South Carolina Code 50-23-205. Seizure of certain watercraft; notice of seizure and of time for removal; forfeiture and disposal
(B) Upon seizure of the watercraft or outboard motor, the department shall notify a person claiming an interest in it, and the person has the right to prove his interest before the circuit court in the county where the property was seized. If no action is filed within sixty days of notification, the department may retain the property for official use or transfer the property to another public entity for official use, sell the property at public auction, or, if the watercraft or outboard motor is determined to be unsafe, destroy it. The proceeds derived from the sale must be deposited in the Boating Operating Fund of the department for administration of the program.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 50-23-205
- abandoned: means any watercraft that has been moored, stranded, wrecked, sinking, or sunk, and has been left unattended for longer than forty-five days. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Department: means the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources unless otherwise stated. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Outboard motor: means a combustion engine or electric propulsion system, which is used to propel a watercraft and which is detachable from the watercraft as a unit. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Owner: means a person, other than a lienholder, who claims lawful possession of a vessel or outboard motor by virtue of legal title or equitable interest in it which entitled him to possession. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Person: means an individual, a partnership, a firm, a corporation, an association, or other legal entity. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Serial number: means the identifying manufacturer's number affixed to a watercraft before November 2, 1972, and to outboard motors before, on, and after that date. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Use: means operate, navigate, or employ. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Watercraft: means anything used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water but does not include: a seaplane regulated by the federal government, water skis, aquaplanes, surfboards, windsurfers, tubes, rafts, and similar devices or anything that does not meet construction or operational requirements of the state or federal government for watercraft. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
(C) When the department determines the owner of a seized watercraft or outboard motor and related marine equipment, it shall notify the owner by certified mail of the procedure, the location, and the fact that he has not less than thirty days from the date of the certified letter to remove the equipment from the department’s storage facility. If a security interest has been perfected, the department must notify the lienholder by certified mail allowing thirty days to respond. Failure to respond within thirty days or remove the watercraft or outboard motor by the date designated forfeits the equipment to the department to be used or disposed of according to law.