Environmental Police investigating cutting of four boats off AYC moorings

Jul. 30—NEWBURYPORT — As the state's Environmental Police continue to investigate who cut four boats off their moorings at the American Yacht Club sometime Tuesday night, members of the Water Street club expressed their outrage over what appears to be a random act of vandalism.

Three of the boats were recovered on Tuesday on the Salisbury marsh, one of them containing a knife and a flashlight presumably used to the cut them loose, according to a statement released by the American Yacht Club.

The fourth boat was recovered on the ocean side of Plum Island by a fisherman on Wednesday on the ocean side of Plum Island near the beach at Lot 6 of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Newburyport Police Lt. Matthew Simons said the incident was first reported to local police who then contacted the Mass. Environmental Police. The boat owners were notified and are in the process of sending damage reports, the Environmental Police added.

Past AYC Commodore Dave Hewey of Haverhill said for the last 15 years it has been nothing but smooth sailing at the family friendly yacht club.

"Now all of a sudden something like this happens. It's disgusting someone would do that," Hewey said, adding members were worried that their prized possessions were being targeted.

Another member called the incident "pretty mean" and compared it to stealing someone's car.

Three of the vessels were roughly 20-foot powerboats while the fourth was a 15-foot sailboat. The fact that different types of boats were targeted is contributing to what he called the randomness of the incident.

The American Yacht Club, located at 115R Water St., calls itself the country's "oldest continually operating private yacht club" and has been offering sailing lessons to kids and adults for more than 60 years. It is typically operational between mid May and late October.

Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.