Main boating waters in Illinois
- Lake Michigan harbors in Chicago and Waukegan
- The Chain O’Lakes
- The Illinois River
- The Mississippi River
- Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville and Rend Lake
Busy boating counties include: Cook, Lake, McHenry, Peoria, Clinton, Shelby.
Boating in Illinois by the numbers
Illinois had 176,560 registered recreational boats in 2024, according to the US Coast Guard. The state registers all motorized vessels (registering a boat without a motor is voluntary).
- The Chain O’Lakes is the largest concentration of natural lakes in Illinois, with nearly 6,500 acres of water and 488 miles of shoreline, according to the Illinois DNR. Source
If the boat is registered, have its registration or hull ID number ready when you ask for a quote.
Common removal jobs in Illinois
- Boats stored outdoors for many winters and never put back in
- Boats left in storage lots and marinas after the owner stops paying
- River boats damaged by flooding
How jobs in Illinois work
Jobs in Illinois are handled by local removal partners from our network, the same way as in South Florida.
- Send photos and the boat’s location with the quote form, or call us.
- We check whether a local removal partner can take the job.
- You get a quote before anything is booked.
- The removal is done by the local partner.