We pulled up to a house in Grand Haven and saw a gray and black 18 foot Glastron GT 185 tucked in the grass. It sat in a backyard behind a tall wooden privacy fence, hidden until a letter from the homeowner association gave the boat owner a tight deadline.
Getting the hull out meant navigating a narrow yard gate. When our crew approached the driver seat, a thick swarm of yellowjackets flew out from under the steering console. We sprayed the nest with wasp foam and waited ten minutes for the air to clear. Once the bugs were gone, we hooked up our power winch, laid heavy skids down over the turf, and eased the fiberglass boat through the tight fence opening without scratching the cedar posts.
Our crew removed the outboard engine and stripped the trailer frame for salvage, then hauled the stripped hull to a scrap yard where a heavy shear crushed the fiberglass. Our price sheet lists boats under 20 feet at about $75 a foot. Call 833-658-4847 to clear an unwanted boat off your land in Ottawa County.
In our experience, winters in western Michigan ruin sitting boats through constant freeze and thaw cycles. Snow loads split old canvas, then trapped rain melts and freezes inside the floor untill the gelcoat cracking lets rot reach the wood core. Before any hull goes for recycling, we drain all fuel and oil and remove the lead-acid battery for proper disposal of hazardous materials.
Case summary
| Boat | 18 ft Glastron GT 185 bowrider |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Backyard behind a wooden privacy fence |
| Coverage area | Ottawa County |
| Outcome | Engine and trailer salvaged, hull crushed at a scrap yard |
This is an illustrative case built from the kind of work we do in Ottawa County, not a record of one customer’s job. The photos are illustrative as well.
What people ask before a boat leaves
How much does it cost to junk a fiberglass boat?
We price boat removal based on overall hull length, location, and the work needed to load it. Smaller bowriders under twenty feet cost less to haul than heavy cabin cruisers. Call us with your boat length and location for a straightforward price before we start.
Can you scrap a boat at a scrap yard?
Yes, but metal yards do not take raw fiberglass hulls until all wood, fluids, wiring, and metal parts are removed. We disassemble the boat ourselves, haul the clean metal and engine for scrap, and bring the remaining hull material to a landfill that takes fiberglass.
Where our crews work around Grand Haven
Crews cover Ottawa County: Coopersville, Hudsonville, Zeeland and Ferrysburg. Early summer usually brings a jump in boat removal calls across this region. Homeowners start cleaning up backyards, or local housing boards inspect properties after the snow melts and issue notices for unrigged vessels stored off driveways.
Ready to have your boat gone from Grand Haven? Call 833-658-4847 or use the estimate form.
