Purchase, then Overland Shipping?

[MarkSF]

CelestialSailor :

We all have the option, if a business does not provide a good service, to take them to court. If I had been in your position, and thought that the facts and evidence were on my side, that's what I would have done. The small claims court is relatively pain free and inexpensive to take advantage of.

[angelfish2]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...Where in Montana did you keep an IP32?...

Flathead Lake...gorgeous scenery and fresh water....

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

You're absolutely correct. I have moved 4 vessels and had the experience I shared (most recent) and another with slight damