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View Full Version : A boat in brooklyn needs rescuing



Benjicohn
10-21-2008, 03:39 PM
Hi Everyone.

I've only posted a couple times in these forums, mostly in building, but some friends of mine who live on a boat in brooklyn (in the Gowanus Canal) need some help. Here is the email that I received just now:

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Hey friends--

I don't know if you heard already but Empty Vessel sprung a ("two fists wide hole") leak the other night. They got an inspector friend of Dave's to check it out and he basically told them to get their stuff off of it and get out. Luminaria, beautifully named tiny shrimp that eat wood, have settled in and as far as Diver Lenny could tell they need to dry dock it immediately and rebuild it or scrap it. Their pumps are running around the clock and they're looking for a way out. I've been calling around to people looking for a way to get it out of the water or get it towed to someplace safe. They'll take anything at this point - towing it out to int'l waters and chopping a whole in it, or leaving it in the tugboat graveyard are (sadly) looking like their best options, which is bleak.

It could be... It could be a beautiful house to have on land somewhere. It'd be a beautiful raft to take to Venice. It'd be a beautiful pile of scrap mahogany and marine fixtures at Build It Green. It'd be a beautiful barn for a Hudson-fronted farm. It'd be a beautiful fish restaurant and museum in an empty lot in the neighborhood. It'd be a beautiful sound studio at the wave farm. It be a shame of a sunken dream in the Gowanus otherwise. The coast guard will come with a giant i-beam and smash it to bits, fine the owners. The kids there are looking at a lot of debt either way unless something beautiful is found.

If you have any ideas for them, you can call Megan at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Spread the word. I'll be calling some of you directly with direct questions too.

XoXo

Dylan

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If anyone on these forums has any ideas what to do with this boat, I would very much appreciate it. Here is a link to a photo of her:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leogomez/231515513/

Please contact me if you can think of anything.

Sincerely,
Ben
benjicohn@gmail.com

outofthenorm
10-21-2008, 04:37 PM
Unfortunately the value is likely to be zero - or in a sense, less than zero, because it's going to cost somebody something to deal with a disposal. The miscellaneous gear and equipment might recover a few $$ - but only if someone discounts their labour to near zero. Not good news, I'm afraid.

- Norm

The Bigfella
10-21-2008, 04:48 PM
A case of no antifouling?

Dan McCosh
10-21-2008, 04:51 PM
I've never heard of sabertooth shrimp.

Kaa
10-21-2008, 05:23 PM
Do note that this boat seems to have neither an engine nor a steering mechanism. It's is, essentially, a barge.

It also, apparently, sunk in 2003 and was abandoned by owners. A guy pulled it out, fixed it enough to float and spent some time trying to sell or give it away. Eventually it was given to some people who used it as an art space/party boat and then it passed on to a couple who, evidently, lived on it.

I don't think the prognosis looks good.

Kaa

Backfin
10-21-2008, 05:44 PM
http://log.emptyvesselproject.org/view/Main/WebHome