Abandoned Boats Cause Headaches For Cape And Islands Harbormasters

PROVINCETOWN – Harbormasters in Provincetown and Nantucket have been dealing with an abandoned boat problem.

For nearly one full year, a Florida man identified as Cody Fenstermaker from Key West owned boats that were declared abandoned in Provincetown and Nantucket.

The harbormasters have tried to contact Fenstermaker with limited success, in order to have him get the boats out of the water.

Finally, Nantucket took matters into its own hands last month.

The Fenstermaker sailboat is still there in Provincetown. It had been docked in a private mooring, but after it was cut loose and wound up grounded on a Truro beach in October, Harbormaster Don German says it’s now tied to the wave attenuator near MacMillan Pier.

In his five years on the job, he says he hasn’t had to deal with anything like this. German says abandoned boats are normally something that can be quickly handled, but this case might take several more months.

The Massachusetts Environmental Police is reportedly investigating the matter on Nantucket, but has not gotten involved in P-town.