Shipping to the Great Lakes

[RedRascal]

Exploring the feasibility and cost of shipping a CHB 34 from Seattle to the Great Lakes. Main target is cruise around the Mackinac Island area, Georgian Bay then explore some canals like the Trent Severn Waterway for a season. Looks like the shortest route is Seattle to Duluth, WI about 1,700 miles but maybe it's better to get to Green Bay, WI which is 2,000 miles and also cuts off hundreds of miles traversing Lake Superior. The end goal is to get out to Maine then down the ICW and off to the Bahamas. This would happen over the course of a couple seasons. Seems like a CHB 34 would work for most of it however not sure it's the right boat for the Bahamas. Is there a bunch of great cruising in Lake Superior that shouldn't be missed or would the better plan be to get the boat into Lake Michigan and start from there?

I hear you midwest and northern guys putting your boats in heated sheds during the winters. That sounds like a pretty good park it and forget about it situation. Seems like a great way to have your boat secure for winter and with no need to tend to it all the time. I like the idea of parking it then being able to travel to some place warm without always worrying if the boat is okay. Is it true you can be hands off once you get your boat parked and winterized?

 

[CharlieO.]

I'll be interested to hear what you come up with; I've pondered going in the opposite direction, shipping to the west coast from the Great Lakes. Of course we'd have to motor from Vermont get to the lakes.

 

[Frosty]

I would say that unless your goal is to cruise Lake Superior, you may prefer to ship to Lake Michigan (the further north the better in terms of being where you want to cruise, obviously).

Lake Superior is amazing, but it's not really gunkholing along friendly. There are miles of unprotected shoreline. And summer doesn't last forever up north (especially not on LS), so you'd be taking time away from your other planned cruising locations.

That's not to say it can't or shouldn't be done though, of course. People from Duluth, MN, or the Apostle Islands area (Ashland-Washburn-Bayfield, WI) would normally just start a Great Loop from there, cross over the south shore, through Sault Ste. Marie locks, and then on down Lake Michigan, for example.

If you were shipping to that area, I'd likely consider either Barker's Island Marina in Superior, WI (essentially Duluth), or Washburn Marina in Washburn, WI (Apostle Islands area).

But if my goal were to cruise the North Channel and Georgian Bay, given the length of summer, I might try to ship to northern Michigan (of course depending on costs too). Perhaps Charlevoix or Cheboygan area? Green Bay could work well too (perhaps that would be less expensive).

Heated indoor storage can certainly be drop off and forget. There are typically staff, backup generators, etc. so many people don't even winterize (your choice of course). Be prepared for your boat to be 1" from four other boats (nothing to "prepare" for really but just it's amazing how they pack them in). They typically charge by the square foot. My only advice on that would be to get it secured early (with a contract or whatever). They tend to fill up and then have no availability.

 

[rslifkin]

Frosty covered the heated storage aspect well. We normally store indoors, but in unheated storage. The caveats about boats close together still apply, but we have to winterize of course. Where we are we have 24/7 access to the boat and can work on things inside, the rules basically consisting of "no open flames and don't make a mess of the ground or anyone else's boat." Not having to cover the boat and deal with snow, etc. is still a big improvement over being outside, especially if you plan to do any work before leaving for the winter or before launch in the spring.

We're on the south shore of Lake Ontario, if you were to make it that far before winter. There's no heated storage in this area though, the closest one I know of is in Brewerton along the Erie Canal. Not a huge detour, but the canal opening date would limit when you could re-start the following spring.

As a starting point for cruising plans, poke around sites like Active Captain and see what kind of places you see mentioned there, read the reviews, look at the satellite view of the area, etc. to see what appeals to you. In particular that will help guide you on whether you want to do Lake Superior or not.

 

[lowtidebites]

I was quoted $12 per loaded mile to Traverse City from the East Coast for a 20K displacement 34' trawler.

 

[mycows]

Friends shipped a 36 GB from Portland OR to Duluth for 32K. Two years ago...

 

[rslifkin]

As another thought, if you don't already have the boat in question, why not find a boat to buy somewhere in the Great Lakes and just start traveling from wherever you buy the boat? That would cut the shipping cost and logistics out of the equation.

 

[Jeff F]

I hear you midwest and northern guys putting your boats in heated sheds during the winters. That sounds like a pretty good park it and forget about it situation. Seems like a great way to have your boat secure for winter and with no need to tend to it all the time. I like the idea of parking it then being able to travel to some place warm without always worrying if the boat is okay. Is it true you can be hands off once you get your boat parked and winterized?

