Abandoned boat removed from Eastchester Bay

Abandoned boat removed from Eastchester Bay

A sunken, boat that was under water at high tide created problems for the occupants of a condo complex at the end of Outlook Avenue in Spencer Estate. Now, the 30-foot abandoned boat has been removed from the water.

Residents at the Outlook Point Estates condo complex were worried that the boat might contain residual fuel in its tank, or pose a hazard to swimmers from the condo complex this summer.

Councilman Jimmy Vacca stepped in after it became apparent that the boat might not be moved in time for the busy summer boating season. Vacca’s office contacted the New York City Harbor Master under the Department of Small Business Services, and also notified non-profit Environmental Task Force Operations, which removes sunken boats from the water.

“Last year, we worked with SBS to successfully remove between 30 and 40 abandoned boats off City Island,” Vacca said. “Our office helped to get a sunken boat removed from Edgewater Park last year, where the residents were concerned because it is a low-lying area. Sunken, abandoned boats are particularly dangerous in the summertime.”

Vacca said that he is willing to work to clean up abandoned boats which have blemised the Eastchester Bay shoreline in Throggs Neck, Edgewater Park, Country Club, Spencer Estate, and City Island.

The boat was first pulled in towards the shore, and had water pumped out of it by a three-person volunteer crew lead by Dwayne Reith. Reith and his crew patched the boat, so that it could be pulled level and finally lifted out of the water. Reith commended his comrades, and Environmental Task Force Operations, a 501c3 non-profit operating out of Floyd Bennet Field in Brooklyn.

“We have secured everything so nothing would come out of this boat before we patched it up and lifted it out of the water,” Reith said at the scene. “Environmental Task Force Operations has removed over 100 boats in the past three years. It is all done with volunteers on their own time, as well as government grants and small donations.”

Residents of the condo complex were happy that Vacca intervened on their behalf.

“The boat was banging against rocks and was nobody’s problem until Councilman Jimmy Vacca got involved,” Sam Laker, who sits on the condominium board at Outlook Point Estates, said.

The boat will be temporarily stored and then crushed free-of-charge thanks to Charles Evers, whose marina is located at 1470 Outlook Avenue.