Hire someone to move a boat by sea

[Godabitibi]

Hi, I'm a member here since not long but been looking for the right diesel trawler for a while now. I live in Quebec Canada and diesel trawlers are a bit rare over here. I found one in Florida that might be a good one for me. I have no experience in long distance boating and not at all on the Atlantic and with the actual virus I can't even enter the USA to go pick it up myself.

Is it possible to find someone to navigate it for me the the north of lake Champlain?
How much would he charge? If I can find a way to bring it here for a decent price I buy it. But in the actuel situation it is really a problem.

I bought a small Class B motorhome in the beginning of March in NJ and all paid but can't go there to pick it up. I'm retired and preparing for the style of life I'd like to have for a few years to come.

Please give me some solution for the boat. I've asked for trailer transport quotes but no answer yet.

 

[Bacchus]

Welcome aboard TF
There are delivery captains that can do what you are asking about. I cant guess st price as I've never used one. Others here on TF have done that and will likely chime in.
There are issues now with delivering boats across the borders but I believe some have worked out a way using a delivery Capt.
Be aware that the Champlain canal from Albany to Lk Champlain is closed with an est openning date of Aug 10th.

 

[DavidM]

Working from the bottom up, truck shipping will be expensive because for most trawlers you have to remove the fly bridge to get the clearance required. Figure $15-20K.

Hiring a crew is probably cheaper. I think you can hire a two man crew for about $500/day. A two man crew can only do daylight passages so it will take longer. You will need a three man crew to be able to go offshore but weather and fuel will be limitations.

I just finished helping a friend move his boat from Daytona Beach to the mouth of the Potomac River on the Chesapeake. I took us about 11 days, 2 of which were layovers to deal with problems. The north end of Lake Champlain will require another week probably, so figure 20 days if you don't go offshore.

David

 

[Comodave]

How big is the boat in question? Getting it moved that far is going to be really expensive. The trip could take a couple of weeks if everything goes well, no mechanical issues, no weather issues and no crew issues. I am guessing that a captain will cost 400 or more per day and a crew will be needed. Maybe ask for a TF member that lives close to the boat and is a knowledgeable boater go and look the boat over for you and take a boatload of photos. That way you may have a more realistic view of the boat and it’s condition. You can’t always believe the brokers opinion...

 

[rgano]

Where in Florida because there is a couple thousand lines of coast line here? Plan of you and/or a captain moving a trawler on average 60 miles a day (I just ran 1660 miles on a delivery in daylight hours, except two nights during 24-hour open ocean passages. A few days during weather delays and a couple of shorter days due to the relative distances between anchorages/marinas, and you have 55 miles a day at 7-8 MPH. Had I been charging my friend to mover the boat, the cost would have been $15,000 plus expenses. We only asked for expenses with was $6,000. I would opine that the average 40 footer +/- trawler from deep in Florida would cost far more to have professionally crewed to Canada than it is worth. Do it yourself and employ a captain to instruct you for about the first five days.

 

[O C Diver]

I have done Stuart, FL to Chesapeake bay numerous times and from there to Waterford, NY once for the great Loop. My guess from Stuart, would be 4 to 5 weeks traveling the AICW except for NJ, with a 7 knot boat and 60 to 70 miles per day. Traveling outside will reduce time. Traveling outside around the clock will shorten time further, but increase crew and food costs. No guess on costs, but fuel, dockage as agreed, and other boat expenses will add up.

Ted

 

[sunchaser]

Goda
What trawler size and model are you looking at in FL? I ask only because the Great Lakes and upper East Coast are with many vessels possibly worth considering. And much closer to home for you.

 

[BandB]

I'd figure 20 days or so at $550 per day for the crew plus fuel and other costs along the way and bank on a new purchase encountering some issues. I'd pay for a day of advance check out prior. But $11,000 plus fuel would be a reasonable estimate.

 

[BruceK]

I`m hearing the Irish response to seeking directions" If I wanted to go there I wouldn`t be starting from here".

 

[GH41]

I don't get all of the time estimates when we don't know where the boat is. It could take 2 weeks + to get out of Florida!

 

[O C Diver]

I don't get all of the time estimates when we don't know where the boat is. It could take 2 weeks + to get out of Florida!

Mine was based on Stuart. Depending on boat location, you add or subtract from there.

Ted

 

[ranger58sb]

I live in Quebec Canada and diesel trawlers are a bit rare over here. I found one in Florida that might be a good one for me. I have no experience in long distance boating and not at all on the Atlantic and with the actual virus I can't even enter the USA to go pick it up myself.