Heated storage is nice, but outside storage can also allow you to disappear for the winter. Typically yards will offer winterization and shrink wrap for less $$ than inside heated, and this is a common alternative. Lots of boats spend the winter outside.

I haven't traveled Lake Superior by boat, but have traveled the other Great Lakes extensively. If it were me and I had lots of time i'd start around Bayfield and work my way east, recognizing the need for weather windows. If you want to skip Lake Superior consider Sault Ste Marie, Cedarville, DeTour, or one of the ports around Green Bay. I'm quite fond of Sturgeon Bay, and there are several good yards there.

Lots of people do similar travels in similar boats. If the shipping cost is acceptable the rest should fall into place.

 

[CharlieO.]

Heated storage is nice, but outside storage can also allow you to disappear for the winter. Typically yards will offer winterization and shrink wrap for less $$ than inside heated, and this is a common alternative. Lots of boats spend the winter outside.

Yes, we store outside with shrinkwrap. $20 a foot for haul, winter storage and spring launch plus $25 a foot for shrinkwrap. Usually, mid-October haulout and mid-May launch,

 

[DDW]

Shipping to or from the Great Lakes you have the option of using a Canadian company. Rules are the trip has to begin or end in Canada. It may be less expensive to do that - it was many years ago even when the dollars were at about parity.

 

[Bacchus]

A one-way transport will be more expensive than flexible timing where transporter can arrange a return load. If you had another boater wanting to do close to the opposite trip I would think you could negotiate a better deal.

 

[Jeff F]

A one-way transport will be more expensive than flexible timing where transporter can arrange a return load. If you had another boater wanting to do close to the opposite trip I would think you could negotiate a better deal.

Being flexible on shipping date should help. Consider winterizing before departure and be flexible. It can sit at destination until launch time.

 

[RedRascal]

Thanks for all the information and feedback. Seems like Lake Superior isn't bubbling up as a must cruise region so it's helpful to know Lake Michigan could be a good starting point. I am getting a high level quote on shipping costs and if a drop off point on Lake Superior is materially less expensive than Lake Michigan. In theory I'd ship in the spring timeframe and told the shipping company I can be flexible so they can align it with another boat going the opposite way. A CHB is not a high dollar boat so shipping costs may tank this idea. Not encouraged by the GB 36 shipping from Portland to Duluth for $32k. I'll update when I have some numbers. Also encouraged by the winter storage options of park it and forget it, thanks for the different options you guys pointed out.

 

[Frosty]

Thanks for all the information and feedback. Seems like Lake Superior isn't bubbling up as a must cruise region so it's helpful to know Lake Michigan could be a good starting point.

Just to be fair to Lake Superior, it's pretty amazing (though definitely has its wide open areas). But you mentioned a goal of cruising around Mackinac and also Georgian Bay (and presumably the North Channel which is between the two), and summers are only so long up north. So something has to give.

 

[Comodave]

We have stored in both indoor unheated and indoor heated. Both are ok, but heated is really nice but where we are it is twice as expensive. So this winter will be unheated. The boat yard got me a drum of antifreeze-100 antifreeze, 55 gallons for $400. They delivered it to my house and I pump it into one gallon jugs. I still have to winterize the engines and generator and I will be done with the winterizing. Pretty easy to do once you have all the necessary adapters. Even though the boat will be inside I will still cover it with a 30x60’ blue tarp to keep the bird crap off it.

 

[3rdOrderEffect]

The cost of shipping a $30-50k boat like a 34 CHB would be equivalent to most or maybe even more than its value depending on the specific boat. Better off taking that money and putting it toward an East Coast boat purchase.

 

[CharlieO.]

My rational for shipping east to west my current Marine Trader is because of all the work I've put into it, shaft log, cutless bearings, shaft stuff box, all hoses on engine (coolant and raw water), all engine oil lines, oil cooler, transmission oil cooler, heat exchanger, fuel tanks, fuel lines and valves, exhaust hose from engine to transom, exhaust elbow and more. So, if I sell here for $25,000 and buy there for $25-$40000 there is a pretty good chance I'd being do a lot of that work all over again.
But at the same time, I don't really want to have to deal with removing the flybridge and the logistics of shipping and it also might give us the opportunity to move up to a slightly larger vessel. Also, if it was just myself, I'd probably not reinstall the flybridge and load the roof up with solar.

