Wooden Boat Disposal. Rampart 38

Wooden Boat Disposal
Our Boat breaking team were in Swanwick this week to collect a wooden boat for disposal. It’s always a shame when a wooden boat is sent for scrap. Mainly because you can see the craftsmanship that had gone into the making the hull. There’s just so much more character compared to a GRP hull that’s been popped out of a mould. The boat in question this time was a Rampart 38 hull. Sadly she was a project boat that had been completely stripped back and now was too much work for anyone to want to take on.
Our boat disposal team suggested to the owner that we gave the boat a month of listing. Just to see if there was anyone out there who might save her. She was listed as free to a good home on the Lonely Boats site. But as anyone in boats knows, wooden boats are anything but free when it comes to the repairs or maintenance. The team had discussed with the owner before listing the scrap price if there was no takers. Her owner’s insurance was due to run out in December. With the boat in her current condition there was no chance she would be re-insured. This meant her owner was keen to get her moved on one way or another.
Spare Wood Recycled
The wooden boat was housed inside a large tent at the boat yard. Before we could get the marina to lift her out we had to partially take this down. It was an interesting experience getting the plastic wrapping down. Especially with the wind trying to help the tent set sail. But the wooden boat disposal couldn’t go ahead without the tent coming down. So the team quickly cut away any plastic they could reach. Our team also had to clear the large piled of wood underneath the boat. Some we managed to pass on to another boat owner in the yard who needed it for his own boat. There was also some mixed piles of scrap metal which we removed.
With the framework exposed and the front of the tent down the marina team could get under the boat. The wooden hull was then slowly driven out of the tent and across to the hoist. When our low loader arrived the marina team set up the strops and loaded her.
Stripped Hull
As the hull was completely stripped of any fixtures and fittings it was a straightforward boat to handle. There was no engine, fuel or any hazardous materials onboard. We know that the owner was sorry to see the boat scrapped but ultimately they have acted at the right time. If the boat had been left abandoned to rot away it would have been harder to transport. It would have also continued to cost the owner to store the boat which is simply money down the drain.
If you have an old project boat sat in a boat yard that is just costing you money then get in contact. We might be able to help you re-home her. Or if not we can collect and dispose of the boat and put an end to mooring fees. Just fill in our Scrap Calculator form and the team will be happy to put a plan together.
Written By: Luke Edney
Luke completed a journalism degree in Brighton University and fortunately for us uses this in his communications, Facebook posts, Tweets and emails to tell all our enquirers and followers what we are up to. Without Luke we would be lost, he runs the office, keeps us organised and is like a terrier and never lets a tricky boat disposal job go un-photographed or Tweeted about.
He also manages all of our enquiries passing them to whoever in the team is the best suited to deal with it. We are teaching Luke how to drive a motorboat or sail a yacht so while he’s learning we suggest you keep out of the Solent!
When he’s not at work he’s a massive football fan (his Dad used to play for Portsmouth FC years ago) and seems to know everything there is to know about any player, anywhere. Next time you ring and he answers, think of a tricky football trivia question and ask him
Date Published: November 26, 2024
Last Modified: December 2, 2024
Related Articles
- Published On: September 27th, 2021
The Boatbreakers team had an interesting collection recently. We were tasked with collecting an abandoned boat from a bush in Swanick. Luckily on the day the bushes had been chopped back to give us half a chance. As you [...]
- Published On: January 20th, 2022
The Boatbreakers team have been busy at the turn of the new year collecting neglected boats. Our first batch have come out of the River Itchen in Southampton.
- Published On: March 13th, 2025
We were asked to remove an old speedboat from a garage near Epsom. In a new record for us we actually managed to collect the same day as the owner gave us the go ahead.