DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — State officials say the number of derelict and abandoned boats in Florida waterways is increasing faster than they can be removed, leaving hundreds of vessels scattered around the state.
What You Need To Know
- Florida officials say the state is dealing with more than a thousand derelict and abandoned boats statewide
- Storm damage and high repair costs are driving many owners to walk away
- Abandoned vessels create navigation hazards, environmental risks, and neighborhood eyesores
- The state has spent millions removing boats and is urging owners to use a free turn-in program
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say these boats are more than just unsightly — they pose serious risks to boaters, harm the environment, and frustrate waterfront residents who often have no authority to remove them.
On the water, the scale of the problem is easy to spot.
Shonda Kennedy, with Orion Towing, Salvage & Marine and TowBoatU.S., has spent two decades pulling abandoned and damaged boats from Florida waters, from St. Augustine to Titusville.
Within minutes of heading out, she points out a sunken 27-foot sailboat that she said was left behind after its owner walked away.
“We are looking at a derelict vessel that has been left to die,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said many of the boats she encounters can be nearly impossible to see, especially in low light.
“At night, you’re not going to see this,” she said, explaining how submerged and partially sunken vessels can become hidden dangers for other boaters.
Kennedy said others are pushed ashore during storms, turning them into long-term eyesores for nearby homeowners.
“This vessel came ashore or hit the shoreline at the last storm,” Kennedy said, adding that tracking down the responsible owner is often the biggest challenge.
“The hardest part is trying to find the original owner,” she said.
FWC officials said identifying ownership can be complicated, particularly when boats have changed hands multiple times or were acquired cheaply online.
“Sometimes it’s a challenge to determine, ‘OK, whose boat even is this?’” said FWC public information officer Bradley Johnson.
According to FWC, there were more than 1,000 abandoned boats statewide at the start of 2025.
The agency maintains an interactive map to track known derelict vessels, and has removed 478 boats so far this year.
Storms remain a major factor, but officials say many owners underestimate what it takes to repair and maintain a damaged vessel.
“You may think you’re able to get that vessel seaworthy again, and then find out it’s a bigger job than you thought,” Johnson said.
Salvage and towing costs can run into the thousands of dollars, leading some owners to abandon boats rather than fix them.
Others take on free or deeply discounted boats through social media, unaware of the true cost of making them safe.
“Now your vessels in that derelict condition, and you may not have the means or the ability to get it off the water,” Johnson said.
Leaving a derelict vessel behind is a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida, punishable by a $100 fine.
Repeat offenders can face third-degree felony charges.
In 2025 alone, the state spent more than $9 million recovering abandoned boats, prioritizing removals based on environmental damage and navigation hazards.
Kennedy said the problem often starts with unrealistic expectations.
“When people went out and bought these vessels new or used, they had no idea the amount of money and time it takes in order to maintain these vessels,” she said.
FWC is encouraging boat owners who can no longer afford their vessels to take advantage of the agency’s Vessel Turn-In Program.
Owners who have received a written citation or warning can apply to have their unwanted boat removed from Florida waters and destroyed at no cost — a step officials say can prevent boats from becoming the next derelict hazard.