'It's ridiculous': State lawmakers seek to prevent abandoned boat sagas

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — State lawmakers are hoping to put an end to abandoned boats washing ashore with a new bill that would criminalize boat owners who leave their vessels behind.

The bill was introduced in response to "Sweet Destiny" and "Deep Thought," two vessels nearly 300 miles apart that have been stranded for months.

On Milwaukee's Lake Michigan shoreline, Deep Thought has been sitting near Bradford Beach for six months. On Beer Can Island on the St. Croix River, near Hudson, Wisconsin, lies Sweet Destiny.

"Every day there's an update about this boat that's plaguing us," said Hudson Mayor Rich O'Connor. "This also isn't just about one boat."

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Last summer, Sweet Destiny was one of four boats stranded on the St. Croix River near the Twin Cities, left for someone else to deal with, according to O'Connor.

This year, he decided to take action. O'Connor called Rep. Shannon Zimmerman (R–River Falls) and Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R–New Richmond) to alert them about the boats. That's when they began crafting legislation seeking to address the problem.

Under the bill, if law enforcement determines a boat has been abandoned, the owner would have 30 days to remove it. If they fail to do so, the owner could face up to nine months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines.

"This is about personal accountability," said Rep. Zimmerman. "It's also about sending a message not to leave your abandoned vessel to destroy the purity of our waters in Wisconsin."

Hudson passed an ordinance to fine owners of abandoned boats hundreds of dollars each day, but O'Connor said more must be done.

"We need to go after these people," O'Connor said. "There's no reason they should be able to get away with this."

Zimmerman and O'Connor also expressed environmental concerns about stranded boats that can leak gas and other chemicals into waterways.

"I think it's ridiculous that someone would abandon a vessel, potentially filled with hundreds of gallons of fuel, and just walk away from it," Zimmerman said.

The proposal would also require owners of abandoned boats to complete a safety course before operating another watercraft. Since the bill was circulated for co-sponsorship last week, Zimmerman said it has already received some bipartisan support.

Minnesota is also fast-tracking legislation to make abandoning boats a crime. That proposal goes even further, penalizing owners by banning them from obtaining fishing, hunting, boating, and other licenses if they fail to take responsibility.