How to select an overland transport company

Narrowing in on the search for my little floating peice of mind. Had hoped to find a really well cared for Cape Dory 28 flybridge, or the such as the
36 Cape Island listed in TF classified section. Unfortunately both are over 500-1000 miles away from where I live near Charleston South Carolina. I am not in able to motor them to Charleston.

What are the ends and outs of overland transport for these vessels?
How to figure cost?
Is it feasable?
Names of transporters based near the locations listed below?
Locations:

Is it posible to locate and trailer the Cape Dory 28 Fly bridge myself? The thought here is with the the recent storms that caused so much damage to manyboats perhapse there are very adequate availble trailers rusting away in mirinas?

Midshipman, trailering the Cape Dory 28 shouldn't be a big problem if you've towed things in the past and have a decent understanding of how things work (or don't work) when you're pulling a trailer.

I used to have a 330 Sundancer (35'LOA, 17,500lbs on the trailer, 11'6" beam) and towed it several times including one round trip over the Cascade Mountains from SE Washington to NW Washington.

You're doing to need a decent tow rig and IMHO a diesel is the way to go. If you don't own one, you can probably find a place locally that will rent you one for a few days to make the tow.

Get your road permits in line before you head out and most likely you'll need "Oversize Load" signs front and rear, a couple of orange flags to attach at the widest part, and you're good to go. If you're going to be towing very far on two lane roads you probably should line up an escort vehicle to run ahead of you.

It's really not a huge deal to tow a boat that size. You just need to take your time, don't try to set any speed records, keep in mind that it takes you longer to stop, and swing wide on the turns.

As far as finding a shipper to do it you can find out from local marinas or boat dealers who they use and hire him. I've hired three trucking companies and you'll find they're a bit of an oddball bunch that you would trust your boat with but not your wife, daughter or your hunting dog.

You can also go to a website called UShip.com. On there you plug in your information on the tow and wait for responses. Be aware though that what you will get are a lot of responses from load brokers. You can probably save yourself some buck by looking on the internet and finding your own trucker.

Good Luck. I wish I lived nearby because I'd volunteer to go with you. Towing is fun.

When I bought my boat in Maine I had it shipped to Miami. The process was painless and not terribly expensive. Now I regret I didn't take the opportunity to run it down on it's own bottom. My boat is about the same size as a Cape Dory 28.

All have spoken and I have heard all...and......and.......and, I like the running on its own bottom. HopCar-Guru, the path is the journey and the journey the path.

I am greatful to all helping me to see the trees so as to enjoy the forest.

A major consideration: make sure the transport company owns the equipment; that is, they will take your vessel from origin to destination without swapping tractors. (This is a favorite trick of shipping brokers)

Not a fan of uship.

There is the odd boat out there that comes with a trailer. If you like the Cape Dory you might like this 2003 model, trailer included and it's a freshwater boat.

Bridge Yachts Ltd. (Port Dover, ON)

Jerry Hudson at Hudson transport. 410 322 2176

They shipped my boat from Long Island, NY to Houston, Tx. And they do it right....lowboy 18 wheeler the whole deal. The boat showed up at the exact time and absolutely no surprises. It cost $4500. That was 2006 when diesel was was cheaper. Not even sure if they are still in business but I hope so. Just a mom and pop outfit with mom and pop service and professional equipment.

I’ve had my DeFever 40 trucked twice between Charleston SC and Merritt Island FL, an over the road distance of about 450 miles. Once down, and once up.

I realize my story will not apply to almost anybody else, but maybe it will spark a idea in a future reader.

I bought my boat in Charleston with plans to drive her down on her own bottom, but life intervened in the form of a broken leg. I told Marine Propulsion Inc to stop work on the engine switch out and to remove the flybridge, set it on the aft trunk cabin, and prepare the boat for over the road transport. I had no idea who I would use.

At the time there were 3 SeaRay plants on Merritt Island that I drove by everyday. Often there would be 3 to 5 lowboy rigs lined up outside the gates waiting to be loaded.

I asked a neighbor who worked in SeaRay administration how they selected trucks to deliver their boats to dealers. She told me that the trucking companies had to submit proof of insurance, driving records, workers comp, permits and accidents, to the plant. This info was sent up to Brunswick Corp hq to be verified, and if approved they were added to the list of vendors.

They could then bid on deliveries. “So everyone lined up is a lawful insured trucker,” I asked? Yep.

