| Boat Salvage Laws in Oregon |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Who owns a lost or abandoned boat, and if you find one, can you salvage it?
There is no "finder's keepers" rule for boats, floating homes, boat houses or other vessels. Lost or abandoned boats remain the property of their owner, whether registered or not.
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| Finding a Lost, Abandoned, or Derelict Vessel |
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If you find a boat that appears to have been lost, abandoned, or derelict - either beached, afloat or a burned dock - call the appropriate port authority, your county sheriff's marine patrol or the Oregon State Marine Board in Salem at (503) 378-8587.
If the boat is on your property and has a Hull Identification Number or Oregon registration number, the Marine Board will give you the name and address of the last known owner.
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| Compensation for Rescuing or Repairing a Vessel |
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If you find a vessel in danger of sinking and tow it to safety, pump it out or repair it to prevent it from sinking, you do not gain ownership. However, you may seek reasonable compensation from the owner and file a lien against the vessel and owner.
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| Floating Logs and Navigation Hazards |
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Timber companies brand the logs they cut, which remain the property of the company. Call the Oregon Department of Forestry at (503) 945-7425 locate the company.
If the log or other floating debris creates a hazard to navigation, call your local sheriff's marine patrol. In the greater Portland area, call the U.S. Coast Guard for man-made objects or pollution problems; call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for items near federal projects that are hazards to navigation in a shipping channel. (If a downed tree creates no hazard, leave it in the water to provide habitat for marine life.)
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| Owner's Failure to Pay Rent |
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If an owner stores a boat on your property or moorage and fails to pay the agreed storage fees, you can file a possessory lien against the property. Call an attorney or the Marine Board for information and help.
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| Loss/Recovery of Your Boat |
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If your boat sinks, you are liable for any oil spill, and you may be required to remove the vessel - especially if it creates a hazard. If your boat breaks loose and is lost, call your local sheriff's marine patrol and other local law enforcement agencies. If it's registered in Oregon, notify the Marine Board. Remember to notify the Marine Board and local law enforcement officials if you recover your boat.
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| Abandonment of a Vessel |
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Oregon law prohibits abandoning boats, docks, and other nautical equipment. An owner who abandons marine property remains responsible for the cost of removing and storage.
Criminal penalties are also possible, especially if the vessel is a hazard to navigation. It makes no difference if you abandon a boat on public or private land - it is illegal to do so.
If the sale of the abandoned property by the sheriff does not cover the costs incurred by its removal and storage, the county may seek compensation from the owner or security holder of the vessel.
Under Oregon law, boats include personal watercraft such as Jet Skis and Wave Runners. They also include canoes, drift boats, and other non-powered boats not required to be registered with the Marine Board.
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| Lost, Abandoned or Derelict Vessel/Owner's Failure to Pay Rent |
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If you find a boat or dock that appears to have been lost, abandoned or is a derelict-either beached or afloat- call the appropriate port authority, your county sheriff's marine patrol or the Oregon State Marine Board at (503) 378-8587.
If the boat is on your property and has a Hull Identification Number or Oregon registration number, the Marine Board will give you thename and address of the last known owner.
If an owner stores a boat on your moorage or on your property and fails to pay the agreed storeage fees, you can file a possessory lien against the property. Call an attorney or the Marine Board for information and help.
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| Hazards to Navigation |
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Abandoned vessels that are hazards to navigation may be removed and secured or otherwise disposed of immediately by the sheriff, Coast Guard, or other authorities.
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| Role of County Sheriffs |
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The county sheriff attempts to locate the owners or security holders of lost or abandoned boats. If the boat has an identification number, the sheriff sends a registered or certified letter to the owner or security interest holder. If they fail to claim or recover the vessel within 30 days, the sheriff takes it in to custody and holds it at the owner's expense and may sell it at public auction.
Boats held by a sheriff can e reclaimed by their owner at anytime before they are sold. The owners must present proof of ownership or right of possession and pay all costs and expenses incurred during the removal and storage of the vessel. However, the owner can't be required to pay for strage charges in excess of 90 days.
If owners don't claim their boats within 90 days, the sheriff may sell the boats at auction. If no bid is made on a boat, the sheriff may destroy it or otherwise dispose of it. After deducting all costs and expenses from the sale price, the sheriff sends the balance to the county treasurer. Within one year of the sale, the former owner may file a claim with the county treasurer for the balance of the sale.
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| 30-Day Notice Before Seizure and Auction |
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If the boat has an identification number, the sheriff sends a registered or certified letter to the owner or security interest holder. If they fail to claim or recover the vessel within 30 days, the sheriff takes it into custody and holds it at the owner's expense.
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| Reclaiming Abandoned Vessels |
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Owners can reclaim their boats held by a sheriff at anytime before the boats are sold. The owners must present proof of ownership or right of possession and pay all costs and expenses incurred during the removal and storage of the vessel. However, the owner can't be required to pay for storage charges in excess of 90 days.
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| Sale of Abandoned Vessels |
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If owners don't claim their boats within 90 days, the sheriff may sell the boats at auction. If no bid is made on a boat, the sheriff may destroy it or otherwise dispose of it. After deducting all costs and expenses from the sale price, the sheriff sends the balance to the county treasurer.
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| Former Owner's Claim of Balance Due |
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Within one year of the sale, the former owner may file a claim with the county treasurer for the balance of the sale.
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