The first thing I looked at was where the transom met the hull, and sure enough, the wood had separated right along the inner seam. A March blow in Fort Lauderdale had lifted this 22 foot sloop right out of its tie-down and wedged it sideways into a homeowner’s hedge. The house owner gave us a call because the vessel was not his and he wanted his yard back.
It was a 1976 hull with soft spots clear through the cabin floor. Broken oak branches had locked the hull into place, and the mast was already down on the deck. Because the homeowner did not own the boat, we helped him work out who had the right to sign it over before we touched a bolt. Once the actual owner signed the release of liability, our crew went to work. I could tell the boat had sat in water for years before the storm because the bow eye was pulled thin like a lead pencil. It would have snapped off the second we pulled. We checked for hazardous fluids in the bilge first, then brought in our own gear to dismantle the fiberglass right there in the yard.
Our crew loaded the pieces onto our trailer. The metal hardware went off for recycling, and the crushed fiberglass went to a disposal facility licensed to take it. We raked the yard flat and left the spot clear. If you have an unwanted boat or a junk boat in Fort Lauderdale or Broward County, call 754-203-0522.
Why we look for leaks before anything else
Usually, we notice that a boat left in the weeds holds hundreds of pounds of water in the floor foam after a long wet season. The cooler months firm up the dirt underneath, but that extra weight makes a vessel much heavier than the brochure says. We have the owner sign the release of liability before we haul anything away so everyone agrees the vessel is cleared for disposal and our crew has full permission to remove it.
Fort Lauderdale boat pickup, the short version
| Job | Boat removal with salvage and recycling |
|---|---|
| Boat | 1976 sloop, about 22 feet |
| Where it sat | Tossed into a neighbor’s hedge by a storm |
| Who called | A homeowner after a storm put a stranger’s boat in the hedge |
| What was wrong | Soft spots across the floor and a transom that had pulled away from the stringers |
| Estimate | Free estimate before the date was set |
| Paperwork | Release of liability kept by the owner |
| Area | Broward County, FL |
An example drawn from the kind of boat jobs we do in Broward County; it is not a specific customer’s job. The pictures are illustrative.
Two questions from Fort Lauderdale boat owners
How do I get rid of my boat?
You can call us for a free estimate, and sending photos help us figure out the size and condition. Our boat removal process handles non-running craft, hull dismantling, and trailer removal. Once the paperwork is sorted, our crew hauls the vessel away for proper disposal.
Are your haulers in Fort Lauderdale licensed and insured?
Yes, our crew is fully licensed and insured for every boat removal job we handle. We bring our own trucks, winches, and safety gear to clear property safely. Whether your vessel sits on a dock, a trailer, or on blocks, we manage the loading and haul it away directly.
Where we remove boats near Fort Lauderdale, FL
We pick up boats across Broward County, in Davie, Pembroke Pines, Miramar and Hollywood. The damp climate here rots out wood decks fast, and heavy rains fill abandoned hulls until the stringers snap under their own weight. That rotted wood makes the boat far more fragile when we go to winch it out of a waterfront lot or side yard.
Got a boat that needs to leave Fort Lauderdale? Call 754-203-0522 for a free estimate.