A 70-foot-long shrimp boat that had been capsized in the Wilmington River by Thunderbolt Fisherman Seafood since July 2 was raised Sunday.
Frank Dubberly, who owns the Thunderbolt Fisherman Seafood dock, said the Capt Van was afloat again by about 10:30 a.m. Sunday with the help of local service providers for BoatUS and Majer’s Diving in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
“It’s been an ordeal,” Dubberly said Monday afternoon. “We just kept messing with it and finally got it up, thank goodness.”
Dubberly said the Capt Van has been moved from the main area in front of the dock, where it threatened his business. He said it appeared there was an issue with the boat’s packing gland.
“We got it all secured, and we got the pump on it just for safety, but it’s not leaking.”
Last week, Dubberly said that he had talked to several crane companies to try to get the boat moved, but none were interested. The Coast Guard had been monitoring salvage efforts, but the boat’s owner, Dubberly said, had not been seen since shortly after the Capt Van capsized. After the initial incident, a boom was placed around the Capt Van to contain any spilled fuel and engine oil.
“It was quite an undertaking, but we were successful,” said Capt. Dana Rutland of BoatUS. “It will not be put back together. It will be sold for scrap.”
Dubberly said he’s glad his dock will be back in business, though it may take a week to repair some damage caused by the boat.
“I think we can get some boats up there and service them – put some ice and fuel on them,” he said. “… We should be able to continue the business. That’s what we were hoping for, and that will be the outcome.”
—Dash Coleman