A frustrating situation is unfolding for a popular Treasure Coast waterfront restaurant as an abandoned sailboat continues to wreak havoc on its property. On the Edge Bar and Grill in Fort Pierce has been dealing with the derelict vessel for approximately three weeks after the boat broke free from its anchor and drifted directly into the establishment’s docking area.
Local business owners along the Florida coast are all too familiar with the challenges of abandoned boats, especially during hurricane season when loose vessels can quickly become dangerous projectiles. For this Fort Pierce establishment, the rogue sailboat is already causing significant operational and financial disruptions.
According to the restaurant’s recent public updates, the known owners of the vessel have thus far refused to take responsibility or relocate the boat. The ongoing damages caused by the shifting tides pushing the heavy boat around the marina include:
- The destruction of a structural piling, an extensive repair that is estimated to cost the business thousands of dollars.
- Reported physical damage to a paying customer’s boat that was legally docked at the restaurant’s marina.
- The forced closure of three waterfront dining tables, which had to be cordoned off with caution tape, directly impacting the restaurant’s daily seating capacity and revenue.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has responded to the location and secured the boat. However, because the situation has now officially escalated into an active investigation regarding a derelict vessel, the agency cannot immediately remove the boat from the premises.
Derelict vessels are a top priority for the FWC. The process of adjudicating and removing derelict vessels can be complex, often requiring multiple court hearings, orders, and administrative proceedings before removal is authorized. Vessel owners are afforded due process, including the opportunity for administrative hearings and potential criminal proceedings.
As the FWC continues its legal and administrative procedures to compel the owners to act, the waterfront restaurant is left playing a stressful waiting game. With the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season fast approaching, local boaters and marine facility operators are urged to ensure all vessels are properly secured to prevent similar property damage across the Treasure Coast waterways.
