The homeowner in New Trier, IL tried pulling his Hunter 23 out of the brush with a garden tractor, but the tires just spun in the dirt. Heavy oak limbs had crashed down across the deck, cracking the cabin top. This 23 foot fiberglass sailboat had a white hull with a faded navy blue stripe, and it sat stuck along the tree line behind his house for years.
Our crew cleared the fallen wood with chainsaws and brought in a heavy tilt-bed trailer. The boat sat on its old launching cradle, but the trailer frame was completely rusted through at the tongue. We attached nylon rigging straps under the main hull cradles and used a hydraulic winch to slide the whole assembly onto our deck without snapping the rusted steel frame. Rolling a flat tires rim over packed dirt takes patient winch control so you do not gouge the yard.
Because the hull stayed sound under the branches, we sold it to a regional repair yard for parts and restoration. Larger boats take different gear, so boats over 20 feet get custom estimates by phone based on their length and how they sit. Boats over 20 feet are priced over the phone, because size and setting change the work. Call 833-658-4847 to set up boat removal anywhere in Cook County.
As a rule, we inspect every wintered sailboat closely before transport. Water left in a hull freezes, splits the gelcoat, and rots the wood inside the back of the hull while heavy snow loads collapse soft tops. Our crew always drains the fuel tanks, empties crankcase oil, and disconnects lead batteries for proper disposal before recycling the rest. We collect the boat title or complete a release of liability so the vessel is officially off your name.
Case summary
| Boat | 23 ft Hunter 23 sailboat |
|---|---|
| Where it sat | Tree line behind the house, half in the brush |
| Coverage area | Cook County |
| Outcome | Sold to a repair yard because the hull was still sound |
Illustrative example: a representative boat removal in Cook County, not a record of a specific customer job. Photos are illustrative too.
Boat disposal questions
Can you get a boat out of my backyard?
Yes, we pull vessels out of yards, tree lines, and tight side alleys daily. Our crew brings portable winches, timber skids, and hydraulic jacks to move vessels off soft lawn or out of thick brush without tearing up your property.
Can you scrap a boat at a scrap yard?
We do handle boat disposal, but metal yards do not take raw fiberglass. We haul the vessel to our yard, strip out the metal fittings and lead keel ballast for recycling, drain all hazardous fluids, and haul the hull to an approved facility.
Boat disposal across Cook County
Crews cover Cook County: Arlington Heights, Glenview, Des Plaines and Palatine. Warm June weather gets property owners outside clearing out old backyard brush lines and side yards. Winter storm damage from heavy snow and ice becomes obvious once the spring leaves fill in, bringing many calls to clear out damaged, forgotten hulls before summer ends.
If a boat like this is taking up space in New Trier, call 833-658-4847. Tell us the length and where it sits.
