Boat salvage on Lake Michigan and Chicago's inland waters

Boat salvage in Chicago, IL: what we do

We know Chicago waters don't give you much warning. Between the busy shipping channels on Lake Michigan, the congested marina traffic near Burnham Harbor, and the kind of sudden storms that can flip a calm afternoon into a crisis, having a professional marine salvage service on call matters. We handle emergency response for all types of boat salvage situations across Chicago, IL and Cook County — from small recreational boats to large commercial vessels. Our salvage process is built to safely and efficiently recover any vessel in peril, whether you're dealing with a grounded hull, storm damage, or a collision.

We're a local company serving Chicago, IL with real experience in vessel recovery and a firm commitment to protecting the environment at every step. Grounded, wrecked, or pinned against a dock — we handle it.

Types of salvage situations we handle

We offer a full range of recovery services designed for the unique challenges of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River.

• Damaged vessel recovery — We move fast to prevent a bad situation from becoming a total loss. Using lift bags, pumps, and rigging, our team stabilizes and recovers damaged boats from wherever they went down, whether that's a crowded marina slip or open water. Speed is everything here.
• Grounded vessel assistance — Before we move anything, we run a full assessment to understand exactly what we're dealing with. Skipping that step is how you turn a grounded vessel into a wrecked vessel. Once we know the risk to the hull damage, we carefully refloat the boat and arrange safe transport off the water.
• Underwater operations — Our certified divers handle the work you can't do from the surface. Hull inspections, patching, rigging setup, you name it. Chicago's waters aren't clear, and low-visibility conditions are just part of the job. Our salvage process accounts for that from the first dive down.
• Environmental containment and mitigation — The moment we arrive on scene, we deploy containment booms to stop fuel and fluids from spreading. Managing hazardous materials responsibly isn't optional, it's the first thing we do. Protecting Lake Michigan and the Chicago River is part of every call we take. If you're sorting out insurance coverage for salvage, we document everything to support your claim across all types of salvage situations we handle.

Why our salvage process gets results

When you've got a vessel in peril, you don't have time to shop around. You need a crew that's done this before, knows Chicago's waters, and shows up ready to work.

• We handle the tough jobs — Other companies turn around when things get complicated. Our certified divers push through accessibility issues, underwater debris, and tight marina conditions that shut down everyone else. Whatever the types of salvage situations we handle throw at us, we don't leave boats behind.
• 24/7 emergency readiness — Day or night, storm or calm, our team is on standby. We're moving when you call, not when it's convenient for us. Our salvage process kicks off the moment you reach out, because waiting costs you more than just time.
• Asset protection and clean water — Our job is twofold. We work fast to stop further damage to your boat and preserve its value. And we take Chicago's waterways seriously, deploying immediate containment to keep fuel and fluids out of the lake. Both matter, and we treat them that way.
• Direct insurance support — We know insurance coverage for salvage can feel like a second disaster. That's why we put together clear, detailed documentation from the start to streamline your insurance claim, cut the back-and-forth, and get you to resolution faster.