Oil Spill - Affecting Florida Boaters

I have been watching the oil spill issue in the Gulf of Mexico since it began many weeks ago. Its affect upon the way of life for residents and businesses along the oil's path have yet to be fully realized.

But as a yacht broker, I have already begun to see the affect upon my customers and Paradise Yachts and we are on the Atlantic side of Florida, hundreds of miles away from the spill itself.

Several weeks back, an offer was made on a 46' Grand Banks trawler we had in Apalachicola, Florida, just a few miles east of Panama City. We surveyed and sea trialed the boat and proceeded to close the deal. Late last week the seller called and said he had spoken to the Coast Guard and was told that it was probable that Apalachicola Bay would be closed with booms this week; if any boat wanted to leave it had better do it now because once closed, the bay would be closed indefinitely. All parties were concerned that the deal would fall apart because the new owner could not get his boat home in NC.

We managed to expedite the closing and I had a Captain move the boat to Clearwater on Tuesday of this week.

Yesterday I was talking with brokers in Key West and in the Bradenton Florida area. They said boats are leaving the area in great numbers to escape the oncoming mess. Boat owners realize that brokers cannot sell a boat if it cannot be moved afterwards.

I had a call from a boat owner in Marathon Florida yesterday asking us to list her boat. I accepted only if she would move the boat out of the Florida Keys to the east coast of Florida; she agreed.

Boat owners need to also know that the floating oil could damage your boat too. Volvo has officially warned owners that they have never tested engines in these types of conditions; oil could damage cooling systems and running gear. I can only imagine what it would do to air conditioning strainers.

Interlux paints has warned that exposure to oil on bottom paints will offset the paints ability to repel marine growth.

So to sum it all up, if your boat is in the oil's path, plan to move it or take it out of the water. If you have your boat on the market, you can just about kiss an offer good bye if it is in the oil's path.