An old boat fills a driveway, a side yard or a slip. It also carries fuel, batteries and sometimes engine oil, none of which goes in a bin. A boat left on a beach or a mooring becomes a federal problem. If you have a boat you no longer want, there are a few clearer routes.
Try to give it a second use first
Boating BC lists two worthy causes that accept boats: Sail and Life Training Society (SALTS) and the Disabled Sailing Association of BC. If the boat is not ready for retirement, donation or sale is worth a call. Boating BC says it is time to retire a boat when repairs cost more than it is worth, when it is no longer seaworthy or when it can no longer be operated safely.
Hire a boat disposal service
Boating BC keeps a list of businesses that offer boat disposal services in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Some provide full service. You drop the boat off, and they strip it of contaminants and hazardous waste, remove the parts and fittings, sell or recycle what they can and dispose of the hull. Others haul the boat out or move it to a disposal yard.
Recycle My Boat lists 604-988-4411 and says it picks up old boats on land or in the water. Costs vary with the type, composition and size of the boat. Boating BC suggests asking one or two local businesses for an estimate that covers each step.
What can be recycled
Boating BC says some parts can be repurposed, including engines, propane tanks, electronics and metal hulls. Wood and fibreglass hulls are not currently recyclable, and they are demolished and sent for disposal.
Fuel, batteries and the hazardous bits
Fuel, engine oil, batteries and propane have to come out first and go to the right program. Our post on propane tanks, fuel and old BBQs covers the programs, and Metro Vancouver Recycles can help you find a drop off. None of them goes in a bin.
Do not leave it in the water
Transport Canada says it is illegal for boat owners to abandon their boat or let it become a hazard or wreck, and that owners are responsible for properly disposing of their vessels once they are done with them. To report an abandoned or hazardous vessel, call Transport Canada at 1 833 351 4828.
Where a bin fits
A whole boat does not go in a bin, and fuel, batteries and engines never do. A boat or kayak hull that has been cut up can go in one of our bins once all the fuel and batteries are out. Call us first for the latest steps. The rest of the yard or garage cleanup around it can go in a junk bin, and a 20-yard is the common start. You handle the loading, and we handle the drop off and the haul away. See our disposal bins page.
FAQ
Can a fibreglass boat be recycled? Boating BC says wood and fibreglass hulls are not currently recyclable. Metal hulls can be.
Who can I call to report an abandoned boat? Transport Canada, at 1 833 351 4828.
Can I leave an old boat on a beach or mooring? No. Transport Canada says it is illegal to abandon a boat or let it become a hazard or wreck.
Can I put fuel or a battery in a bin? No. Fuel, batteries and propane go to their own programs.