Salvage/recovery laws of Florida

[Keysbum]

Anyone know what the boat (under 18 ft) salvage laws for Florida are? Its not too old, maybe 10 years but sitting in shallow water and has not been there long. If there is a good website that would help only ones I've found would need a lawyer to understamd.

[FISHEYE]

From what i have heard,is that you can salvage any modern boat,raise it up,but you must keep it in storage for 90 days,try and locate the owner,if the owner wants it back he has to pay you 10% of whatever the boat is worth,if not,you get to keep it.but i havent found this in writeing anywhere for laws in the state of florida,this is what the volusia county police dept told me,if you find out any more info on this subject i would like to know,theres lots of sunk motor boats as well as some large sailboats in the intercoastal waterways both on the west and east coasts mainly from the hurricanes ,all up for grabs,if you know how to re float a boat

[rgecy]

Why not try to locate the owners first, see if you can have the rights to it or if they will pay you to recover it! Other wise you're setting yourself up for a loss. You get the boat out of water and it's only worth a grand, so you get a hundred bucks! It has probably been written off and no one cares.

Godd luck with it!

Robert in SC

[wreckdiver1715]

After the hurricanes finished ravaging the Florida coast this year, helicopters flew up and down the intercostal and counted some 63 sunken vessels in Brevard County alone. Within a few days there was a barge pulling boats off the bottom and off the shore lines. These Salvage companies were expending lots of money in this effort. But not to worry, they stand to make lots more money. They have a responsibility to try to locate the owners after the salvage, and they don?t need permission to perform the salvage. They will place a maritime lien against the boats recovered, and will receive a percentage of the value of the boat via claims settlements with insurance companies and owners, or from the sail of the boat at auction.
There are many good web sites dealing with maritime law, which are filled with good information. The best one that I have found so fare is at http://www.miamimaritimelaw.com/salvage.htm .

Q

[billinstuart]

You should be able to find out the owner from the registration number on the bow...I go to the county courthouse for that info. Additionally, there is a hull number cast into the upper right side of the transom, which is used on titles.