question on boat delivery

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paulga

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Joined
May 28, 2018
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Location
United States
Vessel Name
DD
Vessel Make
Marine Trader Sundeck 40'
what's the cheapest option to move a non-trailerable boat from FL to NJ? is towing an option for the entire long distance?
 
SteveK said:
cheapest option would be under its own power. Towing, not so much.
Click to expand...

what do you use to check distance, fuel cost and plan the route, like using google map on the road?

is towing the major option in long distance delivery? how more expensive is towing? considering it will save the cost of fuel and the marina stops along the way.
 
OfCourse on its power and even better if you are the captain.
If you ae not, make sure that you are on board for the trip (hired captains do like this) to get familiar with your new boat and its capabilities.
Good luck,
 
I'm not really sure what you're after here. It would prohibitive to have a towing company with a tow boat (or even, a buddy with a boat) tow it on the water.

Your choices are under its own power, or on a truck. If you're running it on the water, your next choice is whether you do it yourself or hire someone.

Distance can be estimated on the chart (or even a map) and compared to known fuel burn values for that or a similar boat. Add 10% or so because it won't be a straight line. Costs for marinas can be largely avoided by anchoring out or having enough crew that you can set up a watch schedule to run all night.

All those choices affect the cost. Running it yourself will probably be cheapest, if you can avoid marinas and restaurants most nights.
 
If the boat is being moved over land it will be trailered. It may be a very big trailer,

As stated above, in water will be less money to move the boat.

Action
 
How about some info on the boat...that could have a lot of bearing on what it possible or at least economically viable.
 
Running the boat is the cheapest method. Next is trucking. Towing it that distance would likely cost well more than the boat is worth. Towing companies charge well over $100 per hour and you would be looking at hundreds of hours since you pay portal to portal, they have to run their boat back home. Besides weather would impact a towed boat tremendously. Forget having it towed. Get it running or truck it.
 
Without more info on the boat...there is no way of knowing what is cheaper or even possible.
 
paulga said:
what's the cheapest option to move a non-trailerable boat from FL to NJ? is towing an option for the entire long distance?
Click to expand...

I think the cheapest option would be repairing the drivetrain in Florida and running it back under its own power.

You could mount an outboard and external tanks to run it back very slowly on the calmest of days but this would take a lot of time waiting on perfect weather windows.
 
It would help people to answer more helpfully if you would give more specifics. You've stated:

  • Starting point: Florida
  • Ending point: New Jersey
  • Boat is not trailerable.
  • It would help to know from where in FL to where in NJ
  • Type of boat, Make & Model, length, age
  • Condition of boat: Does the engine run? Is that why you're exploring towing?
  • Time of year: Now? Summer?
Suggest you go to www.navionics.com;

  1. select Viewers
  2. Chart viewers
  3. Route
  4. Automatic
  5. Select start point (example: Jacksonville, FL) I picked the entrance bouy's off of St. Johns River
  6. Select end point (example: Random point, Cape May Channel)
  7. Let the program plot it's route
In the example above, figuring 7.0 kts, draft of 5.5', fuel burn 4.5 gph (just guessed) the program comes up with:


  • 1181 nm
  • 3 days, 19 hours (91 hours)
  • 410 gallons of fuel
Understand, that the above is assuming no stops, no route diversions, etc. So reasonably speaking, if you are looking at 7 hour days, and figuring in and out to marinas, or small diversions, total travel days are 15, and say 500 gallons total for fuel. Add say a week for weather days, you're up to 22 days. This is a delivery trip, not a "have fun, smell the roses along the way trip" For a smell the roses trip, plan on 30 days minimum. Pure delivery trip, long hours each day, minimum of 10 days. At say $1,000/day (delivery captain, minimal marina stops, fuel, NOTHING for mechanical issues) you are looking at $10k to $15k if all goes well . . . . which it won't.

The above assumes the boat is navigable under it's own power. If not, than it would be cheaper to fix it in place (Florida) and then do above. Or find another boat.
 
CaptTom said:
I'm not really sure what you're after here. It would prohibitive to have a towing company with a tow boat (or even, a buddy with a boat) tow it on the water.

Your choices are under its own power, or on a truck. If you're running it on the water, your next choice is whether you do it yourself or hire someone.

Distance can be estimated on the chart (or even a map) and compared to known fuel burn values for that or a similar boat. Add 10% or so because it won't be a straight line. Costs for marinas can be largely avoided by anchoring out or having enough crew that you can set up a watch schedule to run all night.

All those choices affect the cost. Running it yourself will probably be cheapest, if you can avoid marinas and restaurants most nights.
Click to expand...

how to select an area for anchoring safely and free? are you saying a marina usually provides an area for mooring with no cost?

and is this kind of buoy a necessary condition for such a spot?

moorbuoy1.jpg

moorbuoy2.jpg
 
paulga said:
I'm still searching for boats and exploring the options.
Click to expand...

