Mystery Powerboat Turns Up the Wrong Way at Sausalito Boat Ramp

As local sailor and Latitude 38 reader Andy Kurtz arrived at the Sausalito public dock in the wee hours today to return to his anchored-out Columbia 57 Angelique, he was surprised to see an upturned powerboat resting in the shallows of the boat ramp. He went back in the daylight hours and took a few photos of the mystery vessel.

We spoke with Sgt. Mather from the Sausalito Police Department, who told us they had received a call about the boat last night, but that due to the Fourth of July fireworks setup, all their assets and those of the USCG were occupied with on-water security and could not immediately attend the scene. Fortunately it appears no one was hurt, but there is also no sign of the boat’s owner.

Sgt. Mather told us they are trying to reach the owner; at the time of this writing their efforts are without success. He said that if they can’t reach the owner the boat will be removed and most likely taken to a storage facility.

Which leaves us all to speculate on how the boat got into that situation. Sgt. Mather said it’s possible that there was no plug in the boat when it was being launched, resulting in its filling with water. Andy Kurtz commented that the boat ramp itself is full of large bumps and holes. Perhaps this caused the turtle? Or, we wonder if perhaps the trailer driver got it all very wrong.

Andy mentioned a trailer parked on Bridgeway, about half a mile from the ramp, which looks to be about the right size for the upturned boat. Whatever took place, it seems the Fourth was not a good day for everyone.

Circling back to Andy and his Columbia 57, he tells us he needs to haul out to appease some new boat-insurance regulations, and that once he has it all squared away he’ll be heading down to Santa Cruz to await this year’s Baja Ha-Ha. He plans to join the rally and spend the winter in Mexico. And from there, it’s all in the wind …