Submerged vessels in the Kansas City waterways
At Captain Tom's, we know a submerged vessel doesn't wait for business hours. In Kansas City, the Missouri and Kansas Rivers see steady boat traffic, and a sunken boat sitting on the bottom fast becomes a navigational hazard and an environmental hazard for everyone sharing those waters. Our team handles emergency response recovery across Kansas City and the surrounding areas, getting to your boat fast before the situation gets worse.
We're a local crew that specializes in complex underwater recovery, whether your boat went down at a dock, in a marina, or out in open water. Our certified divers are ready to move.
Comprehensive boat removal services we offer
Our boat removal services include everything from pulling sunken vessels off the lake bottom to hauling off that junk boat sitting in your yard. Whether you need emergency services after a storm or planned professional removal of submerged vessels, we've got the crew and equipment to handle it.
- Sunken boat recovery — This is our primary work. We use lift bags, cranes, and rigging to raise sunken boat recovery jobs safely, protecting the hull throughout the process. We've pulled everything from bass boats to yachts and catamarans off the bottom of Kansas City's lakes and rivers.
- Wreck removal and abandoned vessel cleanup — Wreck removal gets complicated fast. We manage the full scope, from paperwork and insurance claim support to the physical work of getting out there to dismantle and haul away storm-damaged or abandoned vessel hulls that nobody else wants to touch.
- Junk boat removal and hauling — Junk boat removal isn't just a water job. Our boat disposal service covers land too. We haul away old sailboats, pontoons, and jet skis that are sitting on your property and taking up space you could actually use.
- Recycling and proper disposal — After every removal, we follow through on proper disposal the right way. We recycle as much of the vessel as we can and make sure all hazardous materials are handled in full compliance with environmental regulations. No cutting corners.
Professional removal: why Captain Tom's gets called first
Not every boat removal job is the same. When you're dealing with submerged vessels, tricky water conditions, or a full wreck removal situation, you need a crew with real experience in challenging recoveries. Here's why Captain Tom's is the right call.
- Expertise in difficult recoveries — Our crew has handled everything from junk boat removal on shallow Kansas lakes to pulling submerged vessels off murky river bottoms. We deal with complex rigging and underwater obstacles that stop general junk haulers cold. Standard haulers don't have the training or the gear for this kind of work.
- Specialized heavy-lifting equipment — We bring the right tools every time. High-capacity cranes for yachts and catamarans, advanced lift bags for delicate wreck removal operations, and the full setup needed to manage any sunken boat removal process from the water up.
- Full-service, start to finish — Captain Tom's is a direct service provider, not a broker farming your job out to someone else. We manage the entire boat removal process ourselves, from the first assessment through professional removal, boat disposal, and final transport. No hand-offs, no surprises.
- Direct insurance and permitting support — We produce professional documentation your insurance company can actually use to move your insurance claim forward. We also help you work through the permits required in Kansas, so you're not left figuring that out on your own. Our comprehensive boat removal services cover the paperwork side just as much as the physical recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions: Sunken Boat Removal in Kansas City
Make sure everyone is safe, then report it to the authorities and call your insurance company. Quick action is everything here. The longer a submerged vessel sits, the worse the damage gets. Getting our professional removal team on the phone fast is how you mitigate damage and kick off the recovery process the right way.
We specialize in sunken boat recovery, but our services go well beyond that. We handle junk boat removal, abandoned vessels, storm-damaged wrecks, and general boat disposal. Whether you're dealing with a small fishing boat or yachts and catamarans, we've pulled them all.
Usually, yes. Marine insurance policies typically cover wreck removal and recovery to avoid a total loss and keep liability from piling up. We handle the insurance claim support side too, giving you all the documentation for the claim your insurer will ask for.
Captain Tom's provides emergency boat removal throughout Kansas City and all of Jackson County. We run frequent operations in areas like Smithville Lake and the surrounding marinas along the Missouri River corridor. Give us a call and we'll get a rapid response team headed your way.