Shipping 40’ trawler from east to west coast

[Mckranz]

I am considering moving a 40’ trawler from anywhere on Atlantic coast to the west coast in 2021 by sea. Trucking is not an option due to excessive height.

Looking for personal recent experiences and recommendations beyond the usual basic internet search.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Welcome to TF


Ft. Lauderdale to Victoria B.C. by boat.

There is also a route from Seattle to Texas by truck where you don't have to worry about height. Not sure of the route name.

 

[Hippocampus]

We used seven seas to ship 46’ sailboat from st. Lucia to Newport. $25k. Effortless. And they did a great job. They weld a cradle to the deck. Being deck cargo no height restrictions. Been told they’re in financial difficulties but dock wise is still in business.

 

[BobT53]

United Yacht Transport

We shipped our 42' trawler from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) to Victoria, BC in April, 2018. Cost was $30,750. They kept us informed at each step of the process, gave us good instructions for prepping the boat, dropping it off, and picking it up. It was a good experience.

Bob & Gail Thomas
The Good Life
1987 Monk 42

 

[mvweebles]

Have a quote from United Yacht to move my Willard 36 from Ensenada MX ( 80 miles south of San Diego) to Ft Lauderdale for $17k. Likely February sailing. Seven seas was slightly more expensive, but with fewer sailings.

Peter.

 

[John R M]

This is a video on this subject. Info about ship transportation starts at about 13:30.

 

[Hippocampus]

Good video. My experience was confounded by hurricane. We had left St.Lucia on the second to last flight out before it shut down due to Covid. Remotely I had to arrange for a captain to bring my boat from Rodney Bay to the commercial harbor at the southern end of the island. The ship came earlier than expected as it wanted to leave before the hurricane was expected. It was expensive and stressful to arrange splashing the boat and moving it. As the hired captain wasn’t me and my policy was owner operated a rider had to be paid for although the transport to the embarkation site was only a few miles. The ship made it very quickly from St.Lucia to Ft. Lauderdale but then lingered again due to weather. I had arranged with friends to help me with disembarking/unloading at Newport R.I. The dates were screwed up. Fortunately the boat sale was already arranged so that broker helped me. The unloading was weird. You clambered up a bosons ladder and then a rickety ladder to get on your boat. They use a crane to dump you in the water. You’d better hope your engin starts and you have excellent boat handling skills as your delicate grp boat is inches from a massive steel ship. Scary as all get out. Not something you want to do unless you’re reasonably fit, brave, not scared of heights and there’s calm seas.
We had no damage but it took lots of hose water and a brush to get the salt off the boat. I was told by fellow cruisers to have the hull waxed and nonskid cleaned just before loading. That was key as cleaning up the boat was made much easier.
We also prepped just like we would do for a passage. Absolutely no loose things and any heavy lashed or contained so no possibility of even a bit of movement.
Still, we were in a spot. Needed to move the boat and was no longer in that country. Although I think passage is more fun and maybe even lower risk in some regards would use a shipping company again if forced to.

 

[BobT53]

Sorry. Our yacht transport was done by United Yacht Transport.

The Good Life
1987 Monk 42

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Probably not fiscally prudent.

pete

 

[rgano]

Take it to Galveston and ship to San Diego. I did the reverse of this in 1990 with a Grand Banks 42. Did NOT remove bride or any of that nonsense.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Take it to Galveston and ship to San Diego. I did the reverse of this in 1990 with a Grand Banks 42. Did NOT remove bride or any of that nonsense.

Great suggestion!!! Plus 100%

 

[CharlieO.]

Probably not fiscally prudent.

pete

That's what the accountant says about owning a boat.

 

[Comodave]

Take it to Galveston and ship to San Diego. I did the reverse of this in 1990 with a Grand Banks 42. Did NOT remove bride or any of that nonsense.

There is another post going on about Seattle to Texas and this was the approach I suggested. The southwest has less population and much less cities to deal with.

 

[oscar]

Been told they’re in financial difficulties but dock wise is still in business.

That would be a non starter for me. Weeks at sea a lot can happen. A big padlock on ship and cargo next time it gets in to port would put a serious damper on your plans.

 

[Hippocampus]

According to the Internet seven seas is doing ok. My scuttle but came from a Russian deck deck hand who was working for them. Guess he was wrong.

 

[Hippocampus]

All crew was Russian. Anything that’s not Jones Act restricted has all foreign crew. Makes for interesting gams or “state intentions” conversations.