Vessels can be navigation hazard, source of pollution Junk boats aren't sunken treasure, officials say

When a dilapidated, 50-foot houseboat sank in the waters of Hickory Cove early last month, it was not the first such neglected craft to slip beneath the surface of Smith Mountain Lake. Nor will it be the last. The last two to three years have witnessed a rise in the number of derelict boats sinking.