Portland to Gulf Coast

So let's say I found an interesting, very capable blue water boat in Portland that's a real steal, but I need to get it to the Gulf Coast.

How much does that cost me to have it professionally delivered, and what kind of time frame are we talking about ?

Or, is this something I could conceive of doing myself if I get some qualified help, say maybe over the summer? I have only a little open water experience. Anyone wanna sign up for this trip? Looking for ideas...

Dude, leave the boat up there for cruising Maine this summer. Start the trip home in late Ausust or so. This would be an opportunity not to be missed. The way I look at it a win/win. Beautiful cruising and a chance to familiarize yourself with the boat. Then a one way trip home. Really, when would that opportunity come your way again? Think about it.

cardude01 said:

So let's say I found an interesting, very capable blue water boat in Portland that's a real steal, but I need to get it to the Gulf Coast.

How much does that cost me to have it professionally delivered, and what kind of time frame are we talking about ?

Or, is this something I could conceive of doing myself if I get some qualified help, say maybe over the summer? I have only a little open water experience. Anyone wanna sign up for this trip? Looking for ideas...

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Have you ever experienced the PNW, the West Coast and the Panama Canal? If not, I'd see this as a great opportunity. I'd do some shake down cruising in the PNW although could also be a great chance this summer to do Alaska. But then I'd hire a captain and make the trip by water. Turn the situation into one of the most incredible experiences. We are doing that. Doing a shakedown this summer in the PNW, doing 6 weeks in Alaska, then coming down the coast and subsequently through the Panama Canal. We just figured, the boat is there, we've never cruised the area, we did have it on our list of places to go, so why not now.

I don't know what time you have available, but it might mean you break it up into multiple adventures. In our case we sort of have (1) Explore PNW and Alaska, (2) Explore California, (3) Make the Panama Canal Crossing.

If that just isn't practical for you, there are transports available through people like SevenStar. If this is a Pacific NW brand, the manufacturer might be able to tell you who they use. Generally with SevenStar you can't go from US to US so would need to get it to a ship either in Vancouver or in Costa Rica. Also, most of the scheduled ships would deliver to Fort Lauderdale or West Palm.

Then of course there is just hiring a delivery captain. But seems sort of a shame to me to have all that time on my boat and me enjoy none of it.

Darn....I assumed Portland, OR and I bet you did mean Maine.

My advice to Maine would be even more so. Enjoy bringing it down even if multiple trips.

cardude01 said:

So let's say I found an interesting, very capable blue water boat in Portland that's a real steal, but I need to get it to the Gulf Coast.

How much does that cost me to have it professionally delivered, and what kind of time frame are we talking about ?

Or, is this something I could conceive of doing myself if I get some qualified help, say maybe over the summer? I have only a little open water experience. Anyone wanna sign up for this trip? Looking for ideas...

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Portland Maine or Oregon?

Gulf Coast Bound

cardude01 said:

So let's say I found an interesting, very capable blue water boat in Portland that's a real steal, but I need to get it to the Gulf Coast.

How much does that cost me to have it professionally delivered, and what kind of time frame are we talking about ?

Or, is this something I could conceive of doing myself if I get some qualified help, say maybe over the summer? I have only a little open water experience. Anyone wanna sign up for this trip? Looking for ideas...

Click to expand...

There are several possibilities.

1. You could get it trucked. No idea of the cost but it has the advantage that it can be scheduled. We use to truck a small trawler from CA to WA every year. Lots of good trucking companies that are pretty reliable.

2. Take it to Seattle and have it shipped to Florida on one of the ships (Yachtwise is one company) that carry vessels. This is pretty expensive and you still need to get the vessel to Seattle or Vancouver. Pretty commonly done but I have no direct experience.

3. Taking the boat down the West Coast to Panama yourself would be a great trip. You said you have minimal experience. You would have a lot by the time you get done. I have been down the coast several times from Juan de Fuca to Southern California. This is a moderately challenging trip and you might want to think about hiring a Captain for at least part of the trip. It would build your confidence.

4. Hire a captain is also possible to do the trip and pick it up on the Gulf Coast. It is certainly possible. Probably just as expensive as having the boat shipped. However, I think this is a lost opportunity for a great trip.

If it were me, and I wish it was, I would take the boat myself, but hire a Captain from Portland to San Francisco. That will give you the opportunity to get some experience. You can probably find crew in SFO that would be interested in going with you. You might also consider timing your trip to go with the group that do the Baha ha ha (or is it ya ya) in the late fall.

I am assuming that you have the resources to make sure the vessel is up to the trip before you leave Portland. The West Coast of OR and CA is no place to find out you have boat issues. Been there, done that! Really bad idea!

If you have the time and funds, you could turn this into a great adventure!

