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Boat salvage ideas

7,348 Views | 76 Replies | Last: 2 days ago by BoerneGator
halfastros81
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4:10p, 3/6/26
AG
I have a friend down the street that had his boat deposited on his bulkhead in a flood.
I'm trying to help him get it back in the water. There's
Really nothing on the lake side of the boat to rig up any pulling devices. My initial thoughts are to put an inflatable air bag under the stern and lift it up and hope there's enough gravity there to allow us to push it back in the water. There's only about 2-1/2" of clear space under the keel of the stern so not sure if I can get an inflatable air bag under it. Could probably use 2 lift bags , one on either side of the keel. If necessary I could have someone pulling with a boat from the bow side as well.

This board is generally full of good ideas so I thought I'd ask for alternative ideas . Trying to avoid the need for a barge with a crane of course.
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Milwaukees Best Light
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4:13p, 3/6/26
AG
Can you lift the front enough to get some wooden dowels under it and roll it back into the water?
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Guitarsoup
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4:13p, 3/6/26
AG
A bunch of pool noodles and roll it into the water?

I got nothing.
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HTownAg98
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4:14p, 3/6/26
Can you lift up one end and put some pipe underneath it and roll it back into the water?
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halfastros81
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In reply to Milwaukees Best Light • 4:20p, 3/6/26
AG
Probably could with lift bags but I think the keel would snap the dowels when I set the boat weight down Maybe some small diameter HDPE pipe (2 " ) would work tho. Good idea!
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Larry Mondello
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4:28p, 3/6/26
AG
Can you get a tractor toit and use a front end loader to lift the motor off? I bet it would be a lot easier if the motor was pulled
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halfastros81
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In reply to Larry Mondello • 4:35p, 3/6/26
AG
Unfortunately there's no way to get a front end loader into the back yard without removing fences . House is too close to property lines.
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DeerHunter
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4:41p, 3/6/26
Maybe temporarily attach some bunks to the deck leading down to the lake. Pull the bow with another boat and have a few guys pushing from the rear.
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Milwaukees Best Light
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4:42p, 3/6/26
AG
Call the high school and see if the football coach will let the offense line shove it in like a blocking sled.
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coolerguy12
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4:42p, 3/6/26
AG
Build a frame out of 4x4 and 2x8 similar to a sling lift. Get some slings under it and pick it up with a come alongs on each corner. Get some more 2x8s to make a track down to the water and slide it in.

It works perfectly in my head.

Edit to add, how far above the water is it? At first glance it looks to be a foot below the lower level but looking at the boat in the background it looks like it's a lot lower.

If it's a significant drop then I'm tearing out fence and getting a trailer down there and loading it on a trailer with my lifting jig.
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Agape91
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4:55p, 3/6/26
AG
I would jam some timber skids to act like bunks on each side of the keel, soap/oil them up then cinch them together best you can. Then attach snatch blocks either side of the boat to the bulkhead. Run rope thru snatch blocks and around to the stern and start pulling. Might need multiple part blocks to get enough advantage.
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Gunny456
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In reply to halfastros81 • 4:55p, 3/6/26
AG
The dry hull weight of that Tracker 195 without the Merc. Pro XS is 1305 lbs.
The Pro XS 150 is another 460 lbs.
so total rig is about 1770 lbs.
Looks like you have a relatively flat yard/ area behind it you get a trailer down to it.
You can cheaply rent an A Frame engine lift and straddle the boat at the transom and lift it up by the two tie down eyes on the transom.
Get a couple of 2x6 and put some cheap carpet on them and after lifting the stern as much as you can slide the two 2x6" under it and put the other ends of the 2X6 on your trailer. Then get a come along or hand winch a crank it backwards onto your trailer.
Majority of the weight is to the stern of course due the engine.
I've salvaged some glass boats this way.
If you want to make it easier it's not a big deal to take the engine off the transom.
Just undo the wiring harness, fuel line and steering cable pivot, and throttle and shift cables. Then the four transom bolts.
It's really not that hard.
You can take the cowling off and borrow a lifting eye from a Mercury dealer that just screws in to the top of the flywheel. Then you can lift it ( the motor) with a regular engine jack stand and roll it.
Just remember if you try going forward with it make sure you don't let get away from you going down the bulkhead. Make sure the engine is trimmed up as high as possible so you don't damage the transom or lower unit as you go down those bulkheads back to the water.
Taking a little more time and effort will help you not damage the hull or engine.
Personally….if I could get a trailer down to it I would put my efforts towards getting it slid up onto a trailer. Lots less apt to damage the hull and engine that way…..and less apt to tear the bulkhead deck up or worse…..getting somebody hurt.

TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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CEPhD
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5:19p, 3/6/26
AG
Another boat, long roper, bow eye, etc…
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Gunny456
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In reply to halfastros81 • 5:32p, 3/6/26
AG
Looks like while I was typing my long response you responded to another poster that you have no access to get a trailer or any other piece of equipment down to it.
Seems your only alternative is to go forward.
I will just caution you that going over those bulkheads you stand a good chance of catching the lower unit on the edge of those two decks as it drops down to the water level. Don't let the weight of the hull and engine be placed on the lower unit as the transom and knee braces are not designed to carry that much weight.
The 1300 lb rated hull weight does not include seats, rigging, etc. So in reality you are right at 1 ton of weight as the total package.
Fingers, arms, bodies can get mashed quick if a mistake happens and things can get away from you fast….i speak from experience of salvaging watercraft.
Just be careful.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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Charismatic Megafauna
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5:32p, 3/6/26
AG
I think I'd try to get it pivoted sideways/90 degrees from it's current position to sitting on the lower dock parallel with the edge, then scootch it until the keel is hanging over the edge and push it over. A layer of wet AstroTurf on the edge would probably help
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to Gunny456 • 5:53p, 3/6/26
AG
Gunny456 said:
Looks like while I was typing my long response you responded to another poster that you have no access to get a trailer or any other piece of equipment down to it.
Seems your only alternative is to go forward.
I will just caution you that going over those bulkheads you stand a good chance of catching the lower unit on the edge of those two decks as it drops down to the water level. Don't let the weight of the hull and engine be placed on the lower unit as the transom and knee braces are not designed to carry that much weight.
The 1300 lb rated hull weight does not include seats, rigging, etc. So in reality you are right at 1 ton of weight as the total package.
Fingers, arms, bodies can get mashed quick if a mistake happens and things can get away from you fast….i speak from experience of salvaging watercraft.
Just be careful.


This. You just don't want to skeg to catch and all the weight to be distributed to the transom. Will not end well.
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Mas89
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5:57p, 3/6/26
AG
4 20' joints of 8 inch, schedule 40 pvc pipe. Which I may have if it hasnt burned on a ditch bank it's on.
40 on each side of the boat and the two sides connected somehow. Jack up boat and put the pipe under each side, with 25 or more ft in front of the boat. Slide/ push the boat gently forward with a rope connected to the back.

Which lake?
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halfastros81
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In reply to Gunny456 • 6:12p, 3/6/26
AG
I do think getting an engine jack stand and removing the engine would make the whole process easier and safer but then you have to deal with how to get the engine out of there . I believe trimming the engine up as much as possible will be the plan. Slope uphill is nasty from bulkhead to street.

As usual lots of good ideas coming from this forum and I think I can get there from here but please don't hesitate to weigh in if any of you have further ideas. My neighbor down the street was actually luckier than me. The flood crushed my boat up against the overhead deck and lift and I had to replace everything except the hull. Water was 3" over the top of the overhead deck and the boat was underwater for 4-5 hrs. Water rose 9 ft from full pool level. This was almost 2 yrs ago.
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Gunny456
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In reply to halfastros81 • 6:21p, 3/6/26
Rexter
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7:38p, 3/6/26
Have TPWD or sheriff run the hull registration and contact the owner?

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Maroonedinaustin
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7:38p, 3/6/26
AG
Put a hose in the water and wait.
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smstork1007
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7:45p, 3/6/26
AG
Is this on a lake lake, or an oversized private pond kinda lake. If a real lake, call someone local with a barge and a crane or other lifting implement mounted on it and have them lift off and set back down in water. Trying to do this on the cheap will for sure make the boat a "salvage" imo. If the land route is cheaper, even with fence removal, go that way.
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halfastros81
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In reply to smstork1007 • 8:23p, 3/6/26
AG
It's the very far northeast tip of Lake Conroe so yes , a real lake . The bids to recover the boat were outrageous as I understand it. Not my boat or property so I don't know the numbers but I am pretty sure we can get this boat back in the water and on a trailer for under $1k. There is a contractor with a barge and crane in the area but they have plenty of business so they don't do anything on the cheap.

