Just make sure whatever boat you choose or decide to ship doesn’t sink with all your guns.
While boat transportation companies carry commercial liability insurance, I recommend obtaining separate coverage (transportation insurance rider) from your insurance company.
If possible, empty fuel, water and holding tanks.
Prep vessel for a bumpy ride – loose gear stowed below will break or damage your cabinetry.
Sailboat rigs – secure and wrap standing and running rigging – commercial plastic wrap works great.
Shipping height - lower is safer and less expensive – remove lifelines and stanchions, wheels, pedestals, dorades, antennas, biminis, dodgers, etc.
Flybridge removal – label all wires and cables.
Vessels wider than 8’6” require permits.
Vessels wider than 12’ -13’ require escorts.
Vessels higher than 13’6” require escorts.
(Shipping requirements vary from state to state.)
For the best shipping rate – you’ll need to make lots of calls.
The goal is to find a qualified shipper who needs your load to avoid running ‘empty’.
Call all shippers, boatyards on both ends of the trip, even list your vessel on UShip.com
Shipping brokers can help you obtain a lower shipping rate, but be very cautious about any who request or require a deposit.
Shippers will want to know the make and model of your vessel, weight, width, height, shipping to and from locations. If shipping on your own trailer – brake type and ball size.
If you can be flexible on shipping dates, you can save 15 – 25%. Working with a reputable shipping company is more important than getting the lowest price, of course. The purpose of shopping around is to avoid being overcharged, not necessarily to take the cheapest option.
Ballpark shipping costs: Fuel costs have a very direct relationship to the cost of vessel shipping. In general, medium sized boats, 30’ – 40’, which do not require escorts – average the price of a gallon of fuel per mile. Example: Diesel = $3.75 x 1000 miles = swag shipping cost of $3,750.
Vessels on their own trailers run less.
Vessels which require escorts cost more.
The larger the vessel, the more complicated and expensive the project.
Respect the rule of the 7 P's with all shipping efforts - Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Projects.
Thought I would make this contribution to your thread. After the Concordia sinking - I reminisced about the one and only cruise I took with my sister on a Carnival ship. On board there was an elderly woman who was a ‘permanent’ passenger; she had determined that the access to medical staff, food and lodging was cheaper than assisted living on land.
Not as rare as I had believed.
http://notjustforseniors.blogspot.com/2009/10/cruise-ships-as-retirement-communities.html
Coastal Marine Transport, Peter Hamm, Charleston, SC 843-696-0278
Insured Boat Hauling, Charleston, SC, (Vessels with or without trailers – up to 36′/15,000 lbs), Travis McGormley, Charleston, SC 843-754-9929
American Boat Carriers/McDonnell & Associates (Beverly), Alachua, FL 800-828-3364
Anchorage Marine Service, Holland, MI 616-399-6745
Andrews Trucking, Ontario, CA 800-263-7140
Annapolis Rigging, Annapolis, MD 410-269-8035
Associated Boat Transport, Woodenville, WA 800-247-1198
Barbour Trucking, Austin, TX 800-256-5671
Boat Transport, Inc., Middlebury, IN 866-748-8952
Boats Express, Inc., Tampa, FL 800-926-2875
Bothwell Boatworks, Bothwell, Ontario 519-436-4984
Brownell Systems, Mattapoisette, MA 800-262-8428
Cam Transport, Cocoa Beach, FL 800-868-1243
Can-Am Marine Transport, Hudson, Quebec 401-864-3705
Cross Country Boat Transport, Hastings, MN 651-437-2454
Great Lakes Boat Transport, Grafton, WI 262-375-3003
J. Daniel Marine 800-488-5933
A1 Haulaboat 866-590-1156
J&E Carriers , Wilmington, NC 910-538-6637
Joule Yacht Transport , Clearwater, FL 800-237-0727
L&M Transportation Services , Raleigh, NC 800-632-3030
M&N Transportation , Armada, MI 586-784-4592
Marine Transportation Nationwide, Davidson, NC 704-784-4592
Michigan Boat Cartage, Eastpoint, MI 810-773-1000
Moger Yacht Transport , Gardena, CA , 800-533-7527
Patterson Marine Service , Pentwater, MI 616-869-6411
QMR, Ken Sieler 602-524-9144
Skipper Shipper , Jensen Beach, FL 772-225-1279
SWD Transportation , Southwest Harbor, ME , 207-244-3470
Freight Forwarding/International
Fitzgerald Freight Forwarding, Jack Fitzgerald, Savannah, GA 912-898-1069
Atlantic Container Lines 800-225-1235
Seamodal 510-832-2686
Seven Star Yacht Transport
Sol Yacht Transport 954-713-0413
Yacht Path Marine Group 561-784-6700
Please email additions and corrections to yachts@brilliantyachts.com
Nothing half as much worth doing then messing around in boats:)
Couple of boats I was interested in buying fell through when I calculated shipping costs. Wide load permits were killers too.
This week’s Weekly Boating Thread is up for your review and amusement.
Boat Transportation is the general theme.
Read and ping away!
Happy boating,
Jon
it’s always better to be in your boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with your boat on the rocks
funny you should post now.....I just got off a site looking for houseboats in the SE USA.....would be interested in your thoughts
"Without boating, over two-thirds of the Earth's surface would just be wasted."