Wooden Boat Disposal in Brighton

It’s always a real shame to be scrapping an old wooden boat as it feels like losing a piece of boating history. They just have more character than the more modern GRP vessels. We were asked to remove an old wooden boat from Brighton Marina. She had reached a point of being un-economic to be restored. Sadly people are reluctant to take on big wooden project boats because of the costs of upkeep. Plus this one was in a particularly pricey marina so it was draining the owner.

The process of wooden boat disposal often involves a collaborative effort, and our recent collection from Brighton Marina exemplified this. An aged wooden boat, destined for dismantling, required a coordinated approach between the marina staff and our transport team.

The marina team, familiar with the vessel took the lead in preparing the boat for transport. Their knowledge of the marina’s layout and the boat’s structural integrity proved invaluable. They manoeuvred the heavy wooden hull, utilising their own equipment, and carefully positioned it for loading. This pre-loading stage was crucial, ensuring the boat was ready for secure transfer onto our low loader truck.

Our team arrived with the specialised transport solution: a low loader truck equipped with a HIAB crane. The low loader’s design, optimised for heavy and bulky loads, allowed for easy access within the marina’s confines. The HIAB crane, with its precision and lifting power, was essential for the safe and controlled unloading at the disposal site.

Once the marina team had secured the boat on the low loader, our transport phase began. The journey from Brighton Marina to the designated disposal location was carefully planned, considering road conditions and potential obstacles. The low loader’s stability ensured the safe transit of the delicate wooden structure. It can always be a worry when moving an old wooden boat that the hull may be weak. However this is usually common with dried out hulls.