Marine Salvage

Did Your Boat Sink And You Don’t Know What To Do?

Dennis Walker

March 19, 2020

Did Your Boat Sink And You Don’t Know What To Do?

Most people say this will never happen to me. It’s important to recognize that every vessels sinking incident from accident to storm is never planned. Nobody expects the tornado in the Marina. Nobody expects equipment failure. Nobody expects to hit rocks, logs, debris, reefs or other vessels when they get out on the water. It just happens. If poor maintenance played a part or a major tole, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all is lost. This is where you consider a commercial diving company to salvage your boat.


Recognize the cause to prevent your vessel from sinking.

Boats are designed to stay on top of the water yet sinking a boat is easier than you would think. Simple fittings that separate the interior from the outside wear out unexpectedly causing a breach and will fill up quickly. Hull weakness based on age, how it was built and lack of maintenance can also play a role. Bilge pumps fail. Storms arise unexpectedly. Moored vessels come loose due to stress or over site. The list goes on and on. Be proactive in maintenance and preparedness. These will save the day while minimizing the potential of property loss and possible loss of life. Prevention is key.

Does your boat have insurance?

For the safety of yourself and others, insurance, even if it’s liability only, will be helpful. If you’re in a situation where your boat has sunk, make sure everyone is safe and then call your insurance company. If the reason for your vessels sinking was due to a storm that impacted many other people, it might take some time to get through. Be patient. If this is the case, it will take even longer for an adjuster to assess the damage if the vessel is in a location where it can be assessed. Keep in mind, the longer you wait to salvage your vessel, the more damage it will incur. Follow up with your insurance company and give them all the information they need to expedite the process on their end.

Uninsured vessels.

Just because your boat is uninsured doesn’t mean that you can take your time taking care of the problem. The longer you wait, the more damage to the vessel and its surroundings. You can also incur other unforeseen fines. There could be pollutants such as oils and fuel that will pollute the water causing a bigger mess. This is when you call a commercial diving company like National Marine and Diving Services to assess and salvage your vessel as quickly as possible even if you consider writing the boat off as a complete loss. Waiting will cost you in the long run. Don’t wait!

What do I do once my boat has been salvaged?

Now that the boat is out of the water, you can assess the damage. You might need to take the boat to a professional to get a solid assessment of what you will be up against financially to repair. Maybe the navigation electronics can be saved? Can the engine be repaired? Maybe the hole isn’t so bad? This is another area where waiting for the boat to dry out is not a good idea. A boatyard can start working on the vessel getting your boat seaworthy again if repairs are possible.

National Marine and Diving Service, your marine salvage experts!

National Marine and Diving Service has over 25 years experience in commercial diving including marine salvage, search and recovery from lakes to oceans. We can help you regain possession of your vessel utilizing ROV (remote operated vehicle) technology and experienced, licensed commercial divers to get the job done. Give us a call at 321-412-6611.

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