WA to FL Cost: Shipping boat via truck or ship or cruise

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Pmcsurf1

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
298
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Agape
Vessel Make
Californian 45
We're looking at 42 foot trawler to be shipped from Seattle Washington to saint Augustine Florida. Anyone have any experience sailing from WA through Panama to Florida? Or move it via ship on a ship? Or truck?
We're in the beginning stages of looking for a boat and one we like is near Seattle. We're in St Augustine FL.
Looking for advice from people who have done it no necessarily someone who knows a guy.
Thanks,
Paul
 
My advice is to have a very fat wallet. It won’t be cheap. You can’t find a boat on the east coast? It would be way cheaper to move a boat on the same coast even if you pay more for it.
 
Water shipping will be $30+K. Land shipping $20+K if it can even be done due to height. Over water with captain and crew, I don’t want to think about it. DIY over water will be the cheapest and fun, but will take a month or two.

David
 
For trucking, hight is your biggest issue. Assuming it can meet the hight issue you are looking at $18,000 in trucking. This would not include the cost of preparing the boat to meet max hight.


Ten years ago I looked into shipping by sea and motoring a 53’ boat from FL to WA. The cost was $50,000 either way. Trucking was not a possibility.
 
Yes i have done that trip several times, what type of advice are you specifically looking for ?
 
In my way of thinking either shipping method would be problematic, overland is simply not feasible due to height and width, on ship way too expensive. On her own bottom would be the voyage of a lifetime for a new owner and experienced crew.
 
I've delivered from SoCal to FLL - 4500nms. You're closer to 6000-6500 nms. Figure $20k-$25k in diesel alone. Plus 6-weeks capt/crew at ~$4k per week burn rate. Plus provisions and travel. Adds up quickly.

I'd guess shipping would be in the $50k range, but only a guess. Might be $60k or more.

Trucking would be the least expensive route but size matters. 13'6" (loaded) is a magic height number before pace cars are needed and special permits, even then there's a limit.

Fast pace depends on the boat. Few cruisers could get it that far much faster than 4 months or so. So cost is calculated much differently - opportunity costs of what you're giving up to spend months on a boat. If you're gainfully employed, implied costs could be very high. But reward is high too - as your dying thoughts run through your past, going through the Canal will pierce through the dimness of age in a way money cannot.

Bottom line is you'd have to absorb >$50k in transport costs. Would add zero to the value of the boat so you'd need to consider it wisely or not care about the money (boats do strange things to grown men......rivals what a smile from a young lass can do to remove a zero - or comma - from your net worth).

Peter
 
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I've delivered from SoCal to FLL - 4500nms. You're closer to 6000-6500 nms. Figure $20k-$25k in diesel alone. Plus 6-weeks capt/crew at ~$4k per week burn rate. Plus provisions and travel. Adds up quickly.

I'd guess shipping would be in the $50k range, but only a guess. Might be $60k or more.

Trucking would be the least expensive route but size matters. 13'6" (loaded) is a magic height number before pace cars are needed and special permits, even then there's a limit.

Fast pace depends on the boat. Few cruisers could get it that far much faster than 4 months or so. So cost is calculated much differently - opportunity costs of what you're giving up to spend months on a boat. If you're gainfully employed, implied costs could be very high. But reward is high too - as your dying thoughts run through your past, going through the Canal will pierce through the dimness of age in a way money cannot.

Bottom line is you'd have to absorb >$50k in transport costs. Would add zero to the value of the boat so you'd need to consider it wisely or not care about the money (boats do strange things to grown men......rivals what a smile from a young lass can do to remove a zero - or comma - from your net worth).

Peter

Agree. I would look for an east coast boat. Transport would be much less. And a lot of 42’ trawlers wouldn’t be set up for the Canal trip. I don’t think he said what exact boat it it.
 
Thanks fit the reply. I've got one reply from associated around $42,000. That does not include removing the fly bridge and lifts.
The boat is a 42 Nova son deck aft cabin cockpit with stairs and SINGLE engine (PEASE don't try to convince me why I need twins.)
What we want is single, diesel, aft cabin sundeck, with stairs. Very difficult to find. I would LOVE to find something on east coast.
 
Agree. I would look for an east coast boat. Transport would be much less. And a lot of 42’ trawlers wouldn’t be set up for the Canal trip. I don’t think he said what exact boat it it.
What do you mean wouldn't be set up for canal trip?
Is there something special needed for the canal?
 
