Submerged vessels on the Ohio River and local lakes
At Captain Tom's, we know a sunken boat in Louisville doesn't wait. The Ohio River sees heavy commercial and recreational traffic, and a submerged vessel sitting on the bottom is both a navigational hazard and an environmental hazard within hours. Fuel, oil, and fluids don't stay contained for long. Our emergency response team handles recovery of sunken boats for boat owners, marina operators, and property managers across Louisville and the surrounding areas, moving fast before the situation gets worse.
We're a local underwater recovery team with the gear and the experience for complex jobs. Whether your boat went down at a dock, in a marina, or out in open water, our certified divers are ready to respond.
Comprehensive boat removal services in Louisville KY
Our boat removal services include everything from pulling submerged vessels off the river bottom to hauling away that junk boat sitting in your backyard. Here's what we handle.
- Sunken boat recovery — This is our core work. We use lift bags, cranes, and rigging to raise submerged vessels from the Ohio and its tributaries without making a bad situation worse. Our sunken boat recovery process is built around protecting the hull as much as possible during the lift, and we can support your insurance claim support documentation from start to finish.
- Wreck removal — Storm-tossed, abandoned vessel sitting on a sandbar, or a wreck that's become a navigation hazard, we manage the whole job. We dismantle what needs to come apart and coordinate the logistics of getting it off the water. Our professional removal crews have dealt with everything from johnboats to yachts and catamarans.
- Junk boat removal and boat disposal service — Not every job involves a sunken boat. We haul away old sailboats, pontoons, and any junk boat taking up dock space or yard space. Our boat disposal service covers land-based pickup too, so if it's on a trailer going nowhere, we can take it off your hands.
- Recycling and proper disposal — After removal, we don't just dump and run. We recycle as much of the vessel as we can and make sure all hazardous materials, fuel, oil, batteries, and resins, are handled in full compliance with environmental regulations. Emergency services are available when there's an active spill risk.
Why Louisville calls us for professional removal and wreck removal
Not every job is a simple tow. When you're dealing with submerged vessels, wreck removal, or anything that goes sideways fast, you need a crew that's done it before. Here's why we're the right call for challenging recoveries.
- Expertise in difficult recoveries — Our crew knows what stops general junk haulers cold. Sunken boat removal, underwater obstacles, complex rigging — we've worked through all of it. When other outfits walk away, we get to work.
- Specialized heavy-lifting equipment — We bring the right gear, every time. From high-capacity cranes for yachts and catamarans to lift bags for more delicate wreck removal situations, our equipment matches the job, not the other way around.
- Full-service, start to finish — Captain Tom's is a direct service provider. We manage the entire boat removal process ourselves, from the first assessment through professional removal and final boat disposal. No brokers, no runaround.
- Direct insurance and permitting support — We handle professional documentation your insurer actually needs and help you sort out the necessary permits. If you're filing an insurance claim after a sinking, we know what that process looks like and we'll make it easier on you.
Frequently Asked Questions: Sunken Boat Removal in Louisville
First, make sure everyone is safe, then report the incident to the authorities and your insurance company. Quick action matters here. The faster you call a professional recovery team, the better your chances to mitigate damage to the vessel and get the recovery process moving before things get worse.
We're specialists in sunken boat recovery, but our services go well beyond submerged vessels. We handle junk boat removal, abandoned wreck removal, storm-damaged boats, and general boat disposal, including yachts and catamarans. Whatever the situation, we've got the equipment to deal with it.
In most cases, yes. Marine insurance policies typically cover recovery to prevent a total loss and reduce your liability exposure. We work with boat owners on insurance claim support and provide all the documentation for the claim your insurer will ask for.
Captain Tom's provides emergency boat removal throughout Louisville and all of Jefferson County. We run frequent operations in areas like Prospect and the surrounding marinas along the Ohio River. Give us a call and we'll get a rapid response team headed your way.