How long is a boat under water before it can be "salvaged"?

[treasurehunters2]

When a boat sinks when is it "fair game" to be claimed as salvage and taken in whole or in part? I am asking specifically about in and in the waters of Florida. Does anyone know?

[ScubaDude]

You might be able to approach it under the FL derelict vessel program.

http://myfwc.com/boating/DerelictVes...RemoveDerelict

http://myfwc.com/boating/grants/derelict.htm

Welcome to Tnet, I hope this helps.

[treasurehunters2]

Your links hold a world of information. Thank you very much!!
Happy hunting....

[FISHEYE]

A boat doesnt have to sink to be salvage.it can be beached on a sandbar or island or the beach.also a boat can be considered salvage if it breaks anchor.but if a boat is at anchor and it sinks.as long as that anchor is still attached to the boat.its not salvage.but if that anchor becomes disconected somehow,then its salvage.

[ScubaDude]

That sounds like the B$ definition that some of the assistance towing guys use to hose your insurance. You think your covered for your $130 a year then they claim salvage for an "ungrounding".

[FISHEYE]

Brad,

Sea tow an tow boat can only handle the easy jobs.they dont do any salvage work.a prime example was the deep venture on the island.the sea tow operator in the area wouldnt touch it.even though we had sea tow insurance.if your boat ends up on a sandbar an they think they can get it off at high tide,they will try.as far as hurricane stuff goes.the real salvage companies do that work for a price of $2500 a day plus expenses.a couple of months ago i watched some kids in a nice 30 foot donzi run it up on that sand bar in front of finns marina at out going low tide.the sea tow guy showed up an asked me how i would get it off.i told him how an he did what i said an got them off.and he charged them around $800 since they didnt have sea tow.it could have been worse.the kids on the donzi were all totally wasted.a small price to pay for a bent prop and staying out of jail.

[stevemc]

If it was me on that Donzi, I would have walked the anchor out to deep water and left it until high tide. I could have waited 6 hours until high tide to save $800.00. But like you said, $800.00 is cheap compared to getting a BUI and jail and all the other stuff that goes with it. And as everyone said, it doesnt have to soak at all, to salvage it. But if you are talking historic age, I think Florida states no taking of any historic artifacts over 50 years old-I think. I know in the Keys, you cannot take any coralline encrusted artifacts. That could be 1 year old. I suppose it is up to the arresting officer to decide.