Good luck!

BandB said:

Portland Maine or Oregon?

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Whichever, probably cost YOU 500/day plus expenses for someone else to enjoy a trip on your boat. Cruise it yourself and enjoy the "savings".

Sent from my iPhone

Wow! I had assumed East coast Portland. Portland, OR would still go for cruising the PNW and Gulf Islands. Then bring it home.

Narrow it down some. There are cities named Portland in Oregon,Maine,Texas,Tennessee,Indiana,Connecticut,New York,Michigan,Wisconsin,Pennsylvania,North Dakota, and Arkansas.

Assuming Portland OR, great advice from My Salish Lady. A very good coast to coast yacht shipper is Raven Marine, call Anthony Utley in BC for details.

BTW Cardude, since some on this forum think a rowboat is a capable blue water boat, what do you think it is? Don't forget, crew is cheap, good crew is expensive.

Damn. Sorry. It's Portland Oregon!

That's 5500 plus mile trip. Lots of fuel.

As previously stated, take to the PNW and ship via water.

Also, summer is hurricane season for Mexico and the Caribbean.

Larry M said:

That's 5500 plus mile trip. Lots of fuel. As previously stated, take to the PNW and ship via water. Also, summer is hurricane season for Mexico and the Caribbean.

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Leave it in Bocas Del Toro maybe till hurricane season over?

Pacific Northwest Summer Cruise

cardude01 said:

Damn. Sorry. It's Portland Oregon!

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I had another thought. Before you head south take her to Puget Sound/San Juan and Gulf Island for the summer. Best cruising grounds in the world. A fantastic place to gain experience and all round wonderful trip. If you then don't have the time or desire to take her down the West Coast, there are lots of shipping resource to pick from.

Have fun.

Shawn

cardude01 said:

Leave it in Bocas Del Toro maybe till hurricane season over?

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That would work but it's still 4000 plus miles from Portland.

I got a quote, on a whim a couple of years ago from one of the ship transport companies of approx $35K for my boat from Vancouver to Florida.

I've since decided that the trip is the adventure of a lifetime, and I will make it myself, in my rowboat (Sunchaser bait ). The good thing is there are plenty of other rowboat captains cruising out there to keep me company at the harbor, sipping a cool one, waiting for good weather, while the real sailors brave the big seas in their blue water boats (more Sunchaser bait ).

For you, at your age (from your photo), and with a new boat, not a chance. Ship the boat. You could do it, anybody could, if you had the time, and took the time to learn the new boat, and not push weather windows. The problem is working age people realistically cannot take the time necessary to make the trip safely.

ksanders said:

I got a quote, on a whim a couple of years ago from one of the ship transport companies of approx $35K for my boat from Vancouver to Florida.

I've since decided that the trip is the adventure of a lifetime, and I will make it myself, in my rowboat (Sunchaser bait ). The good thing is there are plenty of other rowboat captains cruising out there to keep me company at the harbor, sipping a cool one, waiting for good weather, while the real sailors brave the big seas in their blue water boats (more Sunchaser bait ).

For you, at your age (from your photo), and with a new boat, not a chance. Ship the boat. You could do it, anybody could, if you had the time, and took the time to learn the new boat, and not push weather windows. The problem is working age people realistically cannot take the time necessary to make the trip safely.

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But the trip can be done in stages depending on how much time he can get. You're right about time being a limitation.

But so much between here and there to see and such a shame not to be able to. Guess we just have this mental block about shipping a boat when we could be enjoying it along the way.

Alot will have to do with size. Was looking hard at a Willard 40 in near Seattle and priced trucking to FL and boat shipping Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale 1.5 years ago. Peter and Mays was near $45K to ship by boat. Read the threads on shipping by boat, and these are the only people you will want to talk to. By truck it was $18k because the load was wide and high which requires a lead and follow car. If your boat isn't too high and wide requiring lead and follow cars, price might be closer to $10K. Excessive hight effects what routes they can take, and state oversize load permit fees add up quickly.

Ted

And Rockport is right next to Portland Texas! Being from TX for a long time for a second there I was saying Dayum, ya just go out Aransas Pass! Which God willing is exactly what you'll do some day.

But seriously, you really need to take into account the time expense and wear and tear of having it shipped vs buying locally. Me, I'd only buy it if I were going to cruise it up there for a season or two or three and then back to Texas. Cruising the PNW is a great antidote for Texas summers, we used to charter up there when we lived in Dallas.

