the Pelican State
Sunken Boat Recovery in Louisiana
Pumped, floated, and out of the water before it becomes a fine.
Sunken Boat Recovery across Louisiana: pumped, floated, and out of the water before it becomes a fine. Lucky Hauling covers Greater New Orleans, Acadiana and the Northshore and beyond with the rig the job needs and a free on-site estimate. Searching "sunken boat recovery near me" brought you to the right place.
Nobody has more boats per capita or more reasons for one to end up in the yard. We pull swamped bass boats from the bayou, haul flooded campers out of the Parishes, and handle the cleanouts that follow every storm.
- Licensed & insured
- Free on-site estimate
- Same-week scheduling
- Donate & recycle first
- Boats, RVs & oversized loads
- 20 states covered
the Pelican State
Sunken Boat Recovery in Louisiana: where we work and what we see
We serve 155 cities and towns in Louisiana, from New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport to the small towns in between, across Greater New Orleans, Acadiana, the Northshore, the Florida Parishes, Central Louisiana, Southwest Louisiana and North Louisiana.
Boats in Louisiana live on Lake Pontchartrain, the Gulf Coast, the Atchafalaya Basin and the Mississippi River. Titling runs through the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and we handle the paperwork for titled, untitled, and abandoned vessels.
Hurricane season defines the calendar: storm-damaged boats, flooded campers, and whole-house cleanouts after every named storm.
What we handle
Sunken Boat Recovery in Louisiana: what we take
Here is what sunken boat recovery covers in Louisiana. Each one gets the same process: look, quote, wait for your yes, then work.
- 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 Louisiana
Same steps every time, whether the job is in Louisiana proper or twenty minutes out. Knowing the sequence makes booking easier.
- 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.
Why now
Why Louisiana stops putting it off
If you are on the fence, these are the things that tend to settle it for people in Louisiana.
- 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 defines the calendar: storm-damaged boats, flooded campers, and whole-house cleanouts after every named storm.
From the truck
Sunken boat recovery jobs, as we found them.
- Swamped at the dock
Barge and excavator salvage
Stabilized and floating
Lifted for transport
Cabin cruiser loaded and leaving
Driveway pickup, trailer included
Straight talk
What sunken boat recovery does not include
The honest part, so there are no surprises:
- 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.
Coverage
Sunken Boat Recovery across Louisiana's regions
Louisiana is not one market. Each region has its own access issues, disposal facilities, and seasonal rhythm.
- Greater New Orleans, around New Orleans: boat pickups on Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi River, Lake Borgne and Bayou St. John and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- Acadiana, around Lafayette: boat pickups on the Atchafalaya Basin, Vermilion Bay and Bayou Teche and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- The Northshore, around Covington: boat pickups on Lake Pontchartrain, the Tchefuncte River and the Bogue Falaya and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- The Florida Parishes, around Hammond: boat pickups on the Amite River, Lake Maurepas and the Tangipahoa River and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- Central Louisiana, around Alexandria: boat pickups on the Red River, Kincaid Lake and Saline Lake and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- Southwest Louisiana, around Lake Charles: boat pickups on Calcasieu Lake, Lake Charles and Sabine Lake and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
- North Louisiana, around Shreveport: boat pickups on Cross Lake, Caddo Lake, the Red River and Bayou D'Arbonne and the marinas, ramps, and storage yards that serve them.
Sound familiar?
Common sunken boat recovery situations in Louisiana
These are the jobs that come up again and again around Louisiana. Yours probably fits one, and the fix is the same phone call.
- 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 Louisiana ends up
People ask, and they should. Here is the path everything takes after it leaves Louisiana.
- 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 Louisiana
Preparation is optional. The crew handles everything on the day. But if you want the job to go quickest, here is what helps.
- 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.
Cities
Sunken Boat Recovery by city in Louisiana
Every city below has its own sunken boat recovery page with local rules, disposal notes, and nearby coverage. Major metros first.
- Sunken boat recovery in New Orleans →
- Sunken boat recovery in Baton Rouge →
- Sunken boat recovery in Shreveport →
- Sunken boat recovery in Lafayette →
- Sunken boat recovery in Lake Charles →
- Sunken boat recovery in Kenner →
- Sunken boat recovery in Bossier City →
- Sunken boat recovery in Monroe →
- All 155 Louisiana cities →
Questions
Sunken Boat Recovery in Louisiana: 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 Louisiana?
Often, yes. Call early in the day for the best chance at a same-day window, and ask for the first open window if today is full. Next-day is almost always available.
Are you licensed and insured for sunken boat recovery in Louisiana?
Yes. Lucky Hauling carries general liability and auto coverage for every job in Louisiana. Ask the office for a certificate of insurance and we will email it before the crew arrives.
Which areas near Louisiana do you cover?
All of the Louisiana area, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lafayette. If you are outside that, we still probably cover you; check the Louisiana page for the full city list.
How do I set up sunken boat recovery in Louisiana?
Photos are fastest. Tell us what it is, where it sits, and how soon you need it gone, and we schedule the on-site estimate.
Do I need to be home for sunken boat recovery in Louisiana?
Not necessarily. Many Louisiana customers meet us at the start and leave, or approve by text from photos the crew sends. Someone does need to say yes before anything is loaded.
What should I do before the crew gets to Louisiana?
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 Louisiana?
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 Louisiana?
In most cases, yes. Boat titling in Louisiana runs through the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 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 anywhere in Louisiana
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.
Internal links
Sunken boat recovery everywhere in Louisiana
Free estimate
Sunken boat recovery in Louisiana?
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