Sunken Cuddy Cabin Recovery in Pompano Beach

The 21 ft Thompson 21 cuddy cabin had no outdrive. Somebody pulled it for repairs, never reinstalled it, and the open transom let in a little water with every rain until the boat sat in its slip with the deck awash and the bow slightly up.

The owner called after the neighbors on the dock noticed. The hard part was the slip. Intact boats sat close on both sides, so there was barely room to work. We plugged the transom opening with a plywood patch and foam, then fed lift bags under the gunwales one at a time, careful not to brush the hulls next door.

She came up level after about three hours on site. We skimmed the fuel sheen, drained the cabin and made a short tow toward Fort Lauderdale. The hull was tight, so it went to a repair yard for a new drive. Sunken boat recovery in a crowded slip is slow on purpose, and the salvage depends on that patience.