So I started stopping and talking to the owner/operators waiting in line. I avoided employee drivers who worked for fleets. I’d ask the question “Are you coming back empty?”

After about 3 weeks I found a owner/operator who had won 2 bids - a 46 to Richmond VA and 3 days later another 46 to MD. So I asked him “Are you interested in a load on the way back down?”

So we negotiated a fair price and my DeFever was delivered. About 30 percent less than I had been quoted by several fleet companies.

Three years later I had him return the boat to Charleston Paid a lot more to go back up.

Mike

How to get 36 ft vessel located in Houghton, Mich 49931 to Charleston SC?

Overland vs. on its own bottom? Navigation route how complex and how long would it take me, and what is a good date to start this trip vs. overland transport?


The vessel is wood-carvel plank, NS White Pine, white oak ribs, Built in 2000, Heisler Boat Yard. 36' Single 6cyl 140 hp American Diesel (Lehmans) 620 hours 8k Gen Set only 115 hours. Marine air/heat.


On its own bottom, what route, how long should it take, what do you figure it will cost given the specs of the vessel above? Is this doable in a practicle non-protracted way?

I don’t see anything wrong with putting a conventionally planked wood boat on a truck, but that’s just my opinion, and I have never owned a wood boat, although I have worked on a few.

As far as route goes you would have to cross the southern shore of Lake Superior, then Lake Huron, the Detroit River, Lake Erie and finally the NY Canal system. Lots of weather window watching on the lakes - I would hate to have a schedule

After that down to Cape May offshore, another weather window watch. Up the Delaware, yet more weather window watch, the C&D Canal, and the Chesapeake. Easy times in the ICW to Charleston as long as you watch the weather on the Ablemarle and Pamlico sounds.

Fun trip. How fast do you think you can go at cruising speed?

When to start? I don’t know, not being a Great Lakes sailor. It doesn’t really matter when you end. Boating is year round in the Carolinas.

Mike

Midshipman said:

How to get 36 ft vessel located in Houghton, Mich 49931 to Charleston SC?

Overland vs. on its own bottom? Navigation route how complex and how long would it take me, and what is a good date to start this trip vs. overland transport?


The vessel is wood-carvel plank, NS White Pine, white oak ribs, Built in 2000, Heisler Boat Yard. 36' Single 6cyl 140 hp American Diesel (Lehmans) 620 hours 8k Gen Set only 115 hours. Marine air/heat.


On its own bottom, what route, how long should it take, what do you figure it will cost given the specs of the vessel above? Is this doable in a practicle non-protracted way?

Click to expand...

Overland is a straight forward route in the neighbourhood of 1400 miles and can be done any time which is advantageous. On the bottom is not a complicated route but you will have to wait for the ice flows in the great lakes to break up and then catch the NY state and/or Erie canal system from either Lake Erie or Lake Ontario to the Hudson. From the Hudson follow the ICW, which I have never been on, to SC. The NY state canal system generally opens the end of April.
By overland the truck can get this to you in a few days. By boat you are very dependent on weather in the great lakes and possibly along the east coast and it would be a shame to make this trip without taking some time to see the sights, perhaps even taking the Trent Severn waterway instead of going thru lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. So for time on the bottom you could be looking at a week in the Trent Severn if you decide to take it, a week in the NY state canal system, Great Lakes is anyone's guess depending on weather and intercoastal from the Hudson to SC I do not know. The other factor to be considered is that this is a new boat to you and without any history it is a real risk to start a trip of this length with no experience on this vessel from both an operational standpoint and maintenance standpoint. If you don't have one to two months to spare I wouldn't even consider it but this is just my opinion, let's see what others have think.

Midshipman said:

How to get 36 ft vessel located in Houghton, Mich 49931 to Charleston SC?

Overland vs. on its own bottom? Navigation route how complex and how long would it take me, and what is a good date to start this trip vs. overland transport?


The vessel is wood-carvel plank, NS White Pine, white oak ribs, Built in 2000, Heisler Boat Yard. 36' Single 6cyl 140 hp American Diesel (Lehmans) 620 hours 8k Gen Set only 115 hours. Marine air/heat.


On its own bottom, what route, how long should it take, what do you figure it will cost given the specs of the vessel above? Is this doable in a practicle non-protracted way?

Click to expand...

Holy cow, going from "looking to crew" to "how do I ship a wooden boat from Michigan" in only 6 weeks.

Congrats, hope it all works out! She is a beautiful boat.