Mystic — A 45-foot steel-hulled boat that had been anchored illegally in the Mystic River broke loose Monday night and washed ashore on Williams Beach behind the Ocean Community YMCA.

Last month, a group of residents had warned town officials and the Mystic River Harbor Management Commission that the boat, owned by Jim Murphy of Stonington, posed a threat to nearby homes or marinas in the event of a storm. They urged the commission to remove the boat and fine Murphy.

It did not take a storm but Monday night’s unusually high tide to set the boat adrift. On Tuesday morning a rope tied the bow of the boat to a cement support on the beach.

In an email to Mystic River Harbormaster Paul Watts on Tuesday, resident George Dunnington wrote that “The Commission was aware that the boat was improperly anchored and failed to act. Hurricane season is coming as are the winter winds. The Commission is turning its head on a potential threat to peoples’ property and perhaps someone’s life. You are opening the Town up to a major legal suit for it is clearly not performing the duties required by State statutes.”

In July, the boat was anchored behind Dunnington’s home on Jerome Avenue. In August, Murphy moved it further out into the river and anchored it.

Murphy has said he has been trying for years to obtain a mooring but has been unable to get one. If he was given one, he said, the problem would be solved. But there is a long waiting list for a mooring.

Dunnington said it is time for the commission to “take some real action” and point out the regulations that allow the commission to fine Murphy.

He added the boat needs to be towed away “and the Town or the State needs to pay for this to happen.”

Watts said Tuesday that he and the commission have been working with Town Attorney Tom Londregan to determine what legal recourse the town has regarding the boat.

Coincidentally, a marine surveyor already was slated to inspect the boat Tuesday afternoon to determine its value and whether it is seaworthy. The information is needed by the town if it is going to take any action against Murphy. 

“We haven’t been sitting on this. We’ve been actively working on it,” Watts said. “We don’t want it ending up on somebody’s lawn or damaging someone’s boat.”

He said Murphy was expected to try and refloat the boat Tuesday night.

“The question is where will he put it,” he said.

Watts said he hopes Murphy takes responsibility to find a safe place for the boat.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas