BoatUS Foundation

There's no shortage of abandoned boats in America's waterways... but there are people actively working to fix this. Turning the Tide 2026 brings will bring everyone together in New Orleans, Dec. 6-9, for four days of real solutions, real partnerships, and real progress on ADVs. If this work matters to you, this is where you need to be. Find registration info here: https://web.cvent.com/event/03e66721-d11a-4ccf-8419-548981d17c30/summary

Recently, a partnership between BoatUS Foundation, Lynnhaven River NOW, and TowBoatUS removed 10 abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) from waterways across Gloucester and Portsmouth, Virginia, a cleanup supported by an award from NOAA's Marine Debris Program.

The stakes were real: left in place, these vessels crush seagrass and coral habitats, leak fuel and pollutants, and block navigational channels, putting other boaters at risk. Removal isn't simple, either. As Chris Parker, TowBoatUS operator in Gwynns Island, Virginia, put it: "Every removal is different, and often more complex than people realize. Some vessels can be refloated and towed, while others need to be taken apart piece by piece. It takes time and coordination, but the impact on the community and the bay is significant once removed."

That complexity is exactly why partnerships matter. Removal costs average $24,000 per vessel, and while owners are typically pursued first, the burden often falls to the community. Coordinated efforts like this one help share that load and get results.

The Gloucester and Portsmouth cleanup is also a preview of what's possible at scale: BoatUS Foundation recently launched the first national database to track ADVs, making it easier for boaters and coastal residents to report vessels and help drive the next removal effort forward.

We're pleased to announce two additions to the Turning The Tide Summit 2026 speaker lineup: Chris Rae and Wes Shaw of MyCoast.
MyCoast has built a software platform that puts coastal monitoring in the hands of the public — using crowdsourced citizen science and mobile technology to track coastal change, document storm and flood damage, and report marine pollution. It's a model for how community-driven data can inform environmental protection at scale, and it's directly relevant to the work our summit community does every day.
Rae and Shaw will bring that perspective to New Orleans this December, where they'll join a lineup of practitioners working across research, policy and field operations to tackle abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) nationwide.
Turning The Tide Summit 2026 takes place Dec. 6–9 in New Orleans. Registration is open now.
https://web.cvent.com/event/03e66721-d11a-4ccf-8419-548981d17c30/regProcessStep1

Registration is now open for the BoatUS Foundation's 2026 Turning the Tide Summit, taking place December 6-9 in New Orleans.

The four-day event tackles a problem too many waterway communities are facing alone: what to do with abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) and the waste- fiberglass, composite materials, shrinkwrap, that comes with them. Sessions and keynotes will bring together environmental experts, boating and waste industry leaders, and policymakers to share technologies and best practices for responsible, sustainable disposal.

"No waterway community is exempt or safe from ADVs and boating-related waste," said Alanna Keating, BoatUS Foundation's director of outreach, in a news release announcing the summit. "We all have the power to protect our waterways, and this summit is one significant way people can learn from each other, network and share solutions for taking real action that can benefit their communities for years to come."

Registration is $400 general admission, $200 for nonprofit and government employees, and $100 for students. Early bird general admission pricing of $350 runs through Sept. 1, and includes access to all sessions plus meals for the duration of the conference.

If your work touches waterway health, boating policy or circular-economy solutions for marine materials, this is a room worth being in.

Registration: https://web.cvent.com/event/03e66721-d11a-4ccf-8419-548981d17c30/summary

The Metlakatla Indian Community is removing 27 abandoned and derelict vessels from its waterways, part of a larger Southeast Alaska effort, alongside projects in Yakutat and Sitka, that's clearing more than 40 vessels total.

The initiative is funded by NOAA's Marine Debris Program and administered by BoatUS Foundation. Program Director Michael Moore spoke with KTOO about why the work matters: abandoned vessels aren't just eyesores. Sunken boats become navigational and safety hazards, and they can carry anti-fouling agents, fuel, and other materials that put fisheries and marine habitats at risk when left unaddressed.

Moore also pointed to how vessels end up abandoned in the first place, often not neglect by design, but the result of financial strain, a boat passed down to someone without the know-how to maintain it, or an owner who simply doesn't know how to responsibly dispose of a vessel at the end of its life. Removal costs range widely, from roughly $10,000 to $40,000+ depending on the vessel and location.

This is the kind of on-the-ground work that makes national conversations about ADVs concrete: real boats, real communities, real waterways getting cleaner.

BoatUS Foundation staff were on the Annette Island Reserve July 13-17, with the Metlakatla Indian Community, conducting ADV removals as part of their NOAA Marine Debris Program ADV Removal Grant Program.

The Metlakatla Indian Community is one of 10 projects awarded funding for the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels throughout the United States, U.S. Territories, and Freely Associated States.

BoatUS Foundation Accepting Applications for New Smart Life Jacket Loaner Pilot Program. Learn more: http://spr.ly/6180BEAqyY

Our very own Ted Sensenbrenner gives tips on staying safe boating this summer!

Know Your Limits Before You Cast Off: A Captain's Guide to Boating Safety | Boating Industry The boaters who enjoy summer most tend to have one thing in common: they ensure everyone on board is safe. This article offers some tips for boating safety this summer.