June brought clear skies and warm air to Ham Lake, MN, which made working outside easy and kept the soil firm enough for our truck. An insurance company wrote off a 16 ft Hobie 16 catamaran with a gray hull and black trim after a storm. The boat sat in a backyard behind a wooden privacy fence, and the owner wanted it gone.
The main obstacle was a fuel tank from a small auxiliary motor that was still half full of old gas. Gasoline left sitting in small tanks degrades into varnish and creates bad fumes if spilled. We hand-siphoned the fuel into approved containers before lifting anything. Once the tank was empty, our crew unbolted the aluminum frame from the fiberglass pontoons so each piece could fit through the narrow gate opening without touching the fence.
We hauled the aluminum to a scrap yard and sent the fiberglass hull for recycling. The steel trailer was still solid, so we cleaned it up for future use. Our price sheet lists boats under 20 feet at about $75 a foot. Call 833-658-4847 for boat removal anywhere in Anoka County.
In our experience, small sailboats left outdoors suffer fast damage when winter water freezes inside cracks, splits the outer finish, and rots internal wood. We drain all fuel and oil before towing and remove the battery for recycling. We take the title when there is one, or we sign a release of liability so the craft is off your name.
This removal in brief
| Boat | 16 ft Hobie 16 catamaran sailboat |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Backyard behind a wooden privacy fence |
| Coverage area | Anoka County |
| Outcome | Trailer cleaned up and reused, boat recycled |
Illustrative only: a representative Anoka County boat removal, not a specific customer’s job. Photos are for illustration.
Questions from the phone this week
What happens to my boat after removal?
We drain all hazardous materials like gas and oil first. Metals are separated for scrap recycling, while intact trailers are often cleaned up and reused. The remaining fiberglass hull goes to a facility equipped to process composite waste properly.
Is my old boat worth anything?
Most old hulls have zero cash value because the cost to repair fiberglass and replace worn rigging exceeds what the boat is worth. Metal fittings and trailers hold small scrap value, but overall, proper disposal requires labor and transport fees rather than paying cash to boat owners.
Removing boats across Anoka County
Crews cover Anoka County: Columbus, East Bethel, Oak Grove and Andover. Early summer heat often pushes boat owners to clear out backyards after spring yard work reveals winter storm damage. We handle boat removal across the region so property owners do not have to tow damaged craft themselves.
Ready to have your boat gone from Ham Lake? Call 833-658-4847 or use the estimate form.