This owner is kinda old and frail and the POA is on his ass. I'm just trying to help him out without breaking the bank.
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Deerdude
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8:27p, 3/6/26
During '18 flood I tied my neighbors boat to a tree in his yard to keep it from going thru their window or door. Ended up in yard.
So I put their trailer on my CJ front hitch and winched the boat onto trailer. Worked like a champ and zero damage.
Might could spin it around and do the same thing.
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Gunny456
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In reply to Deerdude • 8:55p, 3/6/26
AG
I already gave him that idea but he says he can't get a trailer to it.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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S.A. Aggie
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10:19p, 3/6/26
AG
Get the local football team. Put straps under the hull and attach the strap to poles. Have the players carry it down. Buy them burgers and pizza. Just like the Amish.

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SGrem
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8:24a, 3/7/26
How high from bulk head to water level? It needs to go transom first or someone will get hurt/boat will be damaged.

Find a neighbor w a floating pier... or build one or get some big air mattresses or collect all the neighbor lilly pads and make a floating pile their to support transom ....roll boat over on PVC or wooden dowels transom first.... put bow on pier to midship enough to support the hull.....float out a bit to clear engine.... then push it back off and float it.

I'll buy as is where is and come get it.....and your neighbor will get a nice shiny brand new section of fence....
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SGrem
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8:31a, 3/7/26
You mentioned there is nothing on the lake side to pull with. I have used a hand come along and an anchor in the middle of you-live-here-now-marsh-if-dont-get-unstuck many times....
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SGrem
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9:01a, 3/7/26
Measure down from lake bottom up to land height.

Get some 2x6 about ten feet long and make a ramp/skid with 4x4 or even cheap landscape timbers as bunk supports front, rear, and middle. Cut a pvc to fit the 2x6 as a cap.

Angle the support legs a bit for stability.
Cheap 2x4 between to keep it from spreading apart.

Essentially make a cheap ramp. Boat will slide down to water full supported just like launching from a trailer. Controlled and safe and supported no damage. Can build that for under $100 i bet...

Never mind....again sell to me and I will come get....using the above.
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dudeabides
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9:09a, 3/7/26
AG
I wouldn't go cheap in this instance. Bodily injury isn't worth it. More damage to the boat is likely too.

I would contact a dock/bulkhead builder (that works on that lake) who has a barge with a medium size excavator on it. See if they would be willing to lift that boat up and place back in the lake with such equipment. I know several around here (Richland Chambers) who would do it for minimal cost, as it is usually good publicity for them.
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halfastros81
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In reply to Rexter • 9:58a, 3/7/26
AG
Property owner and boat owner are one and the same. I'm neither. Just trying to help a guy out.

Constructing a temporary lumber sloped ramp on the bulkhead between boat and water is a great idea . I intend to incorporate that into the plan. Will be tackling this over the next few weeks . Will post some pics of what the entire launch setup looks like when we get there .

I'm thinking now removing the prop and lower unit may be a way to mitigate risk of hanging the motor on the bulkheads
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halfastros81
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In reply to SGrem • 10:48a, 3/7/26
AG
It's about 2 ft from top of bulkhead to waterline btw. Lake is slightly more than a foot below full pool level.
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Gunny456
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In reply to halfastros81 • 10:49a, 3/7/26
AG
Removing the lower unit will help lessen the chance, if something goes wrong, of the engine hanging up on the edge of the bulkheads and consequently carrying all the weight on your tilt and trim components as well as the transom and interior knee braces.
The only thing you will need to be careful with is that the shift rod doesn't become damaged/bent by being accidentally hit.
Protect that cowling as well….. that little Mercury Pro XS jewell will be close to $1000 to replace if it gets busted in the mayhem.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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Gunny456
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In reply to halfastros81 • 11:04a, 3/7/26
AG
I think you need to go full bore TA OB and hire a Chinook Helicopter and just air lift it outta there!


TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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memace
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11:36a, 3/7/26
AG
Tannerite should do the trick.
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