 

[BDofMSP]

...
I haven't traveled Lake Superior by boat, but have traveled the other Great Lakes extensively. If it were me and I had lots of time i'd start around Bayfield and work my way east, recognizing the need for weather windows. If you want to skip Lake Superior consider Sault Ste Marie, Cedarville, DeTour, or one of the ports around Green Bay. I'm quite fond of Sturgeon Bay, and there are several good yards there.

...

I'm based in Bayfield and I've cruised that south shore numerous times. I'll offer that the south shore is a different (and easier) cruising experience than the north shore, and it improves the further east you go. There are some really great places to visit along the way, both in terms of scenery and cultural experiences. And you will see very few other boats along the way (which to some is a feature, and others is a defect). That part is a very different experience than, say, Green Bay.

That said, at trawler speeds Bayfield to SSM is at least 8 days and that's full days and not stopping to enjoy anything. It's a two week+ investment for sure.
BD

 

[RedRascal]

Okay talked with the Associated Boat Transport which is an established company that has been doing this awhile. As far as I can tell they have a solid reputation and are not some fly by night shipper that rents a trailer and finds a low cost driver. Ballpark numbers are around $30k going to either lake if I give them a hard schedule. The issues that drive the costs up are the height of a CHB with the flybridge on and with I-90 construction so they have to go south into Utah and zig zag around to get to the lakes. Could be a few grand less if I send the boat to their yard to hold for a back haul opportunity where they can ship on short notice. Or 10k less with flybridge removed. It would also be less if they could run I-90.

$30k doesn't seem worth it but for $20k that may make sense for reasons CharlieO stated, basically $$$ and time related to a boat switch.

If the stars align this would be for the 2028 season however the "budgeting department" needs to get working on this now.

 

[Jeff F]

Also, if it was just myself, I'd probably not reinstall the flybridge and load the roof up with solar.

Me too. I almost did that with my Mainship 34. It sounds like the FB should come off for shipping. You've got some time to scope that out and decide if you want to ship it with the boat and reinstall it at destination.
Shipping it with the boat shouldn't materially change the shipping cost.

 

[Frosty]

I always thought @Bob Cofer's GB 32 sans flybridge looked so good.

If you don't love (or use) the flybridge much for piloting then you also eliminate a typical big bimini up there, plus duplicate nav gear. Something to consider, at any rate.

 

[kthoennes]

This has been a very interesting discussion for me for a few reasons. We bought our current boat in Newport, RI, ran it up the Hudson to Albany and then had it shipped to Yankton (South Dakota) on the Missouri River. Wasn't cheap but ultimately worth it given the condition and purchase price. If it hadn't been in excellent condition and a sweetheart deal, it would not have made financial sense. Well, and the run from Newport to Albany was a wonderful trip with friends, that was worth a lot in itself -- good times and taught us a huge amount about the boat and navigating a trip like that, navigating in the general sense. Logistics. We also got incredibly lucky with disassembly and loading at Coeymans in NY and then reassembly in Yankton, but I remember when the stripped-down boat came in on the trailer, I was shocked -- the poor thing looked like it had been crushed in a trash compactor it was so low and in pieces. But then it's a very tall boat and they had to remove the canopies and pipes, the entire helm pod, the upper helm cowling all around, the upper deck seats, and the aft deck roof and struts. Radar arch pipes are bolted to the aft deck roof, had to build a cradle on the trailer deck for the aft deck roof, just that whole piece weighed 800 lbs. Major project all around.

So now I plan to retire in the next couple years and we'd like to ship the boat to Duluth to get back to the outside world. There are a lot other options of course, but that's our general plan. I know our current boat is maintained very well and I don't want to have to learn another boat all over again, kind of like Charlie O. Large collection of spare parts for the boat we have. Thanks to Frosty for the marina recommendation, we haven't chosen a marina on the Duluth/Superior end yet. As time goes by we've generally let go of the idea of doing the whole Loop and we'll likely do just the top half. Maybe Duluth/Superior to New York or maybe Annapolis. There's so much to see and do from "nine o'clock to three o'clock" on the Loop that we can easily spend the rest of our cruising years on just the top half. Spring, summer and fall cruising, pulled for the winter, then back to the water in April. Used to live in Minnesota and my wife grew up in Wisconsin so we won't skip Lake Superior, but south shore for sure -- having been in Duluth and Two Harbors during storms, Superior is scary.

