Found this on Soundings Online

[Dale Tanski]

Salvage Efforts Failed, Looters Descend on Grounded Boat

Posted on July 11, 2013 by andrew   



Running Free, a 36-and-a-half foot sailboat that ran aground at Norton Point beach, Martha's Vineyard, MA on Friday, was still languishing on the beach Wednesday morning after salvage and refloating efforts failed. Meanwhile, visitors to the site were reported to be stripping the boat of its contents as it remained lodged in its sandy berth.

"People are looting the boat. The owner of the boat has lost everything. Everything he has is on that boat. And people are stealing it," said Katie O'Connell, Chappaquiddick superintendent for The Trustees of Reservation.

"This is illegal activity. We are trying to keep people away," Ms. O'Connell said. The Trustees, which manage Norton Point beach, do not have enough staff to guard the boat, she noted.

The sailboat made its way to shore last week after being abandoned in May in the Bermuda Triangle.

Bill Heldenbrand, the owner of Running Free, said he was sailing alone from Green Cove Springs, Fla. with the ultimate goal of crossing the Atlantic Ocean. After seven days at sea, the novice sailor encountered high winds and huge seas, and was rescued by a passing oil tanker. His boat charted to unknown destinations for nearly two months until it was spotted coming ashore last week by Nancy and Bruce Hulme.

"We were sitting on the beach when it approached the shore and we contacted the Coast Guard when it was clear no one was aboard," Mr. and Mrs. Hulme said in an email to the Gazette. The couple looked up the owner of the boat online and reached out to him via Facebook.

On Monday Mr. Heldenbrand said he was driving from Georgia to Cape Cod to retrieve the sailboat, which he had arranged to have towed to Falmouth.

That move was supposed to be completed Monday, but success has so far been elusive. Dan Carpenter of TowboatUS Falmouth said that an aluminum boat used to try and recover the sailboat was itself damaged Monday when a tow ripped off during a big pull.

"There were no injuries and everyone was okay," said Mr. Carpenter. He said plans are now under way now to use a larger vessel, a 50-foot tugboat from New Bedford, when the tides and currents are favorable later this week.

In the meantime, Ms. O'Connell urged onlookers to leave the contents of the boat untouched, and to steer clear of the grounding area, which is a breeding area for rare birds.

"A colony of endangered terns is right next to where the boat came aground. Onlookers are trespassing through the bird colony," Ms. O'Connell said. "That is a huge problem. This is one of the most successful breeding sites."

[INCOMMUNICADO]

I conclude from this story if the weather gets bad (high winds and seas) just let the boat take care of herself for a couple of months,the problems seems to be when people get involved. Allen

[Dale Tanski]

UPDATE: Sailboat Washed Ashore on Martha's Vineyard Sold for $1

Posted on July 24, 2013 by andrew   


A 36.5-foot sailboat that washed ashore on Norton Point, Martha's Vineyard on July 5 is finally off the beach after a week of removal efforts, and Edgartown police reported that several people who stripped the boat of its contents have returned the items.



Edgartown police Det. Sgt. Christopher Dolby told the Gazette this week that Running Free, the sailboat belonging to Bill Heldenbrand, 67, of St. Joseph, Mo., was pulled off the beach last Friday. During an attempted transatlantic voyage, Mr. Heldenbrand encountered a severe storm and was forced to abandon his boat between Florida and Bermuda. Detective Dolby said the boat is now in New Bedford, and Mr. Heldenbrand sold it for $1 because so much damage was done to the boat.

While the boat languished on the beach, people began stripping it of its contents. Edgartown police said they would offer limited amnesty to those involved, asking for the items to be returned.

Detective Dolby said the grace period yielded several items that were brought to the Edgartown police station: a steering wheel, two anchors, tools, battery meters, electronics, marine radios, a sail in a big bag. There are some outstanding items, he said, including other electronics that have not been returned. Detective Dolby said he has some leads.

"I consider it a success," he said, adding that maritime law, if read closely, clearly indicates that items on boats are "not all free for the taking when it hits land."

He said those returning the items said they thought the boat's contents were salvaged property, while others said they thought it was okay because everyone else was doing it.

[PeteW]

2 months a-drift in the Atlantic without sinking? Another Pearson 365 testimonial. I suppose the boats name says it all, "Running Free".

I have to question the decision to abandon and also why the coast guard never tracked this obviously derelict boat and then allow it to drift into a protected sanctuary.

When my Pearson was abandoned the Coast Guard intercepted it, brought it in and tied it up at the Marina. So the legend goes.  It was looted of everything onboard as well.  I paid more than a $1 for it after that to the Marina for back slip rent.