We got a piece of the Milwaukee Boat, and you can, too (for free)

Remember the Milwaukee Boat—a.k.a. the S.S. Minnow, the S.S. Milwaukee, “Deep Thought,” or just The Boat? The Boat that was stranded on the shores of Lake Michigan from October 2024 to May 2025? Of course you do. Want to own a piece of the thing? Like, a sizable chunk of the thing? Of course you do. And now you can! For free!

As first reported by, well, everyone (how did we miss this?) the company that towed and eventually purchased the Boat at auction, All City Towing, is giving away pieces of the thing for free. All you have to do is show up at the All City lot (1213 W. Mallory Ave.) any time of day or night and ask for one. That’s it! They’ve got a box full of chunks!

All City is even including “certificates of authenticity” to go along with the pieces, though they were out of those when we stopped by Friday morning. But All City took our name and number and we can pick up a certificate next week!

You know the Boat story: On October 13, 2024, a Mississippi couple ran their 43-foot Chris-Craft Roamer boat ashore between Bradford and McKinley beaches. The Boat—officially named “Deep Thought,” remained there for nearly seven months, accruing graffiti and numerous failed salvage attempts. It became a beloved and grassroots Milwaukee Thing.

October 18, 2024

January 6, 2025

February 1, 2025

May 2, 2025

On May 6, 2025, All City finally dragged the sucker over the rocks and whisked it away. A public auction for the wrecked and tagged-up Boat followed. In the end, All City owner Jeff Piller was the winning bidder. His final bid was $2,525—approximately $17,475 less than what Milwaukee County was hoping for to cover the cost of the towing operation. Oh well.

“Have you ever had something when you’re cleaning out your house and you just can’t throw it away, or you can’t let it go?” Piller said at the end of the auction in May. “I think my staff and I and everyone involved has really grown to love it, and we want to keep doing good stuff with it. I would encourage any of the local charities that hold auction events to possibly reach out and we can collaborate There might be some nice pieces of artwork that could be auctioned for a good cause. Bar owners, any local places that could do some good things with pieces of it.”

According to Milwaukee Magazine, Piller is holding on to some potential “high-dollar” chunks that may still be auctioned off for charity. And yes, the carved-up husk of the Boat remains in the All City lot. Here it is:

And here it was, in happier times. Oh, the Boat. Were we ever so young?