Insurance companies usually call us right after a fiberglass boat loses its second owner. This 19 foot sea-foam green Bayliner 197 Deck sat in a fenced self-storage lot in Saratoga Springs. Sun and chalky oxidation had ruined the gelcoat, and the hull was declared a total loss. The owner handed the key to the adjuster, and the insurer hired us to haul it away.
The main obstacle sat right under the bow. The trailer tongue was rusted completely through, so we could not hook it up and tow it down the road safely. Our crew slipped heavy steel dolly wheels under the front frame, secured the weak metal with transport chains, and slowly winched the whole rig onto our flatbed. Hooking safety cables directly to the main crossmembers keeps a broken frame from snapping in half while loading.
We hauled the deck boat straight to our yard to drain all fluids and remove the sterndrive for scrap. The clean fiberglass hull was cut up for proper disposal and recycling. Removal for a hull under 20 feet runs near $75 per foot. If you have an unwanted boat in Saratoga County, call 833-658-4847.
In our experience, water that settles inside an open hull during severe winter freezes will expand, cracking the fiberglass and tearing open the rear floor. Before any scrap yard or landfill will take a boat, our crew must drain all hazardous materials like gas and gear oil, then pull the battery. We take the title during pickup, or we sign a release of liability so the craft is off your name.
The boat, the place, the outcome
| Boat | 19 ft Bayliner 197 Deck deck boat |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Fenced self-storage lot |
| Coverage area | Saratoga County |
| Outcome | Stripped for parts, with the hull cut and recycled |
This is an illustrative case built from the kind of work we do in Saratoga County, not a record of one customer’s job. The photos are illustrative as well.
Questions from the phone this week
Can you get a boat out of my backyard?
Yes, we pull boats out of backyards regularly. Our crew uses small tow vehicles, winches, and dollies to roll a hull through tight side yards, gate openings, or soft grass without tearing up your lawn or knocking down your fence panels.
How to get rid of a bad boat?
Call us to handle the full process from your driveway or storage lot. We haul the boat away, pull the motor, collect any scrap metal, handle the hazardous waste fluids safely, and deliver the remaining fiberglass hull to a proper disposal facility.
Where our crews work around Saratoga Springs
Crews cover Saratoga County: Ballston Spa, South Glens Falls, Stillwater and Round Lake. Late spring and early summer bring many calls across upstate New York as owners uncover their vessels, discover heavy snow damage from past winters, and clear out paid storage spaces before the high summer season starts.
Ready to have your boat gone from Saratoga Springs? Call 833-658-4847 or use the estimate form.
