A sailboat left "on the Jericho Beach breakwater" for months has earned its owner a $15,000 fine.
While the Coast Guard does not state when the vessel was first spotted at the breakwater, they note in a press release that they first had contact with the owner on January 24.
By April 3, the owner had not taken any action and the sailboat was deemed hazardous.
"The vessel was in a location accessible to the general public, and due to its instability and damaged state, could have caused injury to persons entering," notes the Coast Guard.
At the same time, it was polluting the water and causing issues for the nearby Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC).
"The vessel caused structural damage to the administrative building of the RVYC and the main support beams for the dock beside the building," adds the Coast Guard.
So the $15,000 fine was levied against the owner of the unnamed boat. The owner had the opportunity to apply for a hearing within 30 days, but no related hearing is listed on the Transportation Appeal Tribunal schedule.
It's only the third time such a fine has been issued in B.C. (and fourth in Canada), according to the Coast Guard. Metro Vancouver has several vessels currently listed on the Coast Guard's list of wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels; B.C. accounts for more than 1,000 of the 1,500 vessels on the list.
