6 Easy Ways To Junk A Boat (It Might Be Worth Money!)

If you are planning on getting rid of your old boat, even if you think it is junk, you might have some options available that can earn you some money for getting rid of it.

Most people, who get rid of boats that are broken down eyesores, often think they are not worth anything and pay someone to come haul them away.

This is not your only option, and you will want to look around and see if you can get any money for your vessel before you just have it hauled away, often for a price.

You might not get a lot for your watercraft, but I think we all would agree that even a little bit of money, is better than no money!

How to Get Rid of Your Boat:

Boats, like anything else, have a lifespan that will one day run out. If your boat has run out its lifespan, this likely means that the boat is not worth the cost of upkeep, storage, and has a low monetary value.

At this point, you would consider junking your boat.

There are options that are available to you when you are in the process of junking an old boat. These options will depend on location and the age and condition of your boat.

1. Recycle/Dismantle:

If you are looking to get some extra money from your junked boat, you can look into nearby boat part dealers or even salvagers.

Both used parts dealers and salvagers will take your boat and try to resell any viable parts. They will even compensate you for the value of the useable parts that they intend to sell.

This does not necessarily mean you will make any money from this, however, because most used part dealers and salvagers will charge you for the cost of dismantling your vessel as well as recycling or disposing of hazardous wastes.

If you intend to look into this option, you will want to check with your local dealers or salvage yards. Each company will have specific requirements for what type of vessels they will accept as well as what size vessels they will accept.

2. Scrap Boats:

It is also possible to scrap your boat. Scrapped boats can be worth a lot of money, especially if they are aluminum boats since most scrapyards.

Fiberglass boats can be worth money, but not as much. You will want to check with your local scrap yard. Sometimes scrap yards will only be interested in the metal pieces of your boat.

This is because it is hard to reuse fiberglass and scrap yards will not always have the space to store piles of fiberglass.

If you choose to scrap your boat, make sure you separate any brass or titanium form the rest of the metal. These are more valuable and you will want to make sure you are getting more money for these pieces.

3. Sell It:

Depending on the condition of the hull, your boat might not be complete junk.

Some people refurbish boats to make money. If your hull is in good condition, it can be refinished and reused.

Make sure you do not try to sell your boat for too high of a price, or you will have difficulty selling it.

If you plan to go this route, be realistic about what the boat is worth using the base of its parts. Most people will not pay more for “sentimental value” which is the main driving factor for people listing their boats for too high of a price.

4. Vessel Turn-In Program:

If you do not care whether you get any money back or not, and you don’t want to pay for dismantling or the other costs associated with junking a boat, you can look into a vessel turn-in program near you.

These services are offered as a no-cost option for surrendering your boat.

This option could be as simple as contacting a participating agency and dropping your vessel off.

In order to utilize this service, you must be the registered owner of the vessel and sign a release for it.

While you will not make any money off of this option, it can be an easy and no-cost way to deal with a boat that you otherwise do not want to deal with.

This is also worth looking into if you do not think you will be able to salvage or resell enough parts of your boat to offset the cost of dismantling or recycling of your vessel from a broker or salvage yard.

5. Simple Disposal:

If there is not a vessel turn-in program near you, you can take your boat to a landfill for disposal.

Before you do this you will want to contact the site to check whether or not they will accept your vessel, what it might cost, and if there are any restrictions associated.

You might be required to remove hazardous waste first if they have any restrictions. This will be something you want to know before you take your boat there.

6. Donate It:

You can also donate your boat to a school that restores boats. This is not only a free way to get rid of your boat, but you are also helping a local school improve their craft.

If you donate your boat to a school you can use it as a tax write off. This helps you to save money when tax season comes and can still be better than nothing.

Where to Get Rid of Your Boat:

Now that you have decided to get rid of your boat, you might be wondering where you should get rid of it.

Places where boating is more common often have more options. This is commonly near oceans and towns that have high amounts of water traffic.

Florida and California are two common places where people seek to get rid of their used junk boats.

Places To Junk A Boat In Florida:

Common places to take boats that are junk in Florida, are Miami, Palm Beach, and other coastal cities.

Some options include:

• The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach Florida
• Cash for Junk Cars St. Petersburg Florida
• Junk my Car in Clearwater Florida
• Cash for Junk Cars Tampa

Places To Junk A Boat In California:

California has similar places to junk boats as those in Florida.

These are commonly located in coastal cities.

Some options include:

• California Marine Salvage Yards
• Curtin Maritime Corp.
• Seatow Newport-LA-Huntington-Beach-San Pedro
• David’s Shipyard Salvage
• Ancon Marine Inc.

What Not to Do When Getting Rid of a Boat:

When you need to get rid of a watercraft, you need to make sure you do it properly.

Because of how boats are constructed, they can pose a threat to the environment if not disposed of properly.

The elements that can be found on a boat that is dangerous to the environment can include:

• Oil
• Solvents
• Gas
• Batteries
• Other toxic waste
• Freon in refrigerators
• Plastics
• Other loose trash

Because of these possible environmental hazards, you will not want to junk your boat in an improper way.

Never junk your boat by sinking it or otherwise abandoning it.

This is not only dangerous to the environment, but it is also illegal and you get a few thousand dollars in fines in addition to the cost of removal and demolition.

Final Thoughts:

A quick search of your local spots can yield plenty of results and options for dealing with your old junk boat.

There are plenty of options for your junk boats, even some that will make you money. Make sure you review all your options before you choose one.

If you can make money off of your boat, this option would be ideal. Boats, like automobiles, lose their value immediately upon purchase. This means you will never likely make back what you spent on it. This is a cold hard fact that all boat owners need to understand.

Loss of value combined with maintenance fees, storage fees, and other associated costs can make a boat very expensive. This can add up, especially if you do not get the required use out of your vessel.

Even boats that no longer float needs to be stored somewhere. Keeping this in your yard can create an eyesore and might not be approved of in your neighborhood or city.

When getting rid of your boat, you might be looking to make money off it. If you manage your expectations and do your research, this is completely possible.

Make sure you thoroughly look at what is available in your area before you completely trash your boat.

One of the best options that will work with you is a salvage yard. This is especially ideal if your boat and its hull not longer floats or is badly damaged.

One major thing to remember is that you do not want to try to get more money than your boat is worth. This can be hard when you have so much sentimental value and great memories in your vessel, but you need to make sure that you are being realistic.

Getting any money out of an old junked boat should be counted as a win since you could have to pay to get rid of it.