets? When deemed unsafe or pose a danger to the community or environment they should be removed. There are already state laws giving jurisdiction to different agencies to address the problem. All they want to do is collect a paycheck from us and point the finger.
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Jan 23, 2022 07:35 PMCome on, there's more than one Matt in this town, and how are people that aren't harbor/boat types supposed to know that the Matt in question is the king of the derelict boats.
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Jan 24, 2022 12:49 PMALEXBLUE I haven't been inside the Santa Barbara harbor for a dozen or more years. I don't visit the Santa Barbara waterfront or harbor. I live outside of the city limits and don't vote on city matters. I do follow the local elections and such as they impact some investments. I took a wild guess as to the Matt that was being referred to from previous Edhat posts.
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Jan 21, 2022 01:04 PMThe County of Santa Barbara already charges a Personal or a Business Property Tax on all boats that are domiciled within the county. This IS a lot of revenue each year.
The County should step right up and clean up any messes that occur each year without delay. No real additional cost to them since they already have a lot of employees and tractors that are ready to be deployed at a moment's notice AND they are already charging and receiving fees from all boat owners in the area. I guess the big question is: Does Heal the Ocean solely pay for the clean up OR does the County kick in some or pay it all? IF the County does not pay it all, then why not, if they are already collecting related fees from all boat owners? Is this just a tax that goes in their big black hole of spending with no return to local residents and organizations, OR?...
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Jan 21, 2022 01:10 PMYeti. 100% true, thanks for posting.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:37 AMGood questions. They sould be answered by the Couonty.
Someone should explain to us citizens exactly what is already taxed and what is funded in regard to this yearly issue.
Given that, I wholly support Heal the Ocean and their efforts to address and aid this yearly problem.
(gov't. always needs a prod)
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Jan 21, 2022 01:31 PMWrecked boats always make me a little sad. I love boats and everything about them so seeing them "dying" on the beach hits a chord.
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Jan 21, 2022 04:37 PMI guess most of the boat owners won't pay to clean up their mess because they are broke, but someone has to do it - the scavengers can't do it alone! Totally agree with you Blazer - Hillary and HTO are awesome.
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Jan 22, 2022 12:27 PMIt is very expensive to perform mooring overhauls. If boat owner does not perform overhauls, or maintain their anchor hardware, chains/ground tackle/hardware will wear out and break, especially in rough weather. County should possibly require minimum maintenance for moorings and or periodic inspections.
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Jan 22, 2022 01:54 PMHurrah! Massive thanks to all who planned and established this HTO DBTF! Seems like quite a few preventative measures are under consideration, along with improved cleanup procedures. This could bring an end to beached boats not just from Fool's Harbor, but everywhere in the County. Less money spent on cleanup, less pollution for beaches and Channel, and fewer owners losing their boats.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:52 PMEasy to write off as a tax loss. Barring make the owners pay for boat disposal, the only answer in this no-fault climate: move the ocean.
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Jan 24, 2022 12:03 PMI am reposting from YETI: Seems he/she has a very valid point and I have already talked to two city council members about this, they are looking into it and agree it seems like a waste when there is already something in place and already a tax on it.
also, a lot of DV here on very valid posts. probably Matt with multiple accounts DV every post that trashes him lol...
YETI:
The County of Santa Barbara already charges a Personal or a Business Property Tax on all boats that are domiciled within the county. This IS a lot of revenue each year.
The County should step right up and clean up any messes that occur each year without delay. No real additional cost to them since they already have a lot of employees and tractors that are ready to be deployed at a moment's notice AND they are already charging and receiving fees from all boat owners in the area. I guess the big question is: Does Heal the Ocean solely pay for the clean up OR does the County kick in some or pay it all? IF the County does not pay it all, then why not, if they are already collecting related fees from all boat owners? Is this just a tax that goes in their big black hole of spending with no return to local residents and organizations,
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Jan 24, 2022 12:03 PMThe County of Santa Barbara already charges a Personal or a Business Property Tax on all boats that are domiciled within the county. This IS a lot of revenue each year.
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Jan 24, 2022 12:04 PMi sail, i own, i know the laws and regulations. how many of you besides myself and sail360 are actual boaters/yacht owners/sailors?
The County of Santa Barbara already charges a Personal or a Business Property Tax on all boats that are domiciled within the county. This IS a lot of revenue each year.
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Jan 24, 2022 12:10 PMHm, well, personally I'm an owner and a captain but I definitely don't know about who is supposed to dispose of beached/wrecked boats if not the owner.
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Jan 24, 2022 02:32 PMhttps://marinedebris.noaa.gov/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels-info-hub/california