SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- Authorities have unraveled the mystery behind a 37-foot boat abandoned on blocks on the side of Route 1 for hours on Thursday, causing traffic delays and even a minor car crash from rubbernecking drivers.

A tow truck driver for Otter Creek Marina -- a Maryland-based boat transportation company -- had been hauling the vessel from Mamaroneck, N.Y., to Maryland when he encountered mechanical problems traveling through South Brunswick, police said.

At around 1:30 p.m., the tow truck driver, 49-year-old Christopher White, of Forrest Hills, Md., "decided to off load the boat on the shoulder of the highway" near Beekman Road, police said.

Instead of notifying police first, White left the boat on blocks and headed to Maryland to get a new trailer, police said.

The boat, named Maraliya and bearing a Larchmont, N.Y. marking, caused traffic to slow on Route 1 Thursday as drivers gawked at the unusual sight, police said. It remained on the shoulder of the busy highway for nearly five hours before police could arrange to have the vessel removed.

Police investigating boat left on highway. Traffic slow on Rt 1 near Beekman Rd. pic.twitter.com/MmSBAkisGG — So Brunswick PD (@SoBrunswickPD) July 6, 2017

The boat was finally towed from Route 1 shortly after 8 p.m., police said.

The bill to tow the boat was more than $6,000, according to officials.

White "could not explain why he never notified police or any authorities about leaving the boat," police said.

White was issued two summonses, one for failure to notify police of a disabled or abandon vehicle and another for obstructing the passage of vehicles.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.