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Deep-Water Houseboat Recovery and Environmental Response – Knockers
Sinking of the Luxury Houseboat Knockers
The luxury houseboat Knockers became a well-known houseboat sinking on Lake Powell after the vessel sank during a severe windstorm. The 105-foot houseboat was widely recognized for its size and high-end features, including a rooftop helipad, and was considered one of the more notable luxury houseboats operating on the lake at the time. Reports indicate the vessel took on water during a significant wind storm and ultimately submerged in a deep, steep-walled section of the main channel north of Antelope Point Marina. Due to the depth and terrain of the surrounding canyon, the sinking of Knockers drew significant attention within the Lake Powell boating community and remains one of the most frequently referenced sunken houseboat incidents on Lake Powell.
Deep-Water Commercial Diving and Environmental Mitigation
Following the sinking of the luxury houseboat Knockers, Cross Marine Projects was contracted to locate the vessel, assess site conditions, and address environmental risks associated with a large sunken houseboat on Lake Powell. The vessel was located in deep water within a steep walled canyon, with the stern resting at approximately 165 feet below the surface and the bow descending to nearly 220 feet. Due to the lake elevation of approximately 4,000 feet above sea level, all underwater work required high elevation commercial diving procedures and specialized decompression planning.
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Cross Marine Projects first deployed a remotely operated vehicle to survey the wreck and document vessel orientation, which was found upright on a canyon ledge with the stern elevated and the bow nose down. The helipad had separated from the vessel and was observed resting adjacent to the wreck site. Although low water conditions allowed diver access, those same conditions made vessel recovery impractical. All launch ramps on the lake were either out of service or incapable of supporting the barges and heavy equipment required for a full recovery, and access to the site would have required partial disassembly of dock systems to allow large barge assemblies to pass through. Based on these constraints, a full salvage was determined to be unreasonable.
Cross Marine Projects commercial divers focused on mitigating environmental risk by engineering custom fuel tapping systems to access the vessel fuel tanks and remove remaining hydrocarbons. Approximately 400 gallons of diesel fuel and 550 gallons of gasoline were safely removed, along with two personal watercraft attached to the vessel, one of which required cutting free from entangled railing cables near the aft waterslide. Additional debris was collected from the site, and all diving operations were conducted with an on site hyperbaric chamber to support deep water work. The project was completed in coordination with the National Park Service and with assistance from Aramark marina personnel, with all efforts focused on environmental protection and safety. This project demonstrates Cross Marine Projects capabilities in deep water commercial diving, ROV based inspections, environmental mitigation, and complex marine salvage operations on Lake Powell and similar inland reservoirs.
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