Boat transportation questions

Ok, so I've bought the boat. Now I have to get it back home to So. Cal from Fort Lauderdale.
I had a shipper lined up and he had family issues which would delay him picking up the boat for a few weeks.
Unfortunately, we had the boat hauled to do the repair work per our purchase agreement and know I'm with out a shipper and the boat is dry docked.
So now I'm doing the UShip thing while I wait for some other recommended shippers to get back to me.

Apparently height is an issue. I've removed the false stack and the radar mast so the height is down to 12' 5"

One guy asked if he could load the boat bow forward. I told him I don't care how he loads it as long as it gets to me undamaged.
I personally don't see a problem with it being loaded backwards but I thought I'd ask the brain trust here on TF.

Also looking for any shippers who can move this boat, preferably next week!

Thanks!

When I shipped overland, it seems they quit moving boats after a certain time in the spring. I assumed they switched to moving something else, but after April it looked impossible. My vessel was 14' from keel to top of cabin, so you should be good there. The company I used is based next to Anacortes, I think it was Marysville or something like that. A 32' boat, 18,000 lbs dry, Virginia to Anacortes was $10,000.

If I were in your shoes I would call everyone I could find in the business and see if I could get back hauled after another delivery. The shipper mentioned most vessel movements were from East to West at the time I shipped.

The only issue I can think of with backwards is wind damage to things not normally exposed to wind if it's on a truck and there is "weather" on the transport. The shipper gets concerned about water collecting in the boat.

Zebra mussel control is also an issue, make sure you are up on that. The shipper will expect you to have that handled. The time you are dry counts towards your boat being safe to transport across state lines so it's good to be dry before you ship for a while.

Associated Boat Transport, Marysville WA.

Call Nordic Tug in Burlington and ask who is their hauler of preference. Ditto AT in LaConnor. Why not wait a few weeks to use the hauler of preference, being in a hurry may result in finding the wrong hauler with resultant damage or unforeseen delays.

Research is the name of this game. Call as many companies as you can find. The internet is great! Just one suggestion, shrink wrap the boat before trucking it. Ask as many dealers as you can for suggestions.

You are saying that the boat height is 12'5" so when it is on the truck this will put it over the 13' clearance on all US highways. This is the problem I had when shipping, over height , meant following a certain route . AKDOUG is right on the Zebra mussel, I had to have our boat clean with bleach and something else before shipping and the driver had to have a copy of the invoice saying what had been done. GOOD LUCK

AKDoug said:

When I shipped overland, it seems they quit moving boats after a certain time in the spring. I assumed they switched to moving something else, but after April it looked impossible. My vessel was 14' from keel to top of cabin, so you should be good there. The company I used is based next to Anacortes, I think it was Marysville or something like that. A 32' boat, 18,000 lbs dry, Virginia to Anacortes was $10,000.

If I were in your shoes I would call everyone I could find in the business and see if I could get back hauled after another delivery. The shipper mentioned most vessel movements were from East to West at the time I shipped.

The only issue I can think of with backwards is wind damage to things not normally exposed to wind if it's on a truck and there is "weather" on the transport. The shipper gets concerned about water collecting in the boat.

Zebra mussel control is also an issue, make sure you are up on that. The shipper will expect you to have that handled. The time you are dry counts towards your boat being safe to transport across state lines so it's good to be dry before you ship for a while.

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Great info on the zebra mussel. Can anyone elaborate or direct me to what the California requirements are?

Pau Hana said:

Associated Boat Transport, Marysville WA.

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Associated boat transport came highly recommended, as I had heard they transport the bulk of the new NTs from the factory.
My experience with them has been poor as has a good friend who is trying to get his newly purchased 38 helmsman out of Canada.
Apparently the company was recently sold to Mark C.
I started calling them in July inquiring what was involved to get my boat shipped and they told me to call them when I got closer to closing. I called them several weeks later and again they told me to call back. I called again a few weeks later and asked if they could put me on a list so if or when they had a truck going to south Florida they could call me for a return haul.
This time they said "sure I'll make a note". And hung up with out ever even taking my name or phone number.
On my fourth time calling I asked how they planned on letting me know if they hadn't even bothered to take a number and name.
I finally had the broker (who works for the south Florida NT dealer) make a call on my behalf and ask as a personal favor if they could help me out or at least recommend a reliable hauler.
They couldn't even give me a referral. Needless to say I'm not impressed with them nor was my buddy. He had a similar experience.
Needless to say I don't have good things to say about Associated boat transport.

chester613 said:

Research is the name of this game. Call as many companies as you can find. The internet is great! Just one suggestion, shrink wrap the boat before trucking it. Ask as many dealers as you can for suggestions.

