What should you do with your unwanted vessel?

If you have a recreational boat that you no longer want, the easy and safe Surrendered Vessel Program may be the solution.

Proper vessel disposal is a vital part of clean and responsible boating. Because there are environmental hazards associated with vessels including oil, solvents, batteries, and other toxic wastes, it is important that all vessel owners properly dispose of their vessels when they have reached the end of their useful life. 

Never abandon or sink a vessel to dispose of it and don't sell or give it to someone who would. Not only does abandoning a vessel pose environmental and navigational hazards in our state’s waterways, but it is also illegal with fines up to $3,000 plus the costs for removal and demolition.

These are some options for proper vessel disposal; the Surrendered Vessel Program, recycling/dismantling, or disposing at a local landfill site. Please see below for more information on the Surrendered Vessel Program and the resources section on the right to find hepful links as you navigate your boat's end-of-life.


Surrendered Vessel Program

keys being handed over
The Surrendered Vessel Program, known as SAVE, is an alternative for recreational boat owners to surrender an unwanted boat. Surrendering a boat can be as simple as contacting a participating local agency and making arrangements to drop-off your boat.

You must be the registered owner, have a clear title, and sign a release of interest form. Check the SAVE participating agencies contact list below to find an agency near you.


RegionAgencyNameNumberEmail
Northern California Eureka, City of Donald Wilkes (707) 499-9754 dwilkes@ci.eureka.ca.gov 
Northern California Noyo Harbor District Anna Neumann (707) 964-4719 noyohd@yahoo.com 
Northern California Sonoma County Sheriff Jacky Crachiola (707) 433-0728 Jacky.Crachiola@sonoma-county.org
Northern California Suisun, City of Janet Hull (707) 421-7201 jhull@suisun.com
Northern California Vallejo Municipal Marina Debbie Martir (707) 648-4471 debbie.martir@cityofvallejo.net 
Northern California Yolo County Sheriff   Jeremy Hembree (530) 406-5151 jeremy.hembree@yolocounty.org
         
Bay Area Alameda Police Department Tysen Siebert (510) 337-8377 tsiebert@alamedaca.gov
Bay Area Berkeley City Marina Sean Crothers (510) 981-6744 scrothers@cityofberkeley.info
Bay Area Brisbane City Marina Andrew Rehberg (650) 583-6975 arehberg@brisbaneca.org
Bay Area Oakland Police Department Kaleo Albino (707) 980-5543 kalbino@oaklandca.gov
Bay Area Redwood City, Port of  Connor Revay  (650) 306-4150 crevay@redwoodcityport.com 
Bay Area Richardson's Bay Regional Agency James Malcolm  (415) 971-3919 jmalcolm@marincounty.org 
Bay Area San Francisco, Port of  Dominic Moreno (415) 274-0579 dominic.moreno@sfport.com
Bay Area San Leandro Marina Dana Turner (510) 577-3440 dturner@sanleandro.org
Bay Area San Mateo County Harbor District Chris Tibbe  (650) 726-4382 ctibbe@smharbor.com  
Bay Area San Mateo, County of Mark Bettis  (650) 599-1391  mbettis@smcgov.org
Bay Area Sausalito Police Department  Brian Mather (415) 289-4184 bmather@sausalito.gov
         
San Joaquin Delta Contra Costa Sheriff Andrew Campbell N/A acamp@so.cccounty.us 
San Joaquin Delta San Joaquin County Sheriff Leo Conn (209) 953-8845 lconn@sjgov.org  
San Joaquin Delta Sacramento County Sheriff Thomas Mantei (916) 876-3500 tmantei@sacsheriff.com 
San Joaquin Delta Sacramento Police Department Todd Cook (916) 201-4434 tcook@pd.cityofsacramento.org
San Joaquin Delta Solano County Sheriff  Angela Donovan (707) 784-7012 ANDonovan@solanocounty.com  
San Joaquin Delta Stockton, City of Jose Jimenez (209) 937-8794 Jose.jimenez@stocktonca.gov
         
Central Coast Morro Bay Harbor Department Lori Stilts (805) 772-6256 lstilts@morrobayca.gov 
Central Coast Port San Luis Harbor District Jenelle Budden (805) 503-5676 jenelleb@portsanluis.com  
Central Coast Santa Barbara Sheriff Ugo Peter Arnoldi (805) 895-5729  upa0378@sbsheriff.org 
Central Coast Santa Barbara Waterfront Department Nathan Aldredge  (805) 564-5530 Ext.5530  nalldredge@santabarbaraca.gov
Central Coast Santa Cruz Port District Sean Rothwell (831) 475-6161 Ext. 28 srothwell@santacruzharbor.org 
         
Southern California Coronado, City of Kelli Maples (619) 522-7335 kmaples@coronado.ca.us 
Southern California Long Beach, City of Eric Skelly (562) 570-3215 eric.skelly@longbeach.gov 
Southern California Los Angeles County Sheriff Eric Felis (310) 482-6031 erfelis@lasd.org 
Southern California Newport Beach, City of Paul Blank (949) 270-8159 Harbormaster@newportbeachca.gov
Southern California Oceanside Small Craft Harbor Dept. Carmen Ryan (760) 435-4009 CCRyan@oceansideca.org
Southern California Orange County Sheriff Ryan Skutvik (949) 723-1005 rskutvik@ocsheriff.gov
Southern California Redondo Beach, City of Dave Charobee   Redondo Beach SAVE website
Southern California San Diego Fire and Rescue Rick Romero (619) 727-9476 RQRomero@sandiego.gov 
Southern California San Diego Unified Port District Tanya Allison (619) 821-1830 tallison@portofsandiego.org
Southern California Ventura Port District John Higgins  (805) 914-0058 jhiggins@venturaharbor.com