Is it possible to find someone to navigate it for me the the north of lake Champlain?
How much would he charge? If I can find a way to bring it here for a decent price I buy it. But in the actuel situation it is really a problem.

I bought a small Class B motorhome in the beginning of March in NJ and all paid but can't go there to pick it up. I'm retired and preparing for the style of life I'd like to have for a few years to come.

You've seen some of the other answers, so I won't speak to numbers, but...

Where in Florida is a big deal.

And then much of the trip, at least from Florida to New Jersey doesn't need to be "on the Atlantic. You can stay inside on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) from Florida to Portsmouth, VA... then north on the Chesapeake and south on Delaware Bay. Even after that, it only needs a short stretch of "on the Atlantic" before you get back into the river/canal systems.

And you're retired. Once things open up, might not be forever now, make the trip yourself. Bring your own crew, hire a Captain for the first several days, then have at it. Smell the coffee along the way.

Or do it in stages, Florida to Portsmouth, spend some time on the Chesapeake... leave the boat... come back and resume later... etc. Use your RV in the meantime...

-Chris

 

[GH41]

Mine was based on Stuart. Depending on boat location, you add or subtract from there.

Ted

Your answer was reasonable. If the boat were in Jax (north Fla) it would be 1,200 miles from Lake Champlain by road. Probably at least 30% more in the ditch. Call it 1500. I don't know what the boat is but in another thread he mentioned a 42 ft trawler with twin 120 fords in it. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt and call it a 9 mph boat. That's 14 12 hour days from North Fla before getting dinged fighting tides and pumping fuel. Don't forget about the oil change along the way. If I had to hire it out I'd budget 20 days and about 12K best case scenario from north Fla. For what it is worth... I made a trip from Orange Beach Alabama to Savannah Georgia in 3 days not running at night. We only burned 3,600 gallons of fuel!

 

[chiropaul]

Last July made the trip from East Rockaway, NY on Long Island to Ruskin, FL. south of Tampa on Tampa Bay in 17 days with a captain and myself. Had no mechanical or weather layovers. Total cost was approximately $14K with fuel, marinas (only on hook one night), food and captain's fee of $300/day (off season), air fare home to Annapolis from Tampa and car rental from his home to NY.

That was approximately 100 miles per day, at 9-9.5 knots, all via intracoastal with only NY to Atlantic city offshore (my boat is not a great offshore boat). Time can be cut substantially running offshore as much as possible. In 2005, I took another boat from Long Island to Waterford at the Erie Canal in 4 days, so add that to the trip to get you to the beginning of the Champlain Canal.

 

[Madhatter53]

https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/showthread.php?33389-Stuart-FL-To-Racine-WI-On-A-60MY

Good read.

 

[twistedtree]

I think pleasure cruising is being mixed with delivery work. The delivery crews I know all run 24x7 unless weather prevents it. Stops are only for fuel. 200nm per day is a good starting estimate, but will go up/down based on boat speed.

Also, I assume you have checked the boats air draft to confirm it will clear the various bridges? I think the Champlain route is 19’, but it might be lower.

 

[rgano]

I think pleasure cruising is being mixed with delivery work. The delivery crews I know all run 24x7 unless weather prevents it. Stops are only for fuel. 200nm per day is a good starting estimate, but will go up/down based on boat speed.

Also, I assume you have checked the boats air draft to confirm it will clear the various bridges? I think the Champlain route is 19’, but it might be lower.

My wife and I cannot run 24/7, and we deliver boats for hire.

 

[twistedtree]

My wife and I cannot run 24/7, and we deliver boats for hire.

That’s a reasonable choice, but many others do run 24/7, though with a crew of at least three.

 

[BandB]

That’s a reasonable choice, but many others do run 24/7, though with a crew of at least three.

Most of the captains I know doing deliveries run daytime only as it's typically a crew consisting of Captain and Mate. I know very few running 24/7 and even they are only doing so at times, when the length of transits really dictates it.

 

[mvweebles]

Most of the captains I know doing deliveries run daytime only as it's typically a crew consisting of Captain and Mate. I know very few running 24/7 and even they are only doing so at times, when the length of transits really dictates it.

Depends on coast. Pacific Coast, little choice but run 24/7 except for fuel as TT states. Possible to break into shorter chunks but extends time enormously. When I was younger and delivering regularly, I did many 4-6 day runs with just one crew. Tough, but workable.

