Brevard County, Florida
Sunken Boat Recovery in Melbourne
Pumped, floated, and out of the water before it becomes a fine.
If you typed "sunken boat recovery near me" into your phone, you are probably looking at something that has been sitting too long. We look at it on site, tell you what it takes, and make it gone the same visit.
Around Melbourne, boats end up in driveways, marina slips, and dry storage, and we have pulled them from all three.
- Licensed & insured
- Free on-site estimate
- Same-week scheduling
- Donate & recycle first
- Boats, RVs & oversized loads
- 20 states covered
Melbourne, FL
Sunken Boat Recovery in Melbourne, done the Melbourne way
Melbourne has every kind of job in it, from residential streets to commercial lots, and the process is the same for each: look, quote on site, wait for your yes, then work.
Marinas around Melbourne have their own rules for removals. We coordinate with the dockmaster, bring marine-rated straps and the right trailer, and handle the the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, with derelict vessels enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission paperwork.
Hurricane season turns marinas into salvage yards, and every storm brings a wave of boat removals, refloating, and flooded property cleanouts. The calendar fills up in those stretches, so booking a week ahead gets you the window you want.
What we handle
Sunken Boat Recovery in Melbourne: what we take
Sunken boat recovery in Melbourne covers more than most people expect. If it is on this list, we have done it, and if it is not, ask anyway.
- 01
Swamped and partially sunk boats at the dock
The most common call: a boat took on water overnight and is sitting on the bottom of the slip.
- 02
Fully submerged recoveries in shallow water
Fully submerged hulls in shallow to moderate depths with lift bags and pumps.
- 03
Lift bag and pump refloating
Controlled refloating that does not crack the hull further.
- 04
Fuel and fluid containment coordination
Booms, absorbents, and notifications where required.
- 05
Removal and disposal after recovery
Once it is up, we remove it or deliver it to your yard.
How it works
How sunken boat recovery works in Melbourne
From "can you take this?" to "it's gone" is usually one visit. This is the order it happens in.
- 01
Call immediately
Time matters for fuel containment and to prevent the hull from settling deeper. We ask for depth, size, and location.
- 02
Stabilize and contain
Booms deployed where fuel is present, lines secured, and the hull assessed by the crew or a diver.
- 03
Raise
Pumps for swamped hulls, lift bags for submerged ones. The boat is brought to the surface under control.
- 04
Tow or remove
To a ramp or lift for removal, or to a repair yard if the hull is worth saving.
Florida rules
Titles, disposal, and Florida rules for sunken boat recovery
Boat titling and registration in Florida is handled by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, with derelict vessels enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. If you have the title, the removal is straightforward. If you do not, most counties recognize a release or abandoned-vessel process and we prepare the paperwork with you. Common waters in Florida include the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay.
Fuel, oil, batteries, and refrigerant are handled properly on every job, which is the difference between a licensed removal company and an unlicensed one. Ask about it and we will show you where it goes.
Hurricane season turns marinas into salvage yards, and every storm brings a wave of boat removals, refloating, and flooded property cleanouts.
Why now
Why Melbourne stops putting it off
Nobody schedules sunken boat recovery for fun. These are the reasons Melbourne homeowners finally pick up the phone.
- Fuel and oil leaking from a sunken boat can bring fines and cleanup liability.
- Marinas require sunken vessels to be raised within days.
- The longer it sits, the more the hull and electronics are ruined and the harder the lift.
- Hurricane season turns marinas into salvage yards, and every storm brings a wave of boat removals, refloating, and flooded property cleanouts.
From the truck
What sunken boat recovery looks like on the day.
- Swamped at the dock
Barge and excavator salvage
Stabilized and floating
Straight talk
What sunken boat recovery does not include
A few things we will tell you up front, because you would rather hear them now than on the day.
- Deep-water and offshore salvage is quoted case by case with dive partners.
- Raising a boat does not make it seaworthy. If you want it repaired, we deliver it to a yard; we do not do the repair.
Sound familiar?
Common sunken boat recovery situations in Melbourne
If one of these sounds like your Melbourne situation, you are in the right place. If it does not, we still want to hear about it.
