The homeowner in Mount Pleasant simply stopped going out on the water. He had a 16 ft Lowe FM 165 fishing boat sitting on its trailer behind his house. The white hull with its red boot stripe had been tucked into the tree line for six years, half buried in brush and weeds.
Our crew backed our truck up to the backyard gate. The obstacle was a narrow side passage with only a few inches of clearance on each side of the trailer tires. We hooked up a winch, cleared the fallen branches, and guided the wheels by hand through the opening. Checking the tire pressure on an old trailer before moving it keeps the rims off the fence post.
Since the riveted aluminum hull was still sound, we sold it to a local repair yard. Our price sheet lists boats under 20 feet at about $75 a foot. For boat removal in Isabella County, call 833-658-4847.
As a rule, we see heavy damage on boats stored outdoors in Michigan. Winter freeze and thaw cycles trap water in the hull, splitting gelcoat and rotting the wood inside the back of the hull. Heavy snow loads also crush aluminum ribs and tear covers. Before taking any vessel to a landfill or salvage facility, our crew safely drains the fuel, flushes the motor oil, and pulls the battery.
Quick facts from this job
| Boat | 16 ft Lowe FM 165 aluminum fishing boat |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Tree line behind the house, half in the brush |
| Coverage area | Isabella County |
| Outcome | Sold to a repair yard because the hull was still sound |
This post describes a typical job in Isabella County as an illustration, not a real customer record. The pictures are illustrative too.
Questions from the phone this week
Is my old boat worth anything?
An old vessel rarely holds high resale value, but a solid aluminum hull or a running motor can offset the cost of haul and disposal. We inspect the frame, motor, and hull condition to see if local repair shops or scrap yards will take it before taking it to a landfill.
What happens to my boat after removal?
We sort every vessel for proper disposal. Sound hulls go to repair yards for reuse, while scrap metal like aluminum or steel gets sent for recycling. Hazardous materials such as old gas and oil are fully drained, and useless fiberglass goes to an approved regional landfill.
Boat removal around Mount Pleasant
Crews cover Isabella County: Lake Isabella, Shepherd, Rosebush and Weidman. Early summer brings a peak in calls from boat owners who left their craft sitting through the winter. Warm June weather pushes people to clean up their yards and clear old metal hulls out of the brush.
Ready to have your boat gone from Mount Pleasant? Call 833-658-4847 or use the estimate form.
