MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It once sat marooned on Milwaukee's lakefront, covered in graffiti and curiosity. But now, Deep Thought, the infamous abandoned sailboat, is up for auction… and so far, the bids are barely afloat.
Milwaukee County officially launched the online auction for the 45-foot sailboat on Monday, July 22, with an opening bid of $1. But as of Tuesday afternoon, the highest offer sits at $1,125 — and hasn’t budged in days.
County officials had invited serious bidders to view the vessel up close on Tuesday before placing a bid. But according to two employees with All-City Towing, which is currently storing the boat, no one other than local media showed up to take a look.
That might not be a great sign for Milwaukee County, which is hoping to recoup about $20,000 in taxpayer costs after footing the bill to remove Deep Thought from the shores of Lake Michigan in May. The total cost of the operation — involving cranes and heavy equipment — was $50,000, partially offset by private donations.
"We want high bidding, we want to sell the boat, we wanna pay our cost, we’d love to make some profit off this," said County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman earlier this month.
Deep Thought washed ashore last October, becoming a social media sensation and local oddity. Its months-long stay on the beach drew everything from DJs to mock funerals and more than a few calls for it to be removed. That finally happened on May 6, when crews lifted the 75,000-pound vessel off the sand and trucked it offsite.
The auction runs through Aug. 5 at 7 p.m., and while interest has been quiet so far, it’s possible bidders are holding back until the final days — a common tactic in online auctions.
To view the auction listing or place a bid, click here.