Auction scheduled for derelict vessel seized at Gig Harbor’s Jerisich Dock

The long saga surrounding a derelict vessel abandoned at Jerisich Dock since last year is finally coming to an end.

Decorated with a string of tattered nautical flags, the vessel, a 1968 Uniflite 31, has a passenger bay filled with garbage and a dinghy loaded into the boat by Gig Harbor police after it became filled with rainwater and threatened to sink. The vessel has been abandoned at the dock since November or December.

The previous owner of the vessel was known to Gig Harbor police as a transient who lived on the vessel, constantly moving it around. He did, however, pay required moorage at the dock for a short time, said Police Chief Kelly Busey.

The owner was located at King County Jail and GHPD attempted to communicate with him through jail staff to have the vessel moved. The attempts were unsuccessful, and the city has now scheduled an auction for the derelict vessel.

“We wanted to work with him to get the boat out of there,” Busey said. “We’d rather have him move the boat himself rather than cost the city any money.”

The vessel was proclaimed abandoned under Gig Harbor Municipal Code and passed a resolution at a June City Council meeting authorizing the it to be sold at auction.

The process of removing the derelict vessel has been lengthy, Busey said.

First, the department had to document 30 continuous days of the vessel’s abandonment, then provide 30 days notice that it would be seized and provide an appeal period.

A resolution to seize the vessel for auction had to be passed by the City Council in June, followed by another waiting period to advertise the vessel for auction.

“Now that we’ve been through the process once, we have the process down,” Busey said. “The next time this happens it shouldn’t be as lengthy.”

The vessel was moved temporarily — at the city’s expense — during the Maritime Festival in June.

The auction will be held at 1 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Gig Harbor Police Department and conducted by either Busey or his designee. Both oral and written bids will be accepted during this time. Written bids must include the bid amount, description of vessel bid upon and name, address and phone number of bidder. They must be received by noon Aug. 11 by the city clerk.

Busey said there is no minimum bid requirement on the vessel. Payment of the final accepted bid offer must be paid by the successful bidder within two business days of the award. Payment must be made in cash or certified funds such as a cashier’s check or money order.

Proceeds of the sale will first be applied to the existing port charges, estimated at $2,767.50, and any remaining balance will be paid to the current registered owner.

The successful bidder will be required to legally remove the vessel from Jerisich Dock within five business days of the awarded bid and will not be allowed to anchor the vessel within Gig Harbor for a one-year period following the auction date.

Neither the city or the police department are interested in the business of seizing private property and also don’t want to expose the city to the expense of disposing of the vessel, the chief said.

“We hope somebody bids on it,” Busey said. “It’s really not the worst derelict boat we’ve seen. It clearly needs some work, but it’s not in terrible shape.”

Questions should be directed to Busey at the Gig Harbor Police Department during business hours, (253) 851-2236.

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 8:10 AM with the headline "Auction scheduled for derelict vessel seized at Gig Harbor’s Jerisich Dock."