It is time to say goodbye to the iconic Belmar Beach playground pirate ships.

The two were added to the new playgrounds along the boardwalk after Superstorm Sandy destroyed the beachfront. But Belmar Mayor Mark Walsifer says that the ships became damaged over the last eight years and need to go.

“We had our insurance adjusters take a look at them. We had experts take a look at them. They are in disrepair from being in the salt air,” Walsifer says. “They're about 8 years old and it's become a hazard for the children and we don't want to take any chances.”

The two ships had to be hoisted off the sand onto flatbed trucks by crane. They weigh about 13,500 pounds each and are made of rebar concrete.

The mayor says that the town is already looking at replacing the ships with new playground equipment in time for next summer.