"It's also a navigational hazard as boats may not see the edges - it's been underwater for a while so the wood is rotting."
In its current state, the boat has little financial value and would take more money and work to restore than it was worth, Mr Makiha said.
This is the fourth boat he has had to deal with over the past year. He said it was a lengthy process trying to track down owners to order them to remove their vessels.
"You don't know whether they've dropped dead or what has happened to them. Usually owners leave contact details but nothing has been left with this boat. We've asked the other boaties and they don't know who it might belong to either," he said.
"We have to put a public notice in the newspaper to try and identify them."
Under the Maritime Transport Act, the council needs to notify police, fix a notice to the boat stating its intention to remove, publicly notify it and wait one month before the council assumes ownership if they fail to hear from someone.
"For one of the owners of the last boats [we removed], it was a financial issue. The owner couldn't afford to remove it so the council had to cover the cost - but the other two owners, they had to leave them here and they weren't coming back. They've usually been out-of-towners."
The West Rotoiti Volunteer Fire Brigade assisted the last time a vessel was removed, using its rescue boat to pump the water out before towing the boat to shore to a waiting transporter. Regional harbour master Peter Buell said boats were trucked away for specialised disposal in Waikato.
"We can advertise them on TradeMe with a dollar reserve, but often potential buyers decide not to go ahead when they realise the amount of work and money it would take to get the boat seaworthy again.
"It's a growing problem in all harbours, and in Auckland they would be dealing with about one abandoned vessel each week. The ratepayers end up picking up the costs, and they can be extensive," Mr Buell said.
"If boat owners find themselves unable to care for their boat on the mooring, they should contact us first. Under our bylaws, boat owners remain responsible for the seaworthiness of their vessel and will bear the costs should the vessel sink on the mooring or break free and become a navigational hazard.
"Transferring ownership to someone keen to take on this mantle of responsibility is in their interest, but this must be approved by the harbour master's office."
Boat owners can contact the mooring officer on 0800 884 880.
