The June sun was already hot at eight in the morning in Menlo Park, which meant the dirt around the boat ramp parking area was dusty and loose. A homeowner called us because he was putting his house on the market and needed a 22 ft Catalina sailboat gone. The sailboat sat on a double-axle trailer, showing a faded burgundy hull, a white deck, and a small outboard motor clamped to the back.
The main challenge was the soft ground under the tires. A heavy tow truck would have sunk right into the dry dust and gotten stuck before hooking up. Our crew laid wide wooden ground mats under our tires to spread the weight, then winched the trailer straight back onto firm pavement. We strapped the mast down tight so nothing would shift during the haul.
We brought the fiberglass hull to a recycling center to dispose of the materials properly, and the owner kept the cleared trailer to reuse. Boats over 20 feet are priced over the phone, because size and setting change the work. If you need boat removal in Menlo Park or San Mateo County, call 833-658-4847.
In our experience, dry sun bakes these hulls for months, turning the gelcoat chalky, cracking the upholstery, and dry-rotting the trailer tires until they fail during a tow. Before any boat goes to a recycling plant, we drain all fuel and oil and safely pull the battery. We take the title when there is one, or sign a release of liability so the craft is off your name.
The boat, the place, the outcome
| Boat | 22 ft Catalina 22 sailboat |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Boat ramp parking area |
| Coverage area | San Mateo County |
| Outcome | Trailer cleaned up and reused, boat recycled |
A composite, illustrative job from San Mateo County, not one customer’s record. Photos show the situation, not the specific boat.
Questions from the phone this week
How to get rid of a broken boat?
Call our crew to haul the boat away. We pull old vessels off private property, storage yards, and launch areas. Our team handles the heavy lifting, safe transport, and proper disposal of fiberglass and hazardous materials like fuel or old batteries so boat owners do not have to handle it.
How much does it cost to remove a boat?
The price depends on the length of the vessel, its location, and whether it sits on a trailer or block supports. Simple yard pickups cost less than sunken or stranded boats. We give you a clear price before we start work so you know what to expect.
Where our crews work around Menlo Park
Crews cover San Mateo County: Redwood City, Pacifica, San Mateo and Woodside. Early summer brings a lot of calls from homeowners clearing out driveways before real estate listings go live. Moving abandoned vessels off properties helps sellers clean up their lots quickly.
Call 833-658-4847 about a boat in Menlo Park. A few photos and the address are enough to start.
