Partially submerged houseboat draws attention on Cazenovia Lake

CAZENOVIA — Midafternoon on Tuesday, Aug. 13, the Town of Cazenovia and multiple local agencies responded to numerous calls regarding a houseboat that appeared to be sinking on Cazenovia Lake.

The registered vessel, which has been on the lake all summer, was situated north of the Cazenovia Rowing Club dock at the south end of the lake.

At the time of the response, one side of the houseboat was submerged in the water and stuck in the mud.

Town Supervisor Kyle Reger, who monitored the situation with Highway Superintendent Bryan Smith aboard the lake’s weed harvester, estimated that the houseboat was in about six or seven feet of water.

“As soon as we learned about this incident, we reached out to all the proper agencies,” Reger said. “The Cazenovia Fire Department, the Cazenovia Police Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation [(DEC)] Spill Response Team responded immediately. We wanted to have all the right agencies involved to ensure the safety of the people involved as well as the health of the lake.”

According to Reger, a DEC officer removed all batteries and gas tanks from the vessel and checked for leaks.

By mid-morning on Thursday, Aug. 15, the houseboat was sitting flat on the bottom of the lake with several feet of the structure still visible above the surface.

That evening, Reger reported that the houseboat owner was attempting to have the vessel removed, and a DEC agent was expected to arrive on the scene shortly.

“We are continuing to collaborate with the agencies involved, and we will be working together until this is resolved,” Reger said.

By 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 15, the houseboat owner had moved the vessel close to shore using their own equipment.

The following morning, Reger reported that the owner planned to remove the houseboat from the lake later that day.