Duval County

Running out of time: FWC to take possession of stranded vessel at Jax Beach by midnight

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Time is practically up for a local sailboat owner whose boat has been stuck on Jax Beach for 3 weeks.

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Luke Rehberg’s boat has been stuck in the sand for 3 weeks and 2 days. Now, time is running out for the captain, who received a derelict vessel notice 20 days ago, at that time saying he had to remove the boat from the shoreline within 21 days or have FWC take possession of it, which would cost him about $15,000.

Rehberg took the FWC route.

“What’s next is to sleep in a real bed and not be the caretaker of a public beach and a dangerous vessel,” Rehberg told Action News Jax.

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Rehberg said he’s not sure exactly when FWC will come to take his boat.

“So, what I understand is to the 16th, I will relinquish possession of the boat on Thursday night at midnight, but I’m not 100% positive,” he said.

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Rehberg said he will stay with the boat until FWC comes and gets it, and then, he plans to stay in Jax Beach at least until the end of the winter.

“Now, I have some paperwork and different things I need to do with the City of Jax Beach to clear all this up,” Rehberg explained.

Rehberg said he doesn’t know when, but he does have plans to get back on another sailboat one day.

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