 

[Jeff F]

So now I plan to retire in the next couple years and we'd like to ship the boat to Duluth to get back to the outside world.

Out of curiosity, how far are you from the head of navigation on the Missouri River? A one-way trip down to St Louis and up to Chicago could be fun... Guess it wouldn't save any time or money though

 

[Bacchus]

I always thought @Bob Cofer's GB 32 sans flybridge looked so good.

If you don't love (or use) the flybridge much for piloting then you also eliminate a typical big bimini up there, plus duplicate nav gear. Something to consider, at any rate.

I agree completely. Bob's boat had a very different and IMO improved look after his mod.

 

[kthoennes]

Out of curiosity, how far are you from the head of navigation on the Missouri River? A one-way trip down to St Louis and up to Chicago could be fun... Guess it wouldn't save any time or money though

Seventy-two river miles to Sioux City. We're just above the very first dam of a series of dams on the Missouri, so we thought about hiring a big crane to lift us over the dam and we're off to the world! Very large paddle wheelers did that trip from St. Louis all the way up to Yankton and beyond, but the last big barge to Yankton was 1941. So many shifting sand bars and logs and it meanders so badly it was treacherous even in those wide-open days. And then they built the dams in the 1950's. Sioux City (Iowa) is where the river opens back up, but our boat would never make it from Gavins Point to Sioux City, the river gets too shallow and thready. Some people have tried it, including a friend of ours in a Lund open fishing boat but didn't make it. They had a kayak/canoe regatta some years ago from Yankton to Sioux City but that hasn't run since 2019. In other words, since we have to ship it anyway, we'd choose Duluth/Superior. We could do Sioux City and go south, or Twin Cities, truck it east (and then go south), or Omaha but dismantling and loading and reassembly will be the greatest cost for us. The different road mileage options from here to navigable waters will be a very small fraction of the overall shipping cost. Since we have to ship anyway in any scenario to sail back to the open world, we'd rather head to the Great Lakes and everything else across the top. Back to Newport someday.

 

[NWexplorer]

I'm partial to flybridge removal
We looked at a boat on the great lakes to purchase and haul back. Green Bay looked like a good place to cruise from as you can hop up and over into the North Channel and Georgian Bay. I think it would be easier to by a boat back there. No doubt some other well improved boats are available. It seems like many people do the Great Loop then sell.

 

[a_real_journey]

Thanks to Frosty for the marina recommendation, we haven't chosen a marina on the Duluth/Superior end yet

FWIW, I've been doing a bit of research on marinas in the Duluth area, too. I've heard positive things about Barker's Island Marina in Superior.

 

[a_real_journey]

But you mentioned a goal of cruising around Mackinac and also Georgian Bay (and presumably the North Channel which is between the two), and summers are only so long up north. So something has to give.

My thoughts exactly. I've spent a good bit of time thinking through a similar trip, and it's far more economical to transport a boat overland to Lake Michigan if that's the area (and points eastward) that you ultimately want to cruise. You'd have to really want to visit the Apostle Islands or eat a pasty at Syl's Cafe in Ontanogan ... or a Finnish pancake at Suomi in Houghton to start your journey in Duluth with your eyes on the more popular cruising grounds of Lake Michigan.

 

[a_real_journey]

Is it true you can be hands off once you get your boat parked and winterized?

Several others have replied to this, but I'll chime in because I do grunt work at a marina on the St. Croix River outside of Minneapolis. We are in the middle of haul out and winterization right now. Around the first of October, we shut down the dry stack operation (smaller boats/pontoons stored in racks in a big barn) and start pulling bigger boats from the harbor using a marine travel lift. All our boats get winterized and shrink-wrapped in our lot. A handful get parked in the dry stack storage barn, but that's not a heated area. (Of the four marinas on our stretch of the St. Croix, I think only one offers heated indoor storage.)

I think you can find rates and details for haul out, winterization, and shrink-wrapping on most marina websites. The cost for these vary by the length of the boat and complexity of the systems, but shrink-wrapping is about $21/foot. A few owners show up for haul-out. Most just sign a contract and let the yard handle it. So, yes, you can walk away from your boat in the harbor in October and return to it in April/May ... for a price.

 

[RedRascal]

Ajourney, great response. This is new to me so nice to here from someone that goes through the cycle at a marina. Since you see a lot of boats going through this are there common problems folks have in spring getting going again? Is there shrink wrap damage, battery issues, busted water lines or other random stuff one wouldn't normally think of?