Boat Salvage Yards in Michigan (2026): Used Marine Parts & Salvage

Michigan’s position between four of the five Great Lakes makes it one of the most active boating states in the country. Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, and thousands of inland lakes generate a constant cycle of repowers, insurance claims, and end-of-life vessels — creating a steady supply of used marine parts across the state.

Compared to coastal states like Florida, Michigan’s salvage market is relatively small but has important advantages: because boats operate exclusively in freshwater, salvaged parts are often in significantly better condition than equivalent components from saltwater yards. Corrosion is far less of a concern, and components like outdrives, lower units, and electrical systems pulled from Michigan boats frequently have years of usable life remaining.

This guide lists verified active boat salvage yards and used marine parts dealers in Michigan. Several well-known operations have closed in recent years — most notably Michigan Marine Salvage Inc. — while others like Checker Marine Services have seen conflicting closure reports despite remaining operational. You can also browse the Boat Salvage Yards Directory to find marine recyclers across the United States.

Boat Salvage Yards in Michigan — Quick List

Yard	Location	Specialty	Type
Hildebrand Marine & Sea-Doo Clinic	Coldwater	PWC, outboards, I/Os, snowmobiles	Full salvage yard
Checker Marine Services	La Salle	Mercruiser, Volvo, OMC sterndrives	Self-serve pull-your-own yard — 12 acres
Brian’s Boats	Mt. Clemens	Mercruiser, Volvo, OMC, sterndrives	Used parts dealer
Pine Lake Parts	Plainwell	Vintage NOS, outboards, sterndrives	Online + walk-in parts
Sekenske Marine	Ludington	Water salvage, towing, full service	Marine salvage & repair

1. Hildebrand Marine & Sea-Doo Clinic — Coldwater, MI

Address: 298 S Fremont Rd, Coldwater, MI 49036
Phone: (517) 238-5955
Website: outboardjunkyard.com
Facebook: facebook.com/outboardjunkyard

Hildebrand Marine is Michigan’s most established boat and powersport salvage yard, family-owned and continuously operating for over 60 years. Spread across 9 acres in Coldwater, the yard holds an extensive inventory of personal watercraft, outboards, inboard/outboard units, and snowmobiles — making it the go-to source for hard-to-find parts across the region.

The shop specialises in engine-level work, with capabilities including crankshaft rebuilding, cylinder boring, and powerhead reconditioning for most major outboard brands. New-old-stock components from defunct manufacturers sit alongside used parts pulled from donor engines, and the team regularly ships motors internationally for customers who cannot travel to the yard in person.

For Michigan boaters chasing discontinued two-stroke parts, vintage Sea-Doo components, or obscure I/O drive units, Hildebrand is typically the first and last call. Open Mon–Fri, call ahead to confirm current stock availability.

2. Checker Marine Services — La Salle, MI

Address: 3280 W Stein Rd, La Salle, MI 48145
Phone: (734) 243-2683
eBay store: ebay.com/str/checkermarineservice
Facebook: facebook.com/CheckerMarineServices

Checker Marine is the closest thing Michigan has to a classic self-serve boat junkyard — a sprawling 12-acre lot holding over 600 donor boats from the 1970s through the 2000s, where you bring your own tools, walk the rows, and pull the parts you need. The operation is run by Charlie Checker and specialises almost exclusively in sterndrive boats: Mercruiser, Volvo Penta, and OMC Cobra units are the core inventory, and the concentration of outdrives, gimbal housings, trim assemblies, and lower units on site is genuinely remarkable — boaters regularly drive from Ohio, Indiana, and beyond specifically for outdrive components unavailable anywhere closer.

The yard skews heavily toward inboard/outboard boats from the era when American-made sterndrive hulls dominated Michigan’s lakes — Celebrity, Four Winns, Bayliner, Regal, and Chris-Craft of that period are well represented. Staff can advise on compatibility and have 40+ years of Mercruiser engine rebuild experience on hand, making Checker useful even if you’re not entirely sure what you need. The eBay store carries hundreds of tested components for buyers who can’t visit in person, with 100% positive feedback across 2,100+ transactions.

Note on status: Checker Marine has appeared as “closed” on some third-party listing sites, which has caused confusion. The eBay store remains actively stocked with current listings and Google reviews confirm the yard continues to operate. Always call ahead — hours are Tue–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–1pm, closed Sun–Mon — and confirm availability before making the drive.

3. Brian’s Boats — Mt. Clemens, MI

Address: 196 Northbound Gratiot Ave, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043
Phone: (586) 770-9431
Website: briansboats.com
Facebook: facebook.com/boatpartsnmore

Brian’s Boats is the most active used marine parts operation in southeast Michigan, operating out of Mt. Clemens near Lake St. Clair. The shop buys unwanted and damaged boats outright, then dismantles and sells components — including Mercruiser, Volvo Penta, OMC, and Crusader inboard/outboard parts, engines, transom assemblies, gimbal housings, gauges, and repairable hulls.

Beyond parts sales, Brian’s Boats handles the full lifecycle of an unwanted vessel: boat removal from driveways, marinas, and boat ramps, followed by environmentally responsible dismantling and fluid recycling.

For boaters on the Lake St. Clair and eastern Michigan shoreline this makes them a particularly practical resource — they’ll come to you if needed. Rotating inventory arrives frequently; calling ahead to check specific part availability is recommended. Open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–1pm.

4. Pine Lake Parts — Plainwell, MI

Address: 11290 Doster Rd, Plainwell, MI 49080
Phone: (269) 347-0014
Website: pinelakeparts.com
Facebook: facebook.com/PineLakeParts
eBay: ebay.com/str/pinelakepartsinc

Pine Lake Parts is southwest Michigan’s specialist in vintage and current marine motor recycling, with over 17,000 active parts listings across their website and eBay store. Founded in 2016 after owners Pat and Shelly Cooper rebuilt their business from a devastating fire, the operation has grown into one of the most well-organised freshwater parts sources in the Midwest.

