This boat is not supposed to be tied to the Tolko log boom in Kelowna.

(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)

A large boat has been hanging around Sutherland Bay in Kelowna, apparently abandoned, for quite some time.

It’s now tied to the old log boom at the Tolko mill site, illegally.

“Although the boat is technically not within Tolko’s water lot, it does not have permission to be attached to our log boom,” Tolko communications advisor, Chris Downey, said in an email to iNFOnews.ca. “We have reached out to who we believe owns the vessel and asked them to detach and remove it.”

The current owner, who did not want his name published because he's been getting some negative attention about the boat, told iNFOnews.ca that it is not abandoned. He has now been in contact with Tolko who do want him to remove it but will allow him a bit of time to get that done.

"We took the fuel tanks and engine off almost a year ago," he said. "We're aware that it could be an environmental risk if it was to leak and oil or fuel so we took it off."

The boat was subject to some recent attention on the North End Kelowna Neighbourhood Group’s Facebook page with no one seeming to know who to contact about it.

That’s not a simple answer to find for this or any other boat apparently abandoned on inland waters.

The City of Kelowna, when contacted by iNFOnews.ca, sent out a bylaw inspector who said it was outside the city’s jurisdiction.

So, if it’s not the city or Tolko who can control it, who can?

First up, try the Canadian Coast Guard.

While that may not seem like an obvious choice, the Coast Guard does have jurisdiction over inland navigable waters, as well as oceans.

It is, for example, “the lead federal agency responsible for ensuring effective response to all ship-sourced or mystery-sourced marine pollution incidents within Canada’s internal waters, territorial seas and Exclusive Economic Zones, including the Arctic,” it says on its website.

It has not received a report of a vessel in the area of Sutherland Beach Park.

“Once a report is received, we will then begin the process of assessing the reported vessel,” the Coast Guard said in an email to iNFOnews.ca. “Some of the factors we take into account include risk to human life, type and size of vessel, location and how much fuel is onboard, among other factors.

“The Canadian Coast Guard works with local authorities and response partners to find the owner of the vessel as quickly as possible. We will advise the owner of their responsibilities and support them as they work to recover their vessel.”

Abandoned or polluting boats can be reported to the Coast Guard by calling 1-800-889-8852 or check out its website, here.

The province may also have a role to play but its website on ‘Dealing with Problem Vessels and Structures,’ lists a dozen different contact options, ranging from local government to Transport Canada.

But the key contact, if there is a concern about environmental damage, is to call the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program at 1-800-663-3456 or report online here.

See all the options here.

There is no evidence that the boat in Sutherland Bay is polluting the waters where it’s moored.

The Environmental Emergency Program has not been notified about the boat.

The boat is the Casabella Princess, although the name is not visible from shore.

The boat was built in 1984 by Houseboat Holidays International in Calgary and launched in Penticton as the Sorrento Queen, according to Nauticapedia.ca.

“We are a small group of volunteers – individuals who all have strong professional backgrounds in maritime heritage,” the Nauticapedia.ca website says. “We are all authors of books, articles and papers related to this body of knowledge as well as career links to active marine agencies in Canada.”

The boat is described on that site as almost 16 metres long and 6 metres wide.

It was rebuilt in Calgary in 1995 and renamed the Casabella Princess around 2001.

It had a number of owners, according to the site, the most recent of which, from 2017-19, was Penticton Cruises Inc., which no longer seems to be in business.

Some photos on the Casabella Princess Facebook page show it with a paddlewheel on the back while others do not.

This photo shows it with a paddlewheel, which it doesn't have now.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Casabella Princess

The boat in Sutherland Bay does not have a paddlewheel but, otherwise, looks the same.

If it had been abandoned, does that mean anyone who wants it can just haul it away and salvage what they can?

Not without going through a few hurdles first, like contacting the Receiver of Wreck.

And, yes, there is such an agency in Canada called the Receiver of Wreck. It even has a regional office in Vancouver.

The first step in any salvage operation is to try to find the owner. If that fails, the potential salvager needs to ask permission from the Receiver of Wreck. The Pacific regional office can be called at 604-775-8867 or by email at NPPPAC-PPNPAC@tc.gc.ca.

The Receiver of Wreck website is here.

Last spring the Regional District of Central Okanagan wrote to the provincial government about a houseboat on the shore in Bear Creek Provincial Park.

READ MORE: Future of derelict houseboat near Okanagan provincial park is on the rocks

That was under provincial jurisdiction because it was in the park.

It has since been moved offshore but, according to the regional district, is still anchored in the lake. As with the Sutherland Bay boat, it seems to be caught in a multi-jurisdictional wasteland.

 — This story was updated at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, to add comments from the owner.

- This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2022 to amend the headline.

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