The reason I ask is that my neighbor, Dumb Earl, got good and tanked up last night and rammed his 28 foot boat into my dock. Now it's sitting under about 8 feet of water and putting out a nice little oil slick. I'd like to drag that dude out and claim it for my own. I figure he won't wake up for a day or two and then won't even remember where he left it.
2007-12-27 09:42:01 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Man, that brings back SO many bad memories of my mom's house on a lake in Mass., and our hideous, poaching, sneaky, perv neighbor who always tried to do stuff like dump sewage dirt on our property, yank the dock away from his swimming area with a come-along, cut down 100 y.o. trees! ARRGH!
Your rights depend somewhat on WHO owns the lake: is it private (our was, 'til you reached the water), or state-owned, or in some cases, like Lake George in NY, Federally controlled?
YOU should call the EPA and DEP (Dept. of Env. Protection) in your state, esp. about the oil! Chances are, they'll descend on him like a pack of dogs and make him move it at HIS expense! (That's what happened w/the sewage dirt).
Find out how much pull he has with the town's officers. If he's been sucking up to them, you MIGHT have a fight on your hands. If not, he's "SUNK", probably....!
Of course, there IS always the option of dragging the boat away yourself, but make sure you burn it ON LAND, or you'll face the same fines he will!
I hate lake neighbors...@#$%&*@
2007-12-27 09:55:02 · answer #1 · answered by SieglindeDieNibelunge 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no sorry, salvage rights apply to salt water oceans or seas. In fresh water, the person who owns the property retains ownership. However, in some places, you can salvage an item and charge a reasonable fee for soing so. in the case of a boat that is polutting the water, there are plenty of departmets that will come haul it out for you and fine him as well. call local law enforcement for references.
2007-12-27 09:46:34 · answer #2 · answered by randy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salvage rights are much misunderstood. The right of salvage does NOT mean "you find it, it's yours".
Yes, you can salvage your neighbors boat. No, that doesn't mean that it's yours. It means that he owes you reasonable recompense for your time and effort in salvaging it, including the money you save him from having to pay in fines for the oil slick.
Richard
2007-12-27 09:50:35 · answer #3 · answered by rickinnocal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that salvage rights would apply, but the time frame is a bit questionable. It could be argued in court that you got him drunk for this reason, unless you were verifiably somewhere else at the time.
2007-12-27 09:47:22 · answer #4 · answered by jeligula 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think salvage rights would apply especially if its not a navigation hazard,besides everyone does that once in a while.lol
2007-12-27 09:48:37 · answer #5 · answered by kentenooo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unmarked lawn chair floated to my shore after a storm. It has no name,address,phone #, this lake is 10,500 acers big. I",m just going to add it to my other lake front chairs at bar-b-q.
2014-09-15 04:14:36 · answer #6 · answered by William 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
do it
2007-12-27 09:44:37 · answer #7 · answered by Nick B 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