Hmmm, let’s see.
1. Trucking (permits, height and width requirements)
2. On its bottom (additional crew, fuel, food, spare parts etc. Rumor is you need a ‘real’ Captain to pass through the canal. Not a time to bring ‘newbies’ onboard for the trip. Someone who have good mechanical knowledge. Trip of a life time.
3. Ah, a third way, deck cargo. First you have to find a ship going to FL then have lots of patience. They may drop if off in a port along the Gulf coast then, you will need to bring it the rest of the way. Extra insurance …..

Given those 3 options and the added expense wear and tear on the total boat…… I vote you spend additional time search and buy a boat already in the east coast.
 
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Is this the boat ?
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1990-nova-42-sundeck-8673309/

Observation from a delivery standpoint.

* no life raft
* No stabilizers so add in additional possible weather delays.
* low fuel capacity so add in extra fuel stops
* need additional fuel capacity so barrels or bladder.
* needs a dingy storage solution for ocean use.
* advertised 5GPH @ 8kts is likely not real world ocean results
* needs AIS to transit canal


Someone mentioned Canal requirements.
Boat will need to be measured by canal authorities
AIS is required
Deck gear and line handlers can be rented from Agent
 
I would find a boat on your coast. We shipped the other way last year, FLL to Nanaimo BC. Very expensive for 55 feet of boat and it was six weeks of delays and added expense for moorage and high insurance rates for being in FLA after June 1st. You will not be able to ship directly from Seattle to Florida. You will have to depart from a Canadian port due to Jones act requirements. That being said you will generally find NW boats to be in better condition than SE boats.
 
Thanks fit the reply. I've got one reply from associated around $42,000. That does not include removing the fly bridge and lifts.
The boat is a 42 Nova son deck aft cabin cockpit with stairs and SINGLE engine (PEASE don't try to convince me why I need twins.)
What we want is single, diesel, aft cabin sundeck, with stairs. Very difficult to find. I would LOVE to find something on east coast.
So you're looking at roughly $50k to truck. Removal and reinstall of flybridge gets really mixed reviews. Try getting a quote for shipping - likely your best bet.

Nova Sundeck with single would be a slow boat to move. Delivery skipper is not a good option for this boat and itinerary.

All boats are a compromise. You may want to be a bit more flexible in your requirements. Spending $150k on a $100k boat isn't a good way to start your ownership dream.

Peter
 
We're in the beginning stages of looking for a boat and one we like is near Seattle. We're in St Augustine FL.
Looking for advice from people who have done it no necessarily someone who knows a guy.
Thanks,
Paul



That boat is in a beautiful cruising area. I see many of them here. Perhaps move or commute to it!
Bill
 
I have to agree that the best move here might be taking more time to find a boat already on the east coast. I planned to take my GB 43EU from MA to Seattle this past spring via cargo ship out of FL. Rough cost for shipping / insurance etc was about $55k. Ultimately decided not to move her. BTW - she happens to be in St Augustine now (and I’m in Seattle - crazy coincidence!). Doesn’t sound like a good fit for you, but I do plan to sell her. Pacific Northwest is a fantastic cruising area - might be time to relocate the people….keep the boat here! �� Good luck on your search
 
We shipped ours 1500+ miles from the Hudson River to the Missouri River (So Dak). We got very lucky, everything went smoothly on both ends and the cost was relatively reasonable -- but even with all that, I still wouldn't want to do it again if I could possibly avoid it. The only reason it made sense and was worth the trouble and money and risk and time was because the boat was in fantastic condition, we got an incredibly good deal on the price, and bigger boats in good condition for a good price are very rare around here. If any of those factors hadn't applied, we would have never done it.
 
Another thing that you might factor in is if you'll need to install AC in your transplanted PNW boat now that it's in FL. Also if you're adding AC is your genset large enough to power it? That's all expensive
 
Hello. In 2018 I shipped a 33’ X 12’ x 11’, weight 14K, from Fl to Seattle. I shopped around and found a known outfit that did it for $15K. It arrived intact, but it was not a good experience. Part of the bid was agreeing to let it sit at the company’s TX lot to fit into other east-west transfers. I agreed because it was winter and I was in no hurry. Well … a couple of the cockpit drain hose needed replacement and were not discovered upon inspection in dry FL. While sitting for a month in TX, unusually heavy rain filled the bilge, even more so after the pumps depleted the batteries, and the boat arrived full of water just below engine level! I do love the boat, but now I would probably just waitto find a suitable boat in the PNW.
 
