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the Sunshine State

Boat Refloating in Florida

Grounded or swamped, back on the water without a wrecker.

Boat Refloating across Florida: grounded or swamped, back on the water without a wrecker. Lucky Hauling covers South Florida, the Gulf Coast and Central Florida and beyond with the rig the job needs and a free on-site estimate. Searching "boat refloating near me" brought you to the right place.

More boats than anywhere, more storms than anywhere, and more reasons to call. Florida is where our marine work lives: sunken boat recovery, refloating, derelict vessel removal, and the pool, RV, and cleanout work that comes with every season.

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  • Licensed & insured
  • Free on-site estimate
  • Same-week scheduling
  • Donate & recycle first
  • Boats, RVs & oversized loads
  • 20 states covered

the Sunshine State

Boat Refloating in Florida: where we work and what we see

We serve 333 cities and towns in Florida, from Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa to the small towns in between, across South Florida, the Gulf Coast, Central Florida, the First Coast, the Panhandle, the Treasure Coast and the Space Coast.

Boats in Florida live on the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay and Biscayne Bay. Titling runs through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, with derelict vessels enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and we handle the paperwork for titled, untitled, and abandoned vessels.

Hurricane season turns marinas into salvage yards, and every storm brings a wave of boat removals, refloating, and flooded property cleanouts.

What we handle

Boat Refloating in Florida: what we take

Here is what boat refloating covers in Florida. Each one gets the same process: look, quote, wait for your yes, then work.

  1. 01

    Grounded boats after storms or low tide

    Boats pushed onto sandbars, shorelines, and seawalls by storms or low water.

  2. 02

    Swamped hulls at the dock

    Rain-filled or leaking hulls that are sitting low but not on the bottom.

  3. 03

    Listing boats with water intrusion

    Boats taking on water that need pumping and a tow before they go under.

  4. 04

    Tow to ramp, lift, or repair yard

    Delivery to wherever it needs to go next.

  5. 05

    Post-storm recovery for marinas

    Multiple-vessel refloating for marinas after a storm.

How it works

How boat refloating works in Florida

Same steps every time, whether the job is in Florida proper or twenty minutes out. Knowing the sequence makes booking easier.

  1. 01

    Assess

    Location, water depth, hull condition, and tide. We decide between pumps, lift bags, or a straight pull.

  2. 02

    Stabilize

    Lines set, water pumped, hull patched or bagged where needed.

  3. 03

    Refloat

    Controlled, on the right tide, without dragging the hull over the bottom.

  4. 04

    Deliver

    Towed to the ramp, the lift, or the yard, or removed entirely if that is the plan.

Why now

Why Florida stops putting it off

If you are on the fence, these are the things that tend to settle it for people in Florida.

  • A boat taking on water today is a sunken boat recovery tomorrow.
  • Grounded hulls grind against the bottom with every wave.
  • Insurance claims go smoother when the boat is recovered quickly and documented.
  • Hurricane season turns marinas into salvage yards, and every storm brings a wave of boat removals, refloating, and flooded property cleanouts.

From the truck

Boat refloating jobs, as we found them.

  • Flybridge boat with a bimini top tied to a dock on calm waterStabilized and floating
  • Covered boat raised on a dock liftLifted for transport
  • Swamped powerboat sitting low in the water under a boathouse roofSwamped at the dock
  • Excavator on a barge working a salvage job on the waterBarge and excavator salvage
  • Cabin cruiser strapped onto a heavy-duty trailer on a gravel road under an overcast skyCabin cruiser loaded and leaving
  • Cabin cruiser on a tandem-axle trailer parked in a residential drivewayDriveway pickup, trailer included

Straight talk

What boat refloating does not include

The honest part, so there are no surprises:

  • We refloat and move boats. We do not repair them.
  • Some hulls are too far gone to save, and we will tell you that on site rather than charge you for a refloat that does not hold.

Coverage

Boat Refloating across Florida's regions

Florida is not one market. Each region has its own access issues, disposal facilities, and seasonal rhythm.

  • South Florida, around Miami: boat pickups on Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Coast, the Intracoastal Waterway and Lake Okeechobee and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • The Gulf Coast, around Tampa: boat pickups on Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • Central Florida, around Orlando: boat pickups on Lake Tohopekaliga, the Harris Chain of Lakes, the St. Johns River and Lake Apopka and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • The First Coast, around Jacksonville: boat pickups on the St. Johns River, the Atlantic Coast and the Intracoastal Waterway and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • The Panhandle, around Pensacola: boat pickups on Pensacola Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • The Treasure Coast, around Port St. Lucie: boat pickups on the Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie River and the Atlantic Coast and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
  • The Space Coast, around Melbourne: boat pickups on the Indian River Lagoon, the Banana River and the Atlantic Coast and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.

Sound familiar?

Common boat refloating situations in Florida

These are the jobs that come up again and again around Florida. Yours probably fits one, and the fix is the same phone call.

  1. 01

    Aground after the storm

    The surge put the boat on the seawall or the neighbor's lawn, and it needs to go back in the water without cracking the hull.

  2. 02

    Sitting low at the dock

    Rain-filled and listing, but not under yet. A pump-out and a tow to the lift solves it today.

  3. 03

    Low water stranding

    The lake dropped and the boat is on the bottom at the dock. It needs to be floated and moved to deeper water.

  4. 04

    Post-storm marina cleanup

    Several boats pushed onto the shore and stacked against each other, each needing a controlled refloat.

Afterward

Where boat refloating material from Florida ends up

"Where does it go?" is the right question to ask any removal company. This is our answer for Florida.

  1. 01

    Fuel, oil, and batteries

    Fluids are drained and batteries removed before the hull moves, and both go to certified facilities.

  2. 02

    Motors and hardware

    Outboards, stern drives, winches, and stainless hardware are recovered for salvage or scrap.

  3. 03

    Hull breakdown

    Fiberglass hulls are cut down and disposed of at a facility that accepts them. Aluminum hulls are recycled as scrap.

  4. 04

    Trailers

    Working trailers are reused or resold; rusted-out frames go to scrap.

Cities

Boat Refloating by city in Florida

Every city below has its own boat refloating page with local rules, disposal notes, and nearby coverage. Major metros first.

Questions

Boat Refloating in Florida: your questions

Is refloating cheaper than removal?

Usually, when the hull is sound. We assess on site and tell you honestly which makes sense.

Do you repair boats?

No. We get it floating and moved. Your yard handles repairs.

Do you offer same-day boat refloating in Florida?

Same-day boat refloating in Florida 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 boat refloating 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 Florida do you cover?

All of the Florida area, including Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa and Orlando. If you are outside that, we still probably cover you; check the Florida page for the full city list.

How do I set up boat refloating in Florida?

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 boat refloating in Florida?

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 Florida?

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 Florida?

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 boat refloating anywhere in Florida

Pick your city above for local details, or send photos now. We reply within business hours with the first open window, and nothing moves until you say yes.

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Boat refloating everywhere in Florida

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