Regulations often ignored
Regulations stipulate that a tender must be clearly identified, with the name of the boat and its registration number. Leaving a tender abandoned is not a trivial matter. On the one hand, these boats can drift at sea, triggering useless rescue operations when they are spotted unoccupied. Secondly, their gradual deterioration contributes to marine pollution, notably through the release of plastics and other toxic materials.
Local initiatives to limit the problem
Faced with this situation, several ports in Brittany and the Mediterranean have implemented similar measures. In Port-Tudy, on the island of Groix, a "removal alert" has been launched to encourage yachtsmen to regularize the situation of their dinghies. In Moëlan-sur-Mer, the municipality has opted for a more radical solution: it is providing six shared dinghies to limit the phenomenon of abandoned dinghies.
In Carro, Bouches du Rhône, the harbour master's office has identified abandoned dinghies and boats, giving their owners three weeks to come forward.
After this deadline, the units concerned have been withdrawn for deconstruction, or will shortly be put up for auction.
A necessary spring clean
At the port of Kernével, site manager Sellor plans to remove all non-compliant dinghies after April 1??. An identification badge is now mandatory to keep one's place. Boats in poor condition will be entrusted to Écologic, an eco-organization responsible for their recycling.
As the number of derelict dinghies increases, these actions are likely to become more widespread and recurrent. For yachtsmen, the advice is clear: identify and maintain your dinghy, or risk seeing it disappear during the next major clean-up.
