Boats & marine
Sunken Boat Recovery
Pumped, floated, and out of the water before it becomes a fine.
Pumped, floated, and out of the water before it becomes a fine. A swamped or sunk boat at the dock is a spill risk, a navigation hazard, and in many states a ticking fine. We bring pumps, lift bags, and divers where needed to raise the vessel, get it to the ramp, and remove it the same day.
This page covers everything that goes into sunken boat recovery: what we handle, how a job runs, what it takes, and the honest limits. Pick your state at the bottom for local rules and city pages, or send photos now and skip straight to the on-site estimate.
- Licensed & insured
- Free on-site estimate
- Same-week scheduling
- Donate & recycle first
- Boats, RVs & oversized loads
- 20 states covered
What people search
"Sunken boat recovery near me" and the other ways people find us
Whether you searched "sunken boat removal your city", "boat salvage recovery", "raise a sunken boat" and "swamped boat removal", you ended up here because the job is bigger than a trip to the dump. That is exactly what we are built for.
What we handle
Sunken Boat Recovery in your area: what we take
Sunken boat recovery in your area 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 your area
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.
Why now
Why your area stops putting it off
Nobody schedules sunken boat recovery for fun. These are the reasons your area 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.
- Demand peaks in spring and after storms, and the calendar fills fastest in the weeks around them.
From the truck
Real jobs, real crews.
- 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
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 your area
If one of these sounds like your your area 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 your area ends up
People ask, and they should. Here is the path everything takes after it leaves your area.
- 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.
Choosing a company
What to ask any sunken boat recovery company
Whoever you hire for sunken boat recovery, these questions will tell you in two minutes whether they are the right ones.
- 01
Do they own a boat trailer rated for your hull?
A landscaper's trailer and a ratchet strap is how boats end up on the highway shoulder. Ask what they are bringing.
- 02
Do they handle the title paperwork?
Untitled and abandoned vessels need a state release. If they have not done one, you will be doing it yourself.
- 03
What happens to fuel, oil, and batteries?
The honest answer involves a certified facility. Any other answer is a red flag.
- 04
Can they work at a marina?
Dockmasters have rules and insurance requirements. Ask whether they have worked one before.
Equipment
What sunken boat recovery in your area takes
Most of what makes sunken boat recovery go smoothly is decided before the truck leaves. This is the gear behind a your area job.
- 01
Marine-rated straps
Hulls are strapped, not chained, and supported where the hull is meant to be supported.
- 02
Trailers rated for the load
Bunk, roller, and keel-capable trailers for boats of different hull types and sizes.
- 03
Winches, pumps, and lift bags
For boats with no trailer, boats in the water, and boats that are half under it.
How long it takes
How long sunken boat recovery takes in your area
Most people overestimate how long this takes. Typical times on site, from booking to swept:
- 01
Boat on a trailer
Hitch and go. Under an hour once the paperwork is in hand.
- 02
Boat with no trailer
A few hours to winch and secure, longer if the yard is tight.
- 03
Boat in the water
Half a day for a ramp pull or lift, more for a swamped or sunk hull.
Where we do this
Sunken Boat Recovery by state
Local rules, disposal facilities, and paperwork differ by state. Each state page explains them, lists every city we serve there, and links to a sunken boat recovery page for each of those cities.
- Sunken boat recovery in Washington →
- Sunken boat recovery in Oregon →
- Sunken boat recovery in California →
- Sunken boat recovery in Texas →
- Sunken boat recovery in Minnesota →
- Sunken boat recovery in Louisiana →
- Sunken boat recovery in Tennessee →
- Sunken boat recovery in Georgia →
- Sunken boat recovery in Florida →
- Sunken boat recovery in South Carolina →
- Sunken boat recovery in North Carolina →
- Sunken boat recovery in Virginia →
- Sunken boat recovery in Ohio →
- Sunken boat recovery in Pennsylvania →
- Sunken boat recovery in New York →
- Sunken boat recovery in Massachusetts →
- Sunken boat recovery in Maryland →
Questions we get
Sunken Boat Recovery: straight answers
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?
Often. 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?
Yes. General liability and auto coverage on every job, and a certificate of insurance emailed on request before the crew arrives.
Do I need to be home?
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.
Can you get it out of a tight spot?
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.
How do I set up sunken boat recovery?
Send a few photos through the estimate form or by text, with your zip code. We confirm what we can take, schedule the free on-site estimate, and nothing is loaded until you say yes.
Next step
Set up sunken boat recovery
Photos plus a zip code is all it takes. We reply within business hours, and nothing moves until you approve it on site.
Internal links
Sunken boat recovery, city by city
Free estimate
Need sunken boat recovery?
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