Strong Winds Grounds Vessel on South Maui Shore

March 2, 2017, 3:54 PM HST
* Updated March 3, 5:11 AM

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Video Credit: Hawaiʻi DLNR./ VO: Wendy Osher

SWIPE LEFT OR RIGHT

Crews from the Department of Land and Natural Resources are responding to a grounded vessel that had washed up along the Kīhei shoreline in South Maui on Wednesday afternoon, March 1, 2017.

The 35-foot cabin motorboat went aground at a Kīhei beach during strong winds and waves. The owner of the “Hanamana,” William Domen, Jr., is attempting to remove his boat, which broke off its offshore mooring in the area of South Kīhei and Uwapo Roads. It’s currently resting on the sandy shoreline fronting the area of Kīhei Canoe Club.

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DLNR officials say no one was aboard and no major damages or fuel spill were observed or reported. The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation and US Coast Guard were informed of the incident.

The vessel appears intact and is currently not at risk of further damage beyond anything that it might have sustained in the grounding.

DOBOR officials have inspected the boat, and are in contact with the owner, who by rule is allowed 72 hours to remove it. He has no vessel insurance and has requested time to find others to help him remove his boat. This could possibly be done during the next high tide tonight at 8, through an ocean channel, from where it can be towed to Maalaea small boat harbor, and loaded on to a trailer and taken away.

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Every year, many vessels run aground but are not reported to DOBOR, as required by law. Operators of vessels that do run aground can be held liable for coral damage.

In cases where boaters do not have vessel insurance, or are not able to remove the vessel on their own, the costs of removing a grounded or damaged vessel usually fall to the state. DOBOR takes control of the boat, and obtains bids from salvage removal companies as part of the State’s procurement process. Owners of vessels removed at state expense remain liable for payment of costs, and will not be able to register another boat until outstanding costs are paid.

DOBOR logged 17 grounded vessels in 2016 and removed or paid for removal of seven at a cost of $128,271. The other boats vessels were removed by owners at their own expense or by the owners through their insurance companies. So far in 2017, DOBOR has not had to pay to remove grounded or sunken vessels.

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In 2009 a state law was passed that requires owners with vessels housed in DOBOR harbors or tied to its offshore moorings obtain insurance. This has saved the division a lot of money that can be used to improve and update facilities and for other operational expenses. Since 2002, DOBOR has paid out more than $2.23 million from its Boating Special Fund (collected from boaters’ fees) to remove grounded, abandoned and derelict vessels from state waters.

Grounded vessel 3.2.17 in Kīhei, Maui. PC: Jeannie Chappell