A group of abandoned and derelict boats at a marina in Newport, Ore., on March 31, 2025.
Noah Thomas / OPB
What happens when boats are abandoned in the water and start falling apart?
Whether it’s a big barge or a small sailboat, abandoned and derelict vessels, or ADVs, have to be dealt with.
If an ADV sits too long, it could end up blocking a navigation channel or becoming an environmental hazard, especially if it sinks. It can be really challenging to figure out how to pay for the removal operation, and if someone is living on board, law enforcement has to balance the boat’s potential hazards with removing shelter from someone who may not have another place to live.
OPB “Oregon Field Guide” producer Noah Thomas joins us to talk about the reporting he did on ADVs.
We’ll meet people who work on removing these boats from the water, someone who lives on a boat he bought at an auction for $110 and a community organizer who paddles her kayak around the Willamette bringing food and other supplies to liveaboards.
Listen to all episodes of The Evergreen podcast here.
