MILWAUKEE — The saga of Deep Thought, the abandoned boat that became a local attraction in Milwaukee, appears to be nearing its conclusion after selling at auction for just over $2,500 on Tuesday.
Previous coverage: Milwaukee's stranded boat is for sale. What do you need to know and how much will it cost you?
The vessel, which was stuck for months near McKinley Beach in Lake Michigan, has captivated Milwaukee residents since October 2024, when it was first abandoned.
Jeff Piller, the owner of All City Towing, which completed the boat's removal, submitted the winning bid of $2,525. The auction price fell over $17,000 short of Milwaukee County's goal to recoup removal costs.
It cost $50,000 to finally remove the boat from the water after several unsuccessful attempts. Milwaukee County initiated a two-week public auction on July 22, hoping to raise the remaining $20,000 in removal costs after $30,000 was donated toward the effort.
Watch: Stranded Milwaukee boat 'Deep Thought' sells for just over $2,500 at auction
Piller is now responsible for the boat, which he says will stay at its current location.
He tells TMJ4 that he’s going to work over the next few days to figure out what to do with the boat—whether that’s auctioning it off for charities, giving it to local establishments or bars, or figuring out ways to cut it up.
"It's definitely going to be labor intensive to cut it up and do the things we want with it, so we will sell some smaller pieces," said Piller. "Anyone can come by and buy those pieces, hopefully starting next week, to help pay for the labor."
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
