Judge to hear case of Yacht vs. Sunken Piling

[2]M/Y Namoh [2]The owners of a yacht that rents for $99,500 a week are suing a Long Wharf marina over damage they say was caused by a sunken piling the marina should have done something about before the yacht hit it.

In the lawsuit, filed this week in US District Court in Boston, the owners of the M/Y Namoh say the crew of the 125-foot yacht with twin 2250-horsepower diesel engines was in the process of backing into a slip at the Boston Waterboat Marina [3] on Aug. 30, 2011, when "its hull and propellers struck a submerged object within the slip's berth and its starboard engine immediately shutdown."

A diver hired by the yacht company the next day found a submerged, 10-foot long piling right under the yacht, the owners say. And:

Immediately following the diver's report concerning his discovery and his removal of the submerged piling, the M/V NAMOH's Master conducted a sea trial of the vessel and discovered heavy vibrations resulting after engaging the vessel's engines. Further investigation of the vessel’s condition revealed damage to both its hull and propulsion machinery.

The owners are seeking recompense for the $250,000 in repairs they say they had to make plus interest, lawyer's fees and any other penalties the court finds just.