Derelict boat anchored on Caloosahatchee as anxious homeowners await state action

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)  — Residents along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers are breathing a sigh of relief after the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) intervened to stabilize a derelict boat that has been inching toward private docks for weeks, after a WINK Investigates report last week highlighted their concerns.

The vessel, described by neighbors as a "ticking time bomb," has been a source of growing anxiety for homeowners near McGregor Boulevard and the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

A Temporary Fix

After residents raised concerns that the boat was drifting closer to their property, the LCSO Marine Unit took action by adding a series of anchors to the vessel to prevent further movement.

For Dr. Dean Lin, the intervention was a welcome sight. Dr. Lin told Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander that his dock has been destroyed three times in the last five years—most recently in 2024 by an abandoned boat acting as a battering ram during a storm.

"It stabilizes things for the moment," Lin said. "But unfortunately, as we all know, I don't think any amount of anchors is going to protect us from a 10-foot surge. That boat is going to move, no matter what.”

Trapped in Red Tape

Despite the temporary anchors, the boat remains in the water due to a lengthy state investigation process. Currently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is the lead agency, and state law requires a "statutorily defined" investigation before a vessel can be removed.

Homeowners say the current process is "infuriating" because they are barred from touching or moving the boat themselves while they wait for the FWC to finish its paperwork—a process that can take months or even years.

Looking to Tallahassee

A possible solution is currently sitting on the Governor’s desk. House Bill 1103 would empower local authorities and code enforcement to speed up the removal of these hazards.

Lee County officials have stated it is "premature to comment" on whether they will utilize these new powers until the bill is officially signed into law.

For now, neighbors like Mike Carlino, who has also rebuilt his dock multiple times, are left watching the horizon.

"I'll rebuild it every time," Carlino said. "I mean, that's why you live out here, right? You love it".

The FWC says the vessel could eventually be removed by the state or a regional district, but there is still no clear timeline for when that will happen. WINK Investigates will continue to track the vessel's status ahead of the 2026 hurricane season.