Assuming you don't need the boat as a home inTexas, why would you take a cruising boat from an area where there's a lifetime of great cruising grounds within 500 miles to an area that has no cruising grounds in the same radius? Buy a fast boat for Texas, and fly back and forth to the PNW to cruise. If you don't have time for a plane ride, you don't have time for a cruising boat anyway. Think about it. How far can you go in the same boat from your dock in Texas in the same time it would take you to fly, rent a car, and be at your boat in Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver? 50 miles? What do you have different in 50 miles there, that you don't have in 5?

pilothouse king said:

Assuming you don't need the boat as a home inTexas, why would you take a cruising boat from an area where there's a lifetime of great cruising grounds within 500 miles to an area that has no cruising grounds in the same radius? Buy a fast boat for Texas, and fly back and forth to the PNW to cruise. If you don't have time for a plane ride, you don't have time for a cruising boat anyway. Think about it. How far can you go in the same boat from your dock in Texas in the same time it would take you to fly, rent a car, and be at your boat in Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver? 50 miles? What do you have different in 50 miles there, that you don't have in 5?

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Now there's a thought...

There are not many interesting cruising destinations near me at all. Galveston? Port Aransas? Our water is warm however....

My boat never comes home. She is on the East coast, and that's where I want it. It's not that hard to do. We just hire a local captain to check on the boat and move it if necessary. There are many good facilities up around Anacortes. What a great opportunity to cruise up there. After you are comfortable with the boat you could decide how to bring it home. Taking it home in segments could be doable. Trip of a lifetime kind of thing.

cardude01 said:

Now there's a thought...

There are not many interesting cruising destinations near me at all. Galveston? Port Aransas? Our water is warm however....

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We live in AZ and keep our MV in the PNW. In our marina there are many boats from TX, AZ, DE, UT and other states doing exactly as PK suggests.

But the PNW is very busy, lots of logs and fog, pirates and crowded with the water temps barely above freezing, so on second thought ------------ stay on the Gulf Coast where life is much better and one can enjoy a bow rider.

We figure by the time we get a boat home to Fort Lauderdale from Washington it will have traveled between 9000 and 10,000 miles. But meanwhile we will have seen areas we've never seen. Having always lived on the East Coast it will be an incredible experience. We will take breaks and spend time at home. Probably do Alaska, Canada, and the Seattle area for a couple of months then home. Then back to explore California, leave it probably in San Diego and fly home. Then around and maybe Jamaica and the Grand Caymens. Home again. Then another two month on the water to get home. We're talking the better part of a year. Much like doing the Great Loop, just doing a different route and area.

Now we do have the luxury of time.

Cardude-you are in a bit of a difficult situation. If the boat is too big to truck (the best option), you either ship it or take it on its own bottom. For shipping to a US port (Houston/Galveston), your only West Coast departure options are Vancouver or Ensenada, Mex. Jones Act limitations. So, you still have to get it up the coast to Vancouver. Cost as deck cargo, using Peters & May is going to be substantial, $45k-60K depending on size. Taking the trip your elf through the Canal is a long, long trip as has been noted. A great trip, but in the best of circumstances, with limited stayovers and no major issues, a 3 month trip- a few stopovers and it can easily be 5-6 months or more. A captain w/2 more crew? Maybe 60-75 days at best. A wild guess for paid delivery maybe $35-35K? The last two options will also require paying expenses of the boat for the trip.

How much is the boat worth? Is the deal good enough that adding $30-60K to the purchase price is feasible? Shipping a $2M boat may make some sense, shipping a $200K boat makes much less sense.

Here's another thought....cruise it from Portland, OR down to San Diego then truck it to the Gulf. Launch it somewhere on the gulf and cruise it home from there.

RE: Prior comments about your boat being too big to truck. Bunk. We trucked our 550 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge boat from Detroit to Portland, OR.

Maybe we could get together a bunch of Trawler Forum members and take turns bringing the sucker around. It would be a way for everyone to get a little bit of an interesting cruise under their belts on my dime. I would pay for the boat expenses and everyone takes care of their own travel expenses and whatnot.

cardude01 said:

...So let's say I found an interesting, very capable blue water boat in Portland that's a real steal, but I need to get it to the Gulf Coast. ...

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Without giving it away, what is the size and the displacement of the boat? We're all stabbing in the dark here.

Given the right boat, location and time line... Lena and I have done a couple deliveries for expenses.

Larry M said:

Without giving it away, what is the size and the displacement of the boat? We're all stabbing in the dark here. Given the right boat, location and time line... Lena and I have done a couple deliveries for expenses.

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I sent you a PM

Larry M said:

Without giving it away, what is the size and the displacement of the boat? We're all stabbing in the dark here. Given the right boat, location and time line... Lena and I have done a couple deliveries for expenses.

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P.m. sent

Larry M said:

Given the right boat, location and time line... Lena and I have done a couple deliveries for expenses.

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I dunno Larry. If the MV has active stabilizers, twins and a "square" transom immersed a few inches in the water that could be a pretty steep learning curve.