Milwaukee abandoned boat: Hoan Foundation donates to removal effort

Hoan Foundation donates to boat removal effort

A second donor is pitching in to help remove an abandoned boat from Milwaukee's lakefront, where it has sat for months.

MILWAUKEE - A second donor is pitching in to help remove an abandoned boat from Milwaukee's lakefront, where it has sat for months.

Donor met owners

What they're saying:

The Daniel Hoan Foundation is donating $10,000 to get "Deep Thought" out of the sand.

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Dan Steininger, the foundation's president and grandson of former Milwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan, said he came across the boat – and its owners – after it got stuck in October.

"I see this wreck on the beach, you know, early morning – they had survived a storm from the night before," Steininger said.

The boat's owners, who are from Mississippi, ran out of gas during a storm.

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"I chatted with them," Steininger said. "These are two people who had a dream, spent their life savings to do it. Flat broke, had nowhere to go, distraught. I said, ‘We don’t treat people mean in Wisconsin – you are our guests.’"

That’s part of the reason Steininger is pitching in to help remove the boat.

Abandoned boat "Deep Thought" at Milwaukee's lakefront

"Long and short of it, these are not evil people. These are nice people who just saw their dreams crash," he said.

Last week, an anonymous donor kicked in $10,000. And don't forget Jerry Guyer, who started the effort in the fall and is thousands of dollars in the hole.

When will the boat be removed?

What's next:

Milwaukee County is now contracting a new company to salvage the boat. The total cost could be up to $50,000, which the county is paying for with hopes it will be reimbursed.

"It’s what we are professionals at, so I guess ‘Plan B’ is us," said Jeff Piller with All City Towing.

Jeff Piller, All City Towing

Piller said his crew is taking a different approach this time – using 50-ton cranes and tractor-trailers – in hopes of freeing "Deep Thought."

"We are going to attempt it from land this time," he said. "Pull really hard and fight it and get it on shore."

Lincoln Memorial Drive will be closed on Tuesday for the latest removal effort.