The inventory covers outboards, inboards, sterndrives, and PWC components for both current production models and vintage motors dating back decades. A key advantage is condition: because the parts come exclusively from Michigan’s freshwater boating environment, corrosion is minimal and many components are in exceptional shape relative to what you’d find at coastal yards.

Pine Lake Parts ships nationally and internationally, making them accessible to buyers who can’t visit in person. The eBay store is frequently updated and searchable by part number or motor specification. For vintage outboard hunters in particular, this is one of the best-stocked sources in the Great Lakes region.

5. Sekenske Marine — Ludington, MI

Address: 820 W 1st St, Ludington, MI 49431
Phone: (231) 843-2142
Website: sekenskemarine.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sekenskemarine

Established in 1956 and still family-operated, Sekenske Marine serves the Lake Michigan shoreline from Ludington as both a full-service repair facility and a licensed marine salvage operation through its sister company Sekenske Salvage LLC. The salvage division is available 24/7 and handles submerged, beached, and breakwall-grounded vessels — a specialist capability that few Michigan operators offer.

While Sekenske is primarily a repair and storage yard rather than a walk-in parts source, their salvage and recovery work generates a rotating supply of used components from recovered boats. The team covers outboards, I/Os, inboards, and sterndrives, with technicians certified for full engine rebuilds and electronics installation.

For boaters on the Lake Michigan side of the state — particularly those who need a vessel recovered before worrying about parts — Sekenske is the definitive contact. Call ahead for current used parts availability.

Closed Yards Worth Knowing About

Michigan’s salvage market has contracted in recent years. Two formerly significant operations have closed permanently:

Michigan Marine Salvage Inc. (Mt. Clemens) — This water salvage and towing operation on Northbound Gratiot Ave is now permanently closed. The address at 96 Northbound Gratiot Ave no longer operates.

Types of Boat Salvage Sources in Michigan

Self-serve salvage yards — Bring your tools and pull parts from a large lot of donor boats. Checker Marine is Michigan’s main example of this format. Hildebrand Marine operates a hybrid model where you can browse the lot, but staff assist with engine-level components.

Used parts dealers — Shops that dismantle incoming boats and sell catalogued components. Brian’s Boats and Pine Lake Parts operate this way, with online listings and phone-based part lookup.

Marine salvage and recovery operators — Companies that recover sunken or grounded vessels, often generating used parts as a by-product of their salvage work. Sekenske Salvage LLC is the primary active example in Michigan.

Repair shops with take-off stock — Yards that accumulate used parts from repowers, insurance jobs, and trade-ins. Several exist around Lake St. Clair and southeast Michigan that are not publicly listed — calling local marine repair shops directly can uncover inventory not advertised online.

Best Areas in Michigan to Find Used Boat Parts

Southeast Michigan / Lake St. Clair region — The highest density of recreational powerboats in the state. Brian’s Boats in Mt. Clemens is the main dedicated parts source here, with several repair shops maintaining informal used-parts inventories.

Southwest Michigan / Lake Michigan shoreline — Served by Pine Lake Parts (Plainwell) for online orders and parts pickup, with additional dealer networks around Benton Harbor and Muskegon.

South-central Michigan — Hildebrand Marine in Coldwater anchors this region, drawing customers from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio for PWC, outboard, and snowmobile components.

West Michigan / Lake Michigan north — Sekenske Marine in Ludington handles water salvage and repairs for the northern Lake Michigan shoreline, serving a large seasonal boating community.

When to Use a Michigan Boat Salvage Yard

• When repairing a Mercruiser or OMC sterndrive and OEM dealer pricing is prohibitive
• When sourcing a specific outdrive ratio, gimbal housing, or trim assembly no longer in production
• When restoring a vintage outboard and new-old-stock parts are the only option
• When you need a complete powerhead swap at a fraction of the cost of a new engine
• When an insurance-totalled hull has components worth recovering before disposal
• When your boat needs to be removed from a property or waterway responsibly

Tips for Buying Used Boat Parts in Michigan

• Call before driving — inventory changes constantly and most yards don’t maintain live online stock lists
• Bring measurements and part numbers — particularly for outdrives, lower units, and trim pumps where small variations between model years affect fitment
• Freshwater condition is an asset — Michigan parts generally have lower corrosion than coastal salvage; inspect carefully but expect good condition on most components
• Ask about testing — Brian’s Boats and Hildebrand both offer some level of parts testing and can advise on engine component viability
• Check eBay first — Pine Lake Parts lists nationally; the part you need from a Michigan yard may already be in their online inventory before you call

How to Sell or Dispose of an Unwanted Boat in Michigan

Brian’s Boats actively purchases unwanted vessels of all types and handles full removal from driveways, marinas, and boat ramps — contact them at (586) 770-9431 for a quote. For boats with no remaining value, Boat Remover operates statewide disposal services covering the full Great Lakes region.

For charitable donation with a potential tax deduction, Boats with Causes accepts Michigan vessels statewide with free pickup: (888) 228-7320 / boatswithcauses.org.

Nearby States with More Boat Salvage Yards

If you can’t find what you need in Michigan, neighbouring states offer additional options. Ohio has a cluster of Lake Erie yards around Port Clinton and Sandusky, particularly strong for Crestliner, Lund, and fishing boat components. Wisconsin has several active inland salvage operations serving the northern lake country. For the largest selection of sterndrive and I/O parts in the Midwest, Minnesota has established outboard recyclers that ship nationwide.