Sunken sailboat collapses on keel during removal this-morning near Horsethief Lake
This sailboat originally sank near Miller Island in the Columbia and across the river from Deschutes State Park in June. Salvage crew were able to float it to the banks of Horsethief State Park where it sat for two months before it was removed this morning.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Aug. 29, 2025 — A months-long saga involving a sunken sailboat on the Columbia River came to an end Friday, as crews successfully lifted the deteriorating vessel from the shoreline near Horsethief Lake State Park this morning.
The boat, which had been bound for the Tri-Cities in June, sank near Miller Island and was later floated downstream by salvage crews to Horsethief Park, where it remained stranded for much of the summer. Workers returned Friday morning with a 50- or 60-ton crane to complete the job.
Salvage crews worked this morning,f Aug. 29, to lift this coastal cruiser sailboat from the banks of the Columbia at Horsethief State Park in just east of Dallesport.
The older ocean cruiser which appears to be from the 1980’s was approximately 30 feet long and is considered a “Coastal Cruiser.”
Information was not readily available about the owner. However the first two letters of the boater registration indicate it was
Straps left from the earlier float operation allowed crews to easily secure the hull and hoist it onto shore. But once grounded, the vessel’s long exposure to water took its toll: workers had to cut off the rudder, and the hull collapsed inward on its keel and apparent rotted frame.
“The removal went smoothly overall, considering the condition of the boat,” said Mark Harris, a Washington State Parks ranger who oversees Horsethief. He added that the wreck had been a visible and lingering reminder of the challenges involved in recovering abandoned or damaged vessels along the river.
The final step involved loading the collapsed hull onto a salvage truck for disposal. Officials expect the removal to be completed later Friday.
The boat’s presence along the banks of the Columbia drew some attention from park visitors and nearby residents during the summer.