I have made the Trip from Seattle to Florida, basically 2 that way, and one Puerto Rico to Long Beach. The boats were single engine motor sailors, which would go 8 knots under power and 8 knots under sail. My range under power was 3000 miles. The boat cited is closer to 1.000 miles under power on a good day.
Range under power not sufficient
Boat not made or equipped for weather you may encounter many places along the way.
You need 4 line handlers, plus the skipper (he is not a line handler).
I have seen boats like the Nordhavns make this trip, also Seaton trawler, a Defever passage maker (closest to your cited boat, but with a lot more fuel,
Shutters for the windows/ if broken I Wirld of hurt.
I have seen winds of 90 knots on this route. How would that boat stand up to 90 knots of wind? And the seas which come with this?

You have to have the fuel tanks cleaned (Polished with all old fuel removed, tanks rinsed out and refilled with filtered diesel. There are a lot of issues on a single motor vessel. With my motor sailor, they are decent sailing boats and I had made several 24 hour passages which were just over 200 mies, With sails I had an auxiliary source of sailing-at getting somewhere. I you had an unfixable engine issue pretty good chance you would loose the boat, AMVER might pick you up, but they are not going to salvage the boat--sink it, or let is sink.

Don;t do it on its own bottom. You might make it--maybe not.

A neighbor in Calif. took a Bertum 55' sport fisher (twin engines) down from FL, thru Mona Passage, the Canal and then strait up to Long Beach. He said he would never do that trip again, He had carried extra fuel in bladder tanks and barrels.

For a smaller boat the route is best thru the Western Caribbean (Belize, Honduras, Mexico and then to your preferences in FL. We went from Yucatan to the Keys, and to Pensacola. Slightly different routes. But we had the range to go straight. Going back we stopped only at Panama to make the transit. We had met with the chief pilot and he gave us next day passage, if we would go from the Mere flores lock after dark without an advisor. We did it, but with about 6 knots of current behind us, we were flying thru the Bridges of the Americas, and when we turned into Balboa YC, I had reserved a mooring right at the edge of the Chanel, and it was red line to buck the current and pickup the mooring. I probably would not do that again. (Boat was already admeasured, and we had volunteer crew lined up; plus I already had the prescribed size of lines. We did top off fuel at Acapulco, not even staying overnight, or checking in.
 
I've talked to people that have shipped boats pre-covid and post-covid. Post-covid prices are significantly higher. So experiences pre-covid might not be valid.
That trip in a new to you 42ft trawler would be daunting.
How about something like Dockwise?
I've shipped a few boats by truck, I've been surprised how quickly they get over-height. Boats that you don't think are even close, add some blocking or a conservative trucker or the wrong trailer and things quickly get complicated
 
Spend the $40k-$60k transit cost to get a better boat where you want to cruise it. Moving a boat in that price range makes no sense. The wear and tear alone would contribute significantly to the depreciation.
 
Northern Marine charges ~$100,000 to deliver a 57 from Seattle to Florida.
 
Seattle to Florida --

If it is that 1990 Nova 42 Sundeck that is 47 foot over all, you do not want to bother with the very expensive transport or delivery as the $50k to $ 60 K or more in transport costs, Would add zero to the value of the boat. :eek::eek:

I have done 7 deliveries through the canal, and it is an arduous trip, and this boat is not designed for that trip.

Please, listen to what every one is telling you, it is not worth it for this boat.
Take the $50 to $60K or maybe $ 100K & add it to the $120 K & go buy something on the east coast.

If your looking for a boat that can cross oceans, this is not the boat.

Keep shopping. :dance: -- or if it is a different boat, please tell us.

There is a nice 50' Norhaven for sale or a 42 foot Kadey-Krogen, or such..

Good luck & keep having fun doing the boat shopping.

Alfa Mike
 
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Good day,
I just completed that trip, more or less. Actually sailed from Tofino, BC and am now in New Bedford MA. It took five years. Seriously though, We left Puerto Vallarta in December and covered 1000 miles a month while actively moving. I wouldn’t call that a grueling pace exactly, but it left little time for sightseeing along the way. That is a tough trip in any boat and I’m not sure what would be left of the one you are considering when you arrived. The canal was probably the least demanding portion of the entire trip, just freaking expensive. The Cape Cod Canal seems more daunting to me. Unless you want to have a boat like that in the PNW, and there are many great reasons why you would, it makes no sense to me to buy it there.
 
Is there no way to truck it from WA to the Great Lakes or Mississippi river, then cruise her down to the Gulf?
 
Depending on the boat you can truck to Sioux City South Dakota and then boat down to the Gulf.
 
Is there no way to truck it from WA to the Great Lakes or Mississippi river, then cruise her down to the Gulf?

Yes, but it will still be phenomenally expensive. Better to spend all the transport money on a nicer east coast boat.
 

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