An Olympia resident stepped forward to purchase a dilapidated sailboat the Port of Coupeville auctioned off last week.

Alex Butowicz submitted the high bid of $1,251 for the Carpe Diem, a 27-foot Islander that had been moored at the Coupeville Wharf for several weeks. Butowicz’s was also the  only bid, which the port commissioners accepted during a March 14 meeting.

The Carpe Diem had been moored for years off Lovejoy Point and had been the home of Peter Driftmeyer.  Eventually, the boat ran aground and lacked proper anchorage and safety equipment for Driftmeyer to continue living on the vessel. He eventually moved to an apartment in Oak Harbor.

Port Commissioner Laura Blankenship questioned whether Port Executive Director Jim Patton had the authority to acquire such a boat, arguing that the decision should have gone before the three-member board.

Patton said acquiring the Carpe Diem was an emergency situation and it was important to get Driftmeyer off a dangerous boat.

He said after the meeting, the money Butowicz offered for the Carpe Diem will cover the moorage fees and other costs incurred concerning the vessel. The Olympia resident is said to already have moorage space ready so he can easily take possession of the Carpe Diem.