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I've heard conflicting things about the shrink wrap. If it tears it can damage the Gelcoat? As of now, I don't plan on having it wrapped.

kartracer said:

You are saying that the boat height is 12'5" so when it is on the truck this will put it over the 13' clearance on all US highways. This is the problem I had when shipping, over height , meant following a certain route . AKDOUG is right on the Zebra mussel, I had to have our boat clean with bleach and something else before shipping and the driver had to have a copy of the invoice saying what had been done. GOOD LUCK

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I'm interested in anything about the zebra mussel regulations.
I found a shipper who seems qualified and will be picking up the boat this coming Tuesday.
I've got my fingers crossed all goes well.

Personally I wouldn't transport without shrink wrap. Think about it all boats from the factory are. Why's that?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Trawler

We moved our 44 OA from Texas to Great Lakes after purchase. Went on the trailer backwards, no shrink wrap. The stern was covered in road grime, but otherwise zero issues. By the way, a company in Menomineee Michigan called M&B is highly regarded in the Midwest, and the haul all over the country. Used to haul many of Carver and Cruisers production boats before the industry croaked. Family operation, nice people, nice equipment, lots of experience (no affiliation). www.mbyachttransport.com

I would get an understanding as to what the driver will do. am well not do???
How long will he stay at the unloading place without an extra charge
Will he put back on items that he may have taken off when loading
Supply you with his insurance holder before loading, call company
When I shipped our boat I would get a call every day as to where truck was and if any problem
It is best to get this in writing or email that way there is no saying "I said he said"

Bow forward stern rear is the recommended for a number of reasons. When entering CA on either I-40 or I-10 make sure the drain plug is removed or the Ag check points will give you alot of grief.

If stern forward and its turbo'd make sure you tape up the exhaust port well, in some cases wind may enter exhaust and spin the turbo. Not near as bad as transporting tractors but all tractors shipped with exhaust facing forward will have the stack well taped for this reason.

Good luck and dont scrimp on the insurance.

skidgear said:

We moved our 44 OA from Texas to Great Lakes after purchase. Went on the trailer backwards, no shrink wrap. The stern was covered in road grime, but otherwise zero issues. By the way, a company in Menomineee Michigan called M&B is highly regarded in the Midwest, and the haul all over the country. Used to haul many of Carver and Cruisers production boats before the industry croaked. Family operation, nice people, nice equipment, lots of experience (no affiliation). www.mbyachttransport.com

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Mby came highly regarded and I emailed them for a quote. Was in an excellent price but timing didn't work

gwkiwi said:

Bow forward stern rear is the recommended for a number of reasons. When entering CA on either I-40 or I-10 make sure the drain plug is removed or the Ag check points will give you alot of grief.

If stern forward and its turbo'd make sure you tape up the exhaust port well, in some cases wind may enter exhaust and spin the turbo. Not near as bad as transporting tractors but all tractors shipped with exhaust facing forward will have the stack well taped for this rea

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Not sure what happened on my last post but that's what I get for trying to type on an oversized phone.
Anyways, great advice on taping the exhaust ports. Thank you.
Also, zebras are a fresh water problem, but I suppose you have to prove the boat was in saltwater. Btw, I tried to call the California zebra/quagga mussel hotline and couldn't get thru. "High volume of calls".

We brought our Carver from around Dallas to South Dakota. Used Jim Hight with Hight Boat Transport, based in Flower Mound Texas. Worked out to about $4.00 per mile total, from loading to splash. He did a great job and had excellent equipment, including a trailer that carried the boat 's keel about 4" off the pavement. Ours measured out at just around 14' too. There was a huge and really annoying debate among shippers on Uship about whether the flybridge had to come off. Jim did not need to take it off. The advice about shopping around is true - we got a ridiculous range of prices for that move, from one shipper who insisted the flybridge "must" be removed for about $4800 off and then back on, and he'd need two pilot cars for $2400 and $1200 in permits, and another $3600 to build a bow cradle for the flybridge... And then there was Jim, who didn't even need to remove the venturi (windscreen cowling) around the flybridge. All comes down to their equipment and experience. It also helped a lot - huge - if we could be flexible with timing so he could work us into other moves to reduce his costs, to avoid making him run a million miles empty. I think when it was all done we had gotten estimates that ranged from $3,800 to $14,000. It was absurd.

(Oh, and on the zebra mussels, yeah, we needed that done too. We had the boat pulled by Grandpappy Marina on Lake Texoma. Any exerienced marina should be familiar with the zebra mussel thing. They had to run steam or very hot water of a certain temp and duration through the intakes and then give us a certificate that it had been done. Not that big a deal as I recall, couple hundred bucks.)