TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin DaBoat

Carol, some time while you are down there. What is with the DaBoat?? We saw it was listing quite a bit while we were there end of March into April. I can't believe that the they haven't been able to get someone out there to tug it away!! Can you imagine the destruction that thing would do??? Enjoy your vacation!!

David--it's definitely still there. No idea what the future plans are..

David,

Assuming you’re talking about the boat on the cliff off Simpson Bay - we were talking to someone at ElZafiro during one of our lunches there last trip snd he said the owners made one attempt with whatever equipment they had but couldn’t move it without fear of it potentially breaking up at which point they ran out of bucks and decided to let nature take its course. Sad if that’s the true story.

Edited to add:
Could be fact or fiction. I’m not sure. I’m so gullible I believe almost everyone but this sounded like a true story.

Truely and eye sore for thr residences there.

$$$ is for sure part of the problem, probably the biggest problem.

Just another wreck in SXM. Unbelievable that the government doesn't go after each and every boat owner that just let's their boats sit and rot. Very sad situation indeed.

We reported last Winter in SXM Weekly News that it will be towed away and scrapped as part of the sunken boat cleanup process. Shouldn't be too much longer that it's gone...but your experience may differ.

Very risky too....first storm or hurricane it could easily end up in El Zifro or Beachside Villas living room. I am surprised (kinda) they are not freaking out that is still there.

On so many levels this is wrong that this tub is still out there on the rocks!! Yes, I'm surprised that the owners of BSV and ELZ aren't pushing harder to have this scrap metal removed. Yes, to the poster that said, why aren't they going after these people that have just abandons there boats!! IMHO, it is more of a risk to "just leave" it than bring out a huge crane and remove it, then bill the owner!!! Thank God there hasn't been any oil spill from the hunk of crap!!

This is the Caribbean, St. Maarten specifically and it is not as simple as just billing the owner and expecting payment. I believe the hunk of garbage was leased by some who had high hopes of making some $$, it never materialized. Billing and then collecting are two vastly different things. Furthermore, it had to be towed from the lagoon to Simpson Bay so I doubt there is any oil or fuel onboard.

I will agree, it is an eyesore and needs to disappear in some fashion, quickly.

Funny thing, J.D. - I just wrote a very similar response to David which, after reading yours, I immediately deleted.

I’m sure there have been requests made by all the appropriate property owners but no salvage company in their right minds would get involved, knowing that at least one unsuccessful attempt at removal has already been made. And I’’m sure, before anyone got involved they would want COD. I know I would......

The government might have more power but with all the other problems they’re facing I’m thinking this is probably not a high priority for them.

How long did that freighter sit on the beach years ago? Seemed like forever before it was removed.

Looking at it from the deck. Think part of the problem might be that there is no way to pull it off the rocks and it still float to be moved. So it sinks and that just complicates everything. Chopping it up where it is... no small feat and for the chopper is it worth it???

I don’t know why they just don’t put float bags in it, pull it off the rocks, take it out to sea and sink it for an artificial reef. This is done everyday in the marine and demolition industry in the US, however it can be quit expensive and that’s probably part of the problem.

We'll see we'll see!! As one poster said, and "I" know. This is the Caribbean, yes, things move on island time. Seriously it's been out there over a year!! This thing was a losing proposition from day one. Who knows if she has oil and fuel just because she doesn't run??? There's different ways to skin this cat, it's just about who's going to put up the money to remove it. Scrap it IMHO is safer than dragging her out to sea and one day like a bad nightmare she shows up on your door step like a bad movie!!

There's no motor in it.......

They need to start locking up these so called owner business people who keep going broke by their own stupid or fraudulent fault or some other tragic thing happens then milks the island Gov , employees, banks, vendors, etc by not paying their bills and dumb and run......then reforms another business on SXM to do it all again. GOV knows who they are and where to find them but nada happens. SXM is way to tolerant to what most would call crooks, scammers and conmen. That needs to change IMO

Ok, this is A LITTLE over the top, so this is done.

There may be issues with the boat and other issues, but this is not the thread to deal with it.

Eric