- 01
Woke up to a boat on the bottom
A bilge pump failed overnight and the boat is sitting in the slip with the gunwales under.
- 02
Swamped in the storm
Rain and wind filled it faster than the pump could keep up, and now it is half under at the dock.
- 03
The marina's deadline
The marina has given days, not weeks, to raise it before they hire someone and bill you.
- 04
Fuel in the water
A sheen is spreading and someone needs to contain it now.
Afterward
Where sunken boat recovery material from Melbourne ends up
"Where does it go?" is the right question to ask any removal company. This is our answer for Melbourne.
- 01
Fuel, oil, and batteries
Fluids are drained and batteries removed before the hull moves, and both go to certified facilities.
- 02
Motors and hardware
Outboards, stern drives, winches, and stainless hardware are recovered for salvage or scrap.
- 03
Hull breakdown
Fiberglass hulls are cut down and disposed of at a facility that accepts them. Aluminum hulls are recycled as scrap.
- 04
Trailers
Working trailers are reused or resold; rusted-out frames go to scrap.
Before we arrive
How to prepare for sunken boat recovery in Melbourne
You do not need to do much before a sunken boat recovery crew arrives in Melbourne, but three small things make the day go faster.
- Call immediately; do not wait to see if it gets better.
- Tell us the depth, the size of the boat, and whether there is fuel on board.
- Keep people off the dock around it until the crew arrives.
Nearby
Sunken boat recovery near Melbourne
We also handle sunken boat recovery in Palm Bay, Titusville, Rockledge, West Melbourne and Cocoa and the rest of Brevard County. Same process.
Questions from Melbourne
Sunken Boat Recovery in Melbourne: your questions
How fast can you get there?
Sunken vessels go to the front of the schedule. Call the moment it happens.
Who handles fuel in the water?
We coordinate containment and notify the right agency where required. Ask us and we will walk you through it.
Can you recover a boat that sank in deep water?
Shallow and moderate depths are routine. Deep-water salvage is quoted case by case with dive partners.
Do you offer same-day sunken boat recovery in Melbourne?
Same-day sunken boat recovery in Melbourne depends on that day's schedule. We keep windows open for urgent calls, and next-day is almost always available.
Are you licensed and insured for sunken boat recovery in Florida?
Yes. Lucky Hauling carries general liability and auto coverage for every job in Florida. Ask the office for a certificate of insurance and we will email it before the crew arrives.
Which areas near Melbourne do you cover?
All of Brevard County, including Palm Bay, Titusville, Rockledge and West Melbourne. If you are outside that, we still probably cover you; check the Florida page for the full city list.
How do I set up sunken boat recovery in Melbourne?
Send a few photos through the estimate form or by text. We confirm what we can take and set up the free on-site estimate, and nothing is loaded until you say yes.
Do I need to be home for sunken boat recovery in Melbourne?
Only for the estimate, and even that can happen by phone or text with photos from the crew. Property managers and out-of-town owners do it this way every week.
What should I do before the crew gets to Melbourne?
Very little. Decide what stays, point it out or tape it, and clear a path if it is easy. Pull personal items and any fuel cans off the boat. The crew does the rest.
Can you get it out of a tight spot in Melbourne?
Usually. Boats boxed in by fences, docks, or other boats are winched or lifted rather than dragged. Send a photo of the access and we plan it before the day.
What if the weather is bad on the day?
Rain does not stop most jobs. Lightning, ice, and high wind do, especially for boat lifts and tow work. If we have to move your window we tell you as early as we can and reschedule at no charge.
I do not have the title for the boat. Can you still remove it in Florida?
In most cases, yes. Boat titling in Florida runs through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, with derelict vessels enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and there is a release or abandoned-vessel process for boats without paperwork. We tell you exactly which form to sign before pickup day.
Next step
Book sunken boat recovery in Melbourne
Send a few photos, tell us where in Melbourne it sits, and how soon you need it gone. You will hear back within business hours with the first open two-hour window, and nothing moves until you say yes on site.
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Free estimate
Sunken boat recovery in Melbourne?
Send a few details and we come back with the first open window. No obligation, and nothing moves until you say yes on site.
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM · Sunday: By appointment