Some boats sit so long you forget why they stopped running in the first place. A homeowner in Town ‘n’ Country, FL called us about a 24-foot pontoon that had been parked on a dirt driveway for years. She was ready to clear the side yard for a garden, but the vessel was just sitting there under a faded bimini top.
Because the pontoon belonged to a former tenant, we had to sort out the property rights first. The legal owner signed the release of liability before we touched the tongue jack. The boat had a leaking battery and old fuel in the bilge that smelled like bad varnish. We checked those hazardous fluids before doing anything else. The main hurdle was a low overhead power line across the narrow drive. I dropped the rotted bimini frame down to the deck so our truck could clear the wire. The trailer tires had dry rot on the sidewalls, so we pulled the pontoon right onto our own equipment to move it safely.
Once we hauled it out, we stripped the vessel down. The usable pontoon hardware went to salvage, the aluminum logs were sent for metal recycling, and the ruined floor deck was taken for proper disposal. The homeowner got her dirt driveway clear and ready for planting. If you have an unwanted vessel sitting on your property in Hillsborough County, call All Star Hauling at 866-994-1769 for a boat removal.
How the boat removal process works on our jobs
Typically, we find that a pontoon hull holds hundreds of pounds of water inside the floor foam after a wet Florida summer, even when the deck looks dry in February. That extra weight changes how the vessel sits on a trailer. To speed up the boat removal process, property owners can clear away loose trash from the deck and make sure the path to the street is free of low tree branches before our crew arrives.
Our Town ‘n’ Country boat job on one page
| Job | Boat and trailer pickup |
|---|---|
| Boat | 1996 pontoon boat, about 24 feet |
| Where it sat | On a trailer at the end of a long dirt driveway |
| Who called | A homeowner who wanted the side yard back for a garden |
| What was wrong | An old battery leaking and fuel in the bilge that smelled like varnish |
| Estimate | Free estimate, photos helped |
| Paperwork | Release of liability kept by the owner |
| Area | Hillsborough County, FL |
Illustrative case from Hillsborough County. It does not describe a particular customer, and the photos are examples.
Cost questions from Town ‘n’ Country, FL owners
Can you take a boat to a junkyard or salvage yard?
Yes, we haul unwanted vessels straight to facilities equipped for boat disposal. We handle the boat removal process by dismantling the hull, sending the aluminum and other metals to recycling, and taking the remaining fiberglass hull materials to an approved disposal facility.
Is boat removal free?
No, boat removal is a paid service. We have a $400 minimum service charge, and total pricing depends on the size of the boat, where it sits, and if we have to dismantle it. Send us photos of your vessel for a free upfront estimate.
Boat removal in Hillsborough County and nearby towns
We pick up boats across Hillsborough County, in Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and Riverview. The cool February air dries out the dirt driveways, but winter is also when old fiberglass hulls show the damage from summer rains. Cold weather makes old plastic fittings brittle, so taking extra care around low docks and tight yards keeps the job moving smoothly.
Start with a free estimate: call 866-994-1769 about the boat in Town ‘n’ Country.