Captain selling sailboat for $1 after it washes ashore in New Smyrna Beach

By Pamela Comme

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    NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — Captain Allan Askar’s journey from St. Augustine to the Dominican Republic faced a major challenge on Dec. 22. After battling rough waters off the coast of Florida for nearly 16 hours, Askar was exhausted.

“The wind was pushing me downwind and the waves were building up and also going down, meaning I need to surf waves,” said Askar. His body had been through a 16-hour struggle, leaving him “quite exhausted.” He anchored his sailboat and finally caught some rest.

The 1977 sailboat he was navigating, however, washed ashore at New Smyrna Beach, where it quickly became a local attraction.

“It’s been an attraction for everybody around. I mean, we took the kids there the other day,” shared one local.

But now, Askar faces a hefty cost to remove the boat.

“It will be operation by land at this point, and it will cost like 20, $25,000 altogether,” he explained.

Askar now put the boat up for sale on Craigslist—for just one dollar.

WESH spoke with locals and asked if they’d want to buy the boat.

“I have a dollar. Where is he at,” said one New Smyrna Beach resident.

“I have to talk to my wife to see if we’re in the market for a sailboat, but a dollar is a pretty good price,” said another.

Despite the quirky listing, Askar remains hopeful for a serious buyer.

“Very good, reliable boat, very solid construction. It will last another 50 years even with abuse it’s currently taken,” he affirmed.

If he finds the right person, Askar is even willing to help cover the removal costs.

As the sailboat sits on New Smyrna Beach, its fate rests in the hands of a willing buyer who can give it a new life.

According to Askar, he has a total of 30 days to remove it from the time of the wreck. If not, he could face hefty fines and even jail time.

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