With exception of dropping boats in Florida, I have no experience delivering on east coast but my sense is skippers often run only during daylight hours if in the ICW, which makes sense. I could run all over SF Bay and Delta at night with not a care in the world. But put me in unfamiliar waters such as Puget Sound at night and I'd be a nervous wreck.

Depending on boat, TT us about right - 200 nms per day offshore (maybe a tad lower) up to Hudson River or so, probably 6-7 days or so, then you're into daylight running. I'd guess 3-4 weeks all in. $12k in skipper/crew fees. When I was delivering, skipper/crew fees were pretty consistently half of the total cost with fuel, provisions, crew transportation being the rest. Some spares and marina fees would figure in there too.

Net-net, probably budget $20k-$25k if boat is sound and skipper is reasonably competent. Can go up pretty quickly if either of those two assumptions are not correct

Peter

 

[JESSEDIVER49]

Hire Someone to Move a Boat by Sea

When I moved my trawler from Ft Lauderdale to Galveston, I used Capt Dana Whitton. She was superb. A sister and friend went along as well. Capt Dana taught me all the ropes about my GB 42 that made me entirely self-sufficient by the time of our arrival in Texas. Her price per day was much much lower than what others were asking.

https://www.captdana.com/yacht-service/

 

[WallyM]

Moving Boat

Hello;

I have read your original post and all of the replies with interest. I live in London, Ontario and have been boating for over 25 years. I bought a diesel trawler in Florida in 2017. Here is what I have learned from my own personal experience:

In the spring of 2017 I bought a 34' Marine Trader diesel trawler in Jacksonville, FL. Like you, I investigated various options to bring the boat back to Canada, including (a) trucking, (b) hiring a transfer captain and crew and (c) to bring the boat back to Canada by myself.

All things considered I decided to bring the boat back by myself via the ICW, Hudson River, Erie Canal, etc. with the help of family friends. It turned out to be one of the best boating adventures of my life. There were some challenging times along the way but with proper planning and determination it proved to be a great time and I would not hesitate to do it again.

Unfortunately, you are faced with all of the complications and obstacles that come with Covid-19.

My suggestion to you is to consider one of the three following options:

1. Delay your plans to buy a boat in the USA until the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and then buy a boat and bring it home yourself.

or

2. If you are determined to buy a boat sooner, then take all of the money that you would be spending to hire a transfer captain and crew and apply that to finding and buying a boat in Canada. If you are going to spend and extra US $10k-$20k on a boat from the USA, that will go a long ways towards helping you buy the boat you want in Quebec or Ontario

or

3. Buy a boat from a seller in the USA who is on the Great Lakes (especially Lake Ontario or Lake Erie). That will be significantly easier to bring across to Canada.

In case you might be interested, here is a link to my blog about my 2017 cruise from Jacksonville, FL to Goderich, ON: https://knotsnplots.com/?page_id=6611

If you would like to communicate directly with me about my trip feel free to email me at: wallymackinnon@hotmail.com

Best of success to you whatever you decide to do.

Wally

 

[Zoar]

My wife and I cannot run 24/7, and we deliver boats for hire.

rgano -- Where are you guys located? Where do you and your eife normslly operate. Feel free to PM me.

 

[sockeye]

Florida to Que

New to Trawler Forum but not new to boating. I am not looking to do east coast boat move (likely can't even enter usa for now) but have many years commercial fishing experience and pleasure boating. Have done moves from Vancouver to Junea Ak ,from Skagway to Vancouver and others to Prince Rupert area and Point Roberts Wa. I did all moves for for cost which is usually a one way flight , fuel ,any overnight moorage fees ,breakfast in a local cafe, pub style dinner (like a burger and a beer ) We did about 100 miles a day.Insurance company in all cases required a mate . I do it just to get out of house not to make money .I am not against professional skippers but as other have said above cost of this boat makes a professional delivery captain uneconomic .Look for someone who is an experienced boater who will do it for cost . Must be many on east coast who would love to do the trip.

 

[pattormey]

Talk to insurance carrier

Be sure to talk with your pending insurance carrier regarding the requirements both for you as well as anyone you hire to deliver your boat or even if you have “friends” operate your boat.

Depending on your previous experience, your insurance company may not allow you to run your boat (depending on size and value) until you hire a captain who runs with you for a prescribed period of time and “passes” you to take the helm on your own.

The journey of delivery could kill two birds for you if you hire a captain (per your insurance requirements), educates you on the boat and provides some or all of the delivery with you for all or some of the time.

Also, the level of “captain” licensing will be dictated by your insurance company. OUPV, Master with certain tonnage level, etc.

Talk to the insurance company as this may limit your options.