ABANDONED DERELICT BOATS
This website is intended to enourage residents and visitors alike to enjoy this amazing environment, both historical and natural. But it is not a marketing website. It does not ignore the problems either.
Derelict boats that have been abandoned along our rivers is the most conspicuous and one that locals have to live with and which visitors will be soon confronted with too.
Resolution of this problem is not as straightforward as may be supposed. The physical side of removing them is just one side. Legal issues need to be resolved too. And both of these need funding - under a cash strapped council. Part of the problem about obligations and rights is to do with the vagueness of owners. At the lower end of the Leven, the old demarcation ran through the centre of the river and several properties front onto it (or did). To the town side it is even more complex. As one goes upstream we see the river flowing through several communities that were at one time separate villages. (See the article in the Reporter below).
Most, but not all derelict boats can be identified, but owners may have since died or moved on. Even if they are still around, they may not be in a position to remove them themselves, perhaps for financial or health reasons. Insurance is unlikely to cover recovery if the state of the craft is not from a mishap such as collision or specific weather conditions.
Council minutes and report going back to 2008 note the legal complexity in resolving the issues around the state of the river, particularly that part within Dumbarton. To some extent control and obligations relate to adjacent land ownership. Council minutes note : To be successful in any Court proceedings the Council would have to:
...demonstrate that the Council is the proprietor in possession in relation
to the bed of the river. It may be difficult for the Council to provide
sufficient evidence of actual physical possession. As previously
reported, the Council has carried out certain works in respect of the
river eg removing sunken boats and carrying out some flood
prevention/riverbank strengthening works; however, regular maintenance works such as dredging of the river ceased some decades ago. Identifying positive acts by this Council evidencing their possession of the river has been problematic and such evidence would
be essential in connection with the proving of possession in any Court
action... [WDC minutes 2008].
We note from online forums that over 2 decades ago, the moorings were less formally controlled and boat owners did not even need registration to moor within the river upstream. Some of the boat wrecks may even date from that period leaving obligations for their removal now very obscure.
Lower Leven
West Dunbartonshire Council have begun to clear boats in the lower Leven.
Dumbarton Town Centre Forum minutes record that 10 boats have been removed during early 2025. No owners came forward after public notifications of this happening so they have been destroyed.
This action was considered just a first phase of such remedial work, other owners are being sought and funding considered.
Also see DUMBARTON HARBOUR, River Leven, Dumbarton and DUMBARTON WATERFRONT PATH
These boat wrecks have lain forlorn in the lower Leven basin for years. Some were removed in early 2025.
Mid- Leven
There are remains of some boats about mid-way up the river, but these are generally out of sight and of little concern. However each time there is a severe storm, some that have been dislocated from above the barrage, may come down and catch on underwater obstacles. They remain there until sufficient storm flow gets them loose again and they become a problem further downstream.
This is quite an interesting wreck of timber construction and possibly carried cargo up and own the river and pulled by a horse on the tow path.
This yacht without a mast was moored along the Dalquhurn Loop as late as 2000. It was covered not just for general protection, but appeared to be occupied. Another boat sometimes attended it.
This heavy duty boat trailer still remains at the point where the abovementioned boat was moored.
Upper Leven
The moorings above the barrage are owned by VOLDAC and Sweeneys. Sweeneys title was registered in 1998 and is based on prior title deeds from as back as far as 1922. Neither of these bodies though have full control over boats or their support dinghies when they get damaged, sink with railwater or of which one time owners disappear.
Some of the smaller ones tend to drift up to and get stuck on the safety chain and floats on the approach to the barrage. large boyancy floats that have come adrift from jetties have accumulated against the safety chain and floats too joining much other detritus.
FORUMS YBW : https://forums.ybw.com/threads/river-leven-moorings.281097/
THE REPORTER : https://www.dumbartonreporter.co.uk/news/13955424.Wrangle_over_River_Leven/
