Responsible Boat Disposal
We Don't Break Boats*, We Care for Them

A Seasafe Dandy removed from customers yard

Re-Homing, Removal and Disposal of Old Boats

Responsible Boat Disposal provides Re-Homing and Recycling services to boat and dinghy owners, who face the necessity to dispose of their beloved vessels either because of their age or condition. We operate all over the country, with yards near Plymouth, Devon, in Ipswich, Suffolk and in Greater Manchester area, 

We don't just scrap boats sending them to landfills, but we care for them and search for new owners or other ways to reuse them. Where it is needed we remove the unwanted boats and yachts both from land and water. If no other options are available, we dismantle and scrap boats, disposing of the fibreglass through Waste-to-Energy plants,

* sometimes even we end up breaking them

These are the boats we currently offer for re-homing:

Breaking Boats? 
Breaking Bad!

Is breaking boats a good and responsible solution?

When a boat looks End-of-life, it is tempting to think that breaking her up is the best solution. But is it indeed?

  • The GRP is not recyclable, it will stay in a landfill for centuries.
  • There are almost no bits and materials you can recover.
  • The overall cost (transportation and disposing) is exorbitant

How to Dispose of a Boat or Dinghy Responsibly?

Corribee 22 leaving Yacht Heaven Quay, Plymouth

Find a new Home

This is the most uplifting solution: a new loving owner, instead of actual disposal of the boat, and that is exactly what we do. She will be treated well, and cared for more years to come. And many unwanted boats which might appear scrap can actually be disposed, or better to say, re-homed,  in this way.

Dump it?

Well, while this is clearly the easiest solution, it is hardly necessary to argue against this way of boat disposal  - pollution, both visual and chemical, responsibility, both legal and moral, all goes wrong here.

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Ask Us for Help

We shall both attempt to rehome your old lady, and remove and dispose responsibly of your boat if needed. We shall reuse as many bits as possible to cut the boat disposal costs, and send the leftovers to Waste-to-Energy plants, instead of landfills.

Request a Quote

Telephone: 0161 818 7821

South-West branch:
info@boat-disposal.co.uk
167 Notte Str, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2HF

London and South-East branch:
se@boat-disposal.co.uk
Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington, Ipswich IP10 0LN

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Abandoned Corribee 22 looking for a new home, Plymouth

How much does it cost to dispose a boat?

Coribee 22, 08/2021, Plymouth: Free

The cost of disposal of a boat will depend greatly on its condition and location. If it is salvageable, it will be possible to find a new home for her, and then the cost is essentially zero (we do charge a brokerage fee in this case, so not exactly zero 🤷🏽‍♂️). 

If a full scale disposal is needed, the recycling of a boat usually amounts to about £60-£80 per foot of LOA.  That said, selling any recoverable bits (engines, etc) will usually cut the final cost to a certain degree.

The Boats We Re-Homed recently

We are getting quite a number of Boat Disposal requests, and here there are some highlights of the recent boats we have successfully re-homed. These boats were abandoned, or in urgent need of a new owner.

You can find what we have to offer at the moment on our Facebook page, for more already re-homed boats see our Re-homing Archive.
 

Free Rival 32

The boat was a curious case of "new old stock" - bought new for home completion, but never finished.   

01/2025, Hampshire

Free Birchwood 25

This case of unexpected inheritance was complicated by the delays causes by legal proceedings.  

01/2025, Norfolk

Free RS Quba sailing dinghy

This almost perfect sailing dinghy was donated to the youth group of a local sailing club.

01/2025, Ipswich

Free Tamarisk 24

There were 70000+ miles recorded in the log books, but after turning 83 the owner has retired to a motorboat.

12/2024, Torpoint

Free 16ft motorboat

Served the then owner well for 16 years, but then a TLC started, gradually becoming a refit. New enthusiast was needed.

11/2024, Reading

Free Lakita 33ft

This classical wooden beauty was inherited by her then owner, who lived in England and was not into boats, unfortunately.

10/2024, Ireland

Free Seacracker 33

The boat has been bought as a project boat last year, but happened to be a bigger one than expected. 

10/2024, Suffolk

Free Signet 20

The owner had no means of getting to the boat personally to take internal photos or show prospective owners, much less to sail her.

10/2024, Cornwall

Free Newbridge Corribee

 The age of the owner prevents him from properly maintaining her, as well as from showing her to timewasters.

10/2024, Colchester

Free Solo Sailing Dinghy

The then-owner had no time or inclination to have her repaired, and not really sailing any more, so wished to re-home the boat.

09/2024, Colchester

Free 470 Sailing Dinghy

Although not used for a few years she was a fully working dinghy with two masts and probably all the relevant sails.

09/2024, Anglesey

Free 420 Sailing Dinghy

The main problem with the dinghy was probably the lack of cleaning, but otherwise she seemed mainly intact.

09/2024, Oxford

Free Elizabethan 23

A very well-equipped classical boat, but with a daunting survey which made the owner look for other options. 

09/2024, Ipswich

Free Birchwood 22

The owner just wanted to pass the boat on, we were not given any specific reason, tbh.

08/2024, Nottingham

Free Relcraft 23

Unfortunately, the owner did not really have enough time to finish the project, and a new enthusiast was sought after. 

08/2024, Aldeburgh

Free Wayfarer mk2

Current owner tried to do her up but now moved away from the boatyard so just needed to get it gone quickly!

08/2024, Plymouth

Free Narrowboat

The owner purchased another boat to replace this one, and wanted a quick solution. 

07/2024, London

Free GP14

Stored in the barn for quite some time, the dinghy needed attention, but has still lots of life left.

07/2024, Oxford

Free Wayfarer mk2

It was a project that the owner grew disinterested in. She was a complete kit, but with several smaller jobs to be done.

07/2024, Bristol

Free Jaguar 25

The current owner was parting with this boat as health issues together with loss of storage mean that he could no longer work on her.

07/2024, Wales

Free Fletcher 14

A local boatyard clearing some of the abandoned boats offered this speedboat to a new home. 

06/2024, Plymouth

Free Westerly Nomad

Sad, but familiar story of an ageing owner who was not aиду anymore to care for the boat.

06/2024, Whitehaven

Free Bayliner Classic 22

The current owner has been trying to get her on the water, but all in vain. We found a buyer, who took her for proper restoration.

06/2024, Pool

Free Cruisers International 23

The engine on this boat went on small fire, and the owner did not want to continue the project. New home was found.

05/2024, London

Free Enterprise sailing dinghy

This wooden dinghy stayed for about 5 years ashore waiting for the current owner to find time for her. now given away together with a complete kit of bits and bobs.

05/2024, Banbury

Free GP14

Another dinghy - a GP14 in good condition was given away for free on behalf of the owner.

05/2024, Southampton

Free Laser 13

A season of sailing dinghies it was. This Laser 13 was missing the main sheets and blocks but came complete with sails  a combi trailer / trolly.

05/2024, Wivenhoe 

Our Customers

We work both with individuals and businesses. Among our most recent corporate customers, are such companies as

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