Sunken Boat Removal Done Right: Professional Boat Removal in Philadelphia

Submerged vessels and what happens if you wait

When a boat goes down in Philadelphia's waterways, every hour counts. At Captain Tom's, we treat every call as an emergency response situation. A submerged vessel in a busy stretch of the Delaware River isn't just a loss — it's a navigational hazard and an environmental hazard that threatens other boaters and the water itself. We handle sunken boat recovery for boat owners, marina operators, and commercial clients across Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, moving fast to stop a bad situation from getting worse.

Our local team specializes in complex underwater recovery work. Whether your boat is fully or partially submerged at a dock, in a marina, or out in open water, our certified divers are ready to respond.

Comprehensive boat removal services we offer in Philly

Our boat removal services include everything from pulling sunken vessels off the river bottom to hauling away junk boats sitting on dry land. Whatever your situation, we've got it covered.

• Sunken boat recovery — This is what we do first and foremost. Our sunken boat recovery work uses lift bags, cranes, and rigging to raise submerged vessels from the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers without making hull damage worse. We've handled everything from small motorboats to yachts and catamarans, and our team knows the Philadelphia waterways well. We also work with insurance claim support when needed, so you're not stuck dealing with that paperwork alone.
• Wreck removal and abandoned vessel cleanup — Wreck removal gets complicated fast. Storm-damaged boats, abandoned vessel situations, derelicts that have been sitting for years — these jobs require a plan. We dismantle what needs to come apart and haul the rest to our processing facility. Our professional removal crews handle the full logistics so you don't have to coordinate a thing. Emergency services are available when a wreck becomes a hazard to navigation.
• Junk boat removal and hauling — Junk boat removal isn't just a water problem. We also pick up old boats on trailers, sailboats in backyards, and jet skis collecting rust. Our boat disposal service covers the full haul away, getting that dead weight off your property. Whether it's sitting in your driveway or drifting in a marina slip, we'll come get it.
• Recycling and proper disposal — Once the boat's out of the water, proper disposal matters. We recycle as much of the vessel as possible and make sure all hazardous materials are dealt with correctly and in line with environmental regulations. Philadelphia has strict standards, and we follow them. No dumping, no shortcuts.

Why professional removal matters for wreck removal jobs

Not all boat removal tasks are equal. When you're dealing with submerged vessels, wreck removal, or anything more serious than a simple haul-away, you need a crew that's actually done this work before. Here's why we're the right call for challenging recoveries.

• Expertise in difficult recoveries. Our crew has handled everything from junk boat removal to full-scale wreck removal in tight waterways. We deal with complex rigging, underwater obstacles, and conditions that stop general junk haulers cold. Where others walk away, we get to work.

• Specialized heavy-lifting equipment. The sunken boat removal process demands the right gear, not improvised solutions. We bring high-capacity cranes for yachts and catamarans and deploy advanced lift bags for more delicate operations. Every piece of equipment is matched to the specific job.

• Full-service, start to finish. Captain Tom's is a direct service provider, not a broker passing your job to someone else. We manage the entire boat removal process, from the first assessment through final transport and boat disposal. You deal with one team the whole way through, which covers comprehensive boat removal services from emergency services calls to routine professional removal.

• Direct insurance and permitting support. We produce professional documentation that holds up when you're filing an insurance claim. And we help sort out the permits required for recovery operations in Philadelphia waters, so you're not stuck figuring that out on your own. Check our sunken boat FAQ for more on what this process looks like.