Towing is most likely too expensive. Transport by land is going to depend on size, height, weight, transpirt by other vessel may be pissible, and of courae on her own bottom almist always is but too many factors eeigh in till you oick a boat.

Keep reading and researching...ask about what others have done and the costs to use as a guide when you start getting close.

Storing a boat on the water or on land costs you something unless you own a dock/ mooring or have a friend with a dock/mooring.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the lnk and calculation.
The big part is paid to the captain. this can be saved if I move the boat myself.

slowgoesit said:
It would help people to answer more helpfully if you would give more specifics. You've stated:

  • Starting point: Florida
  • Ending point: New Jersey
  • Boat is not trailerable.
  • It would help to know from where in FL to where in NJ
  • Type of boat, Make & Model, length, age
  • Condition of boat: Does the engine run? Is that why you're exploring towing?
  • Time of year: Now? Summer?
Suggest you go to www.navionics.com;

  1. select Viewers
  2. Chart viewers
  3. Route
  4. Automatic
  5. Select start point (example: Jacksonville, FL) I picked the entrance bouy's off of St. Johns River
  6. Select end point (example: Random point, Cape May Channel)
  7. Let the program plot it's route
In the example above, figuring 7.0 kts, draft of 5.5', fuel burn 4.5 gph (just guessed) the program comes up with:


  • 1181 nm
  • 3 days, 19 hours (91 hours)
  • 410 gallons of fuel
Understand, that the above is assuming no stops, no route diversions, etc. So reasonably speaking, if you are looking at 7 hour days, and figuring in and out to marinas, or small diversions, total travel days are 15, and say 500 gallons total for fuel. Add say a week for weather days, you're up to 22 days. This is a delivery trip, not a "have fun, smell the roses along the way trip" For a smell the roses trip, plan on 30 days minimum. Pure delivery trip, long hours each day, minimum of 10 days. At say $1,000/day (delivery captain, minimal marina stops, fuel, NOTHING for mechanical issues) you are looking at $10k to $15k if all goes well . . . . which it won't.

The above assumes the boat is navigable under it's own power. If not, than it would be cheaper to fix it in place (Florida) and then do above. Or find another boat.
Click to expand...
 
Before you buy a boat take some classes and do a lot of studying. I don’t intend this to be mean just factual, some of your questions indicate that you don’t know much about boating, maybe I am wrong and if I am then I apologize. If you buy a boat you will need insurance. Make sure you can get insurance with your boating experience and the boats condition before you commit to buying.
 
The answer is , you could tow it the whole way. If it’s too big for over road the you would need a good tow boat. Something with a cabin and a post. . Then a crew for the tow and 2 pob for the boat. Now figure 200 hours of towing. You would also have to get the tow boat to Fla or get it returned to Fla after the job. Seems complicated but it depends on what you are paying and what you will save by getting the boat here. I could see it costing $25,000
 
Easy. Maybe more. Probably more. A lot more.
 
slowgoesit said:
It would help people to answer more helpfully if you would give more specifics. You've stated:

  • Starting point: Florida
  • Ending point: New Jersey
  • Boat is not trailerable.
  • It would help to know from where in FL to where in NJ
  • Type of boat, Make & Model, length, age
  • Condition of boat: Does the engine run? Is that why you're exploring towing?
  • Time of year: Now? Summer?
Suggest you go to www.navionics.com;

  1. select Viewers
  2. Chart viewers
  3. Route
  4. Automatic
  5. Select start point (example: Jacksonville, FL) I picked the entrance bouy's off of St. Johns River
  6. Select end point (example: Random point, Cape May Channel)
  7. Let the program plot it's route
In the example above, figuring 7.0 kts, draft of 5.5', fuel burn 4.5 gph (just guessed) the program comes up with:


  • 1181 nm
  • 3 days, 19 hours (91 hours)
  • 410 gallons of fuel
Understand, that the above is assuming no stops, no route diversions, etc. So reasonably speaking, if you are looking at 7 hour days, and figuring in and out to marinas, or small diversions, total travel days are 15, and say 500 gallons total for fuel. Add say a week for weather days, you're up to 22 days. This is a delivery trip, not a "have fun, smell the roses along the way trip" For a smell the roses trip, plan on 30 days minimum. Pure delivery trip, long hours each day, minimum of 10 days. At say $1,000/day (delivery captain, minimal marina stops, fuel, NOTHING for mechanical issues) you are looking at $10k to $15k if all goes well . . . . which it won't.

The above assumes the boat is navigable under it's own power. If not, than it would be cheaper to fix it in place (Florida) and then do above. Or find another boat.
Click to expand...

I may have missed some setting. my search shows 9D14h - this is much longer than your result, 1612km, and a bit more fuel required.

what is confusing is the route is not found. probably it has to be set manual mode.

route.jpg
 
Towing a boat from florida to NYC.....and not just Florida, but the gulf coast. Just when I thought there were no new topics on TF......

OP - either this is a troll post or you need a reality check. While towing 1000 miles is new, idea of buying a cheap boat is not. Rather than looking at acquisition costs in isolation, better question would be how to accurately budget and minimize ownership costs, then plan accordingly. On resale, you recoup most of your purchase cost. Ownership costs are 100% gone. You're worrying about the wrong numbers.

Good luck

Peter
 
paulga said:
I may have missed some setting. my search shows 9D14h - this is much longer than your result, 1612km, and a bit more fuel required.

what is confusing is the route is not found. probably it has to be set manual mode.
Click to expand...


The program's mileage guess may be more correct than it looks. Actual movement from way west in the Florida panhandle would mean first heading to Ft. Myers, crossing Florida through Lake Okeechobee (shortest route), then north up the east coast from approx. Stuart.

What's the background behind your initial question? Are you shopping on a boat in western Florida... that doesn't run?

-Chris
 
Arc said:
West coast? + $10,000
Click to expand...
Doubt it. Guessing a reputable professional delivery skipper and crew are in the range of $500/day plus expenses. Would guess this to be at least a 2-3 week trip, so $7k min for delivery fees. In my experience, fees were around half the overall cost.

If you breeze through OPs previous posts, he seems to be trying to figure out how to find something on a very tight budget that he can liveaboard in the NYC area. Being from another high cost area (San Francisco), this has been a very common idea for decades. Indeed, it's much of the reason I got into powerboats. Job offer in SF, couldn't afford to live there, brilliant idea "say, why don't we live on a boat?" Uniflite 42 ACMY made more sense than a Hams Christian 34. For me, it stuck. For many others, not so much.

Peter
 
paulga said:
how to select an area for anchoring safely and free? are you saying a marina usually provides an area for mooring with no cost?

and is this kind of buoy a necessary condition for such a spot?
Click to expand...

Based on your questions, I strongly recommend you don't try to do this alone.

Your options are to pay (or con) someone with good experience into acting as delivery skipper, or pay to have it trucked. Since you have to cross the Florida peninsula, I'd guess trucking will be cheaper than a delivery captain, but it's worth checking both options. You have some good rough estimates, above. They're consistent with what I'd charge.

Not to dump on you, but I should mention that buying and transporting the boat are not the end of the boat-owning expenses. Ongoing maintenance is not trivial. As was pointed out, this can look like a cheap alternative to an apartment, but that is often not be the case.
 
mvweebles said:
Doubt it. Guessing a reputable professional delivery skipper and crew are in the range of $500/day plus expenses. Would guess this to be at least a 2-3 week trip, so $7k min for delivery fees. In my experience, fees were around half the overall cost.

If you breeze through OPs previous posts, he seems to be trying to figure out how to find something on a very tight budget that he can liveaboard in the NYC area. Being from another high cost area (San Francisco), this has been a very common idea for decades. Indeed, it's much of the reason I got into powerboats. Job offer in SF, couldn't afford to live there, brilliant idea "say, why don't we live on a boat?" Uniflite 42 ACMY made more sense than a Hams Christian 34. For me, it stuck. For many others, not so much.

Peter
Click to expand...

Did you read the part about it being towed? I don’t know anyone that would supply a reputable tow boat [insured ]and crew of at least 3 for 500/ day.
 
mvweebles said:
Towing a boat from florida to NYC.....and not just Florida, but the gulf coast. Just when I thought there were no new topics on TF......

OP - either this is a troll post or you need a reality check. While towing 1000 miles is new, idea of buying a cheap boat is not. Rather than looking at acquisition costs in isolation, better question would be how to accurately budget and minimize ownership costs, then plan accordingly. On resale, you recoup most of your purchase cost. Ownership costs are 100% gone. You're worrying about the wrong numbers.

Good luck

Peter
Click to expand...

Thanks
I'm in the process of finding the sweet price spot based on my finance condition.
 
Buy something closer to home, plenty of cheap boats around Long Island Sound and New Jersey.

I think that free 44' Marine Trader is on Long Island.
 
ranger58sb said:
The program's mileage guess may be more correct than it looks. Actual movement from way west in the Florida panhandle would mean first heading to Ft. Myers, crossing Florida through Lake Okeechobee (shortest route), then north up the east coast from approx. Stuart.

What's the background behind your initial question? Are you shopping on a boat in western Florida... that doesn't run?

-Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks for the hint on route.
the boat i'm considering is a trawler with ~$100k asking.
I have the experience of towing a car from Ohio to NYC, so initially thought about towing a boat could also be an economy option on water. it also avoid any mechanic issue along the way. Now I see it's not. The distance from FL is too long for all options.
 
Last edited:
paulga said:
Thanks for the hint on route.

I have the experience of towing a car from Ohio to NYC, so initially thought about towing a boat could also be an economy option on water. now I see it's not. The distance from FL is too long.
Click to expand...

The experiences are not similar other than the word towing.

Action
 
CharlieO. said:
Buy something closer to home, plenty of cheap boats around Long Island Sound and New Jersey.

I think that free 44' Marine Trader is on Long Island.
Click to expand...

that deal has closed a long time ago. and i would only consider boats less than 38'.
 
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