Illegally moored 112-foot-long fishing boat could be set for the auction block

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will conduct a public auction of a 112 foot-long, twin-engine, fishing boat if the owner does not remove the vessel within one week.

The SOS Minnow pulled into a slip at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor on Nov. 22, 2019, after its owner said he was having a medical emergency.  On Dec. 11, 2019 DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) impounded the boat as it was illegally moored. The small boat harbor can only accommodate vessels no longer than 85-feet.

The boat is described as being in very good condition. If the current owner claims it before the Wednesday auction, he’ll need to pay impound fees, illegal mooring fees, and for the cost of legal ads, estimated to total $1000.00.

Interested bidders are directed to a Notice of Disposition of Impounded Vessel by Public Auction for details on the process. The notice was placed in newspapers this week.

The auction is to be held on Jan. 15 at 9:00 a.m. at the DOBOR Administrative Office at 4 Sand Island Access Road in Honolulu. Auction catalogs with a complete description of the vessel are available at all five small boat harbor offices on Oahu.

Anyone wanting to inspect the boat prior to auction should contact the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor office. The minimum bid upset price established by DOBOR is $25,000. A successful bidder will have three days after the sale to remove the boat from the harbor.