The free boat...

Or in this case, probably more aptly titled - "the NOT so free boat." The gentleman in the light colored sweater in the foreground was able to get this 35 year old trimaran for FREE. The new owner took possession of the "Nunga Nunga Nue" about a week earlier and everything appeared to be fine.

The new owner decided to tow the vessel from Seattle, down to to Tacoma (about 25 miles to the south) and that is where the trouble began. The hull material was fairly soft considering her age, and the vessel began taking on water near West Seattle.

The vessel became beached on the south side of the Harbor West Condominiums, which I blipped back in early January. The current owner has no funds for any sort of salvage, and sadly, the vessel was not insured. There is also some talk that the previous owner KNEW the vessel was not seaworthy, and simply gave the boat away to avoid disposal costs.

Now the taxpayers will foot the bill for the state to come out and remove the remains of the wreck.

As the old saying goes - there is "no such thing as a free lunch..."