Originally posted by RaptorMan:

Originally posted by Bobucles:

Dismantle your boat and stuff it into storage, or portal the materials to base for safe keeping.

How do I dismantle the boat?

You have to beat it to death - hammer won't 'unbuild" it. As far as the missing materials go if the water is deep enough in a dreary lighting condition like the Swamp they can be nearly invisible. As noted above leeches are quite the vindictive travelers when tasting a boat in the water.

A couple of times in Black Forest or Meadows I had loot lost in the water that was 'gone' when the weather was either cloudy/rainy, in late or early sunlight or a bit foggy. Magically it became visible when the sun was straight above shining unimpeded in all its illuminating glory.