Fiberglass is a long-lasting material. In comparison to any other vessel on the market, fiberglass boats have a life expectancy of 50 years. But hey, nothing lasts forever, so you're probably here for that reason. When a fiberglass boat reaches the end of its useful life, it won't just disappear into the ground. When improperly disposed of, these boats can last for centuries. When disposing of your old boat in St. Augustine, recycling is a great option. When it comes to getting rid of their fiberglass boats, most boat owners must do the dirty work themselves.

You've decided to recycle your boat for low-cost disposal on your own. You'll need to follow a few steps to make sure your efforts don't go to waste. Here's how you can recycle an old boat:

Drain All Fluids

That includes everything like fuel, oil, coolant, and whatever else that your boat has inside. If you want to recycle the fiberglass material, these toxic fluids must be disposed of separately.

When draining the fluids, make sure you don't mix them together. There is a potential for toxic fumes to be produced because of this. Furthermore, you could receive a well-deserved reprimand from the hazardous waste disposal facility. In bigger boats, there may also be a sewage system. Don't drain the sewage on your own for the sake of your health and wellness. Be sure to hire a professional to handle the job and dispose of the waste properly.

Remove Equipment, Electronics, and Gear

Taking out the battery is the first step. It just prevents any potential shocks and short circuits while you're dismantling the rest of your boat. Remove all metal parts, motors, and anything else not made of fiberglass. Some reusable parts may be able to be sold for a small price. However, if your boat is older, many of the electrical items may be outdated. Nevertheless, scrap yards are the best place to dispose of them.

Chop Up the Boat

Here's the tricky part. If you don't want to end up injuring yourself, start slowly. During the process of chopping up the boat, you must wear the appropriate protective gear. Invest in a suitable pair of work gloves, protective goggles, and maybe even overalls.

Wear a dust mask or even a full-face respirator since fiberglass can produce little shards that could irritate your respiratory system.Hack away at the boat from the top, removing any structural elements that could make it tougher to chop up the bottom. After all of that is done, you can start cutting up the hull. Make sure the pieces aren't too big or too small.

Dispose of the Pieces

There is quite a bit of fiberglass material produced by even small boats. It is unlikely that your home garbage can hold all that fiberglass, so look for a refuse removal company that will drop off an empty skip so you can load it all up. When you are finished, they will come and collect. You can also load in anything you think isn't scrapable. You can also haul everything yourself to the scrap yard. You might find this a daunting task to handle on your own.

You can also contact a boat removal company in St. Augustine to save yourself time and energy. The boat can be removed as is without having to be dismantled for recycling. No matter what size your boat is, we can remove it and recycle it for you at Florida Boat Removal. For recycling, you don't need to break it down into pieces. We will haul it away for you and recycle it ourselves. Let us handle all the work, so you don't have to. Call Florida Boat Removal next time you need to recycle a boat in St. Augustine. It would be our pleasure to take care of your recycling. There is nothing worse than abandoning boats, burning them, sinking them, or disposing of them in landfills. Our goal is to recycle and donate as much as possible.