Derelict Boat Removal

Photos and video courtesy of Mike Sagal of Moonshadow Media.
Cover photo: Volunteers from the Kootenay Lake Sailing Association at Troup.

When well maintained, a fibreglass boat can last a lifetime; when neglected or abandoned, a fibreglass hull can remain an eyesore and navigation hazard indefinitely.

Derelict boats are a scourge to waterways all over the world.  Once sunk by waves and weather, they foul local waters;  when abandoned above the waterline they remain an eyesore for the long-term and occupy enjoyable public shoreline.

Fortunately, on Kootenay Lake, derelict boats are few and far between.  However at Troup beach, one has been slowly degrading for the last 5 years.  The boat was gathering garbage, rotting from the inside and would clearly not be repaired or used again.

The Kootenay Lake Sailing Association (KLSA) reached out to various forms of government, officials and friends but were unable to find the owner of the boat, nor find an agency that would take responsibility for removing it from this beautiful area.

This spring, members of the KLSA discussed whether they could solve this problem themselves.  Many members enthusiastically stepped forward to volunteer their time, generators, ideas, boats and tools.  Several significant contributions from the community included a large garbage bin donated by Matt & Hardial at Mountain Bin and financial support for the transfer station tipping fees facilitated by Area E representative Ramona Faust.

The boat was removed from the Troup Beach with brawn and ingenuity, towed to a boat ramp and removed from the lake, cut into manageable-sized pieces, loaded into the garbage bin and hauled to the landfill.  The dust and debris were contained by tarps and the site was left clean. 

According to Jessica Cole of the Kootenay Lake Sailing Association, “This derelict boat removal was successful because of the volunteers from the KLSA, who feel so privileged to enjoy the waters of this beautiful lake.”.