If anyone is in danger or in the water, call 911 now. This page covers vessel recovery planning only, not human rescue or emergency response.
Sunken vessel assessment: safe first steps and what to gather
When a boat goes down, the most useful early step is a calm, documented one. Stay on stable ground and keep other people away from the waterline. Do not dive, wade into unstable water, or try to pull the hull out with a truck, winch, or another boat. A submerged boat can shift without warning, catch lines and debris, and release fuel or battery contents.
Florida Boat Services reviews sunken boat recovery requests throughout Florida, including requests in Quincy and Gadsden County. We do not have a local office in Quincy. Availability and final scope are confirmed for each project after we review the details you send.
Information that makes an assessment possible
- Last known position: the nearest ramp, dock, slip, shoreline address, or landmark, and how the boat sits (bow-down, on its side, or partly afloat).
- Size and type: approximate length, hull style, and whether a trailer, lift, or mooring is involved.
- Depth, if known: only from a reliable observation. Never measure it by entering the water.
- Visible condition: safe photographs taken from shore or a dock, showing the hull, lines, floating debris, and any sheen.
- Authorization: who owns the vessel, or who is authorized to approve its removal.
- Marina or property contact: a name, site rules, and any restrictions on vehicles or equipment.
- Disclosed hazards: any fuel, batteries, propane, or other concerns you already know about.
- Shore access: gates, slopes, soft ground, tight turns, or overhead lines near the likely access route.
- Intended destination: whether the vessel should go to storage, to another yard, or to disposal.
Public boating-access inventories list waterbodies near Quincy, such as Joe Budd Pond and the Ochlockonee River–Lake Talquin area. Naming the waterbody in your request helps describe the location. It does not mean the site is served, open, or approved for any particular job. Access is confirmed individually.
The assessment looks at the vessel's position, condition, and surroundings, and at who has authority to approve work. It then shapes the removal scope. We would rather confirm those facts first than guess at a method.
Marine salvage and recovery scope: stages that may apply
People often use "marine salvage" to mean one single job. In practice, a sunken vessel project is made of separate stages, and not every project needs all of them. Your estimate should say which stages are included and which are not.
- Site and vessel assessment: reviewing the position, condition, access, hazards you have disclosed, and authorization.
- Stabilization: securing the sunken vessel so it can be handled more predictably, if the assessment shows this is needed.
- Lifting: raising the vessel from the water by a method matched to its size, condition, and location.
- Movement to shore: bringing the recovered vessel to a landing point. Any towing here is part of the recovery scope, not a stand-alone service.
- Transport: moving the vessel, and any trailer, by road to the agreed destination.
- Disposal: handling a vessel that is not being kept or repaired. This is a separate scope item and is not assumed to be included.
We do not state equipment, crew size, completion time, disposal destination, or permit requirements until a specific project has been reviewed. Any of these can change once the real conditions are known.
Common Sunken Boat Situations Near Marinas
What shapes a project-specific estimate
- Vessel size, construction, and how much it has deteriorated
- Position, depth if known, and how the boat is resting
- Shore or dock access, ground conditions, and the agreed access route
- Equipment needs, which are determined after review
- Trailer condition, if a trailer is involved
- Recovery requirements, transport distance, and disposal scope
We do not quote a flat price from a headline. Two boats of similar length can need very different work if one sits next to a paved ramp and the other lies behind a soft bank.
For marinas, property managers, and facility representatives
If a vessel is occupying managed property, send the site contact, any facility restrictions, written authorization if you have it, and the complete list of items involved. Keep the agreed access route clear. Before work begins, confirm what must remain on site and what must leave, including docks, lines, trailers, and any belongings.
If the vessel is already out of the water and needs removal planning, see boat removal and disposal in Quincy. For a broader overview of this work, visit the sunken boat recovery service hub.
- Faqs
Frequently Asked Questions
Request a recovery estimate for your sunken vessel
Send current vessel and access details for a project-specific estimate. Include the vessel type, approximate size, condition, exact location, ownership or removal authorization, access details, and safe photographs taken from shore or a dock. The quote request is free, but the recovery, transport, and disposal work is not automatically free.
You can request a project-specific removal quote through the contact page, or call (904) 946-4709 if you have questions before sending your details. We will confirm availability and scope for your project after reviewing what you provide.
To see where Florida Boat Services reviews requests, visit the Florida service areas page. Listing a city there does not mean a local office exists, and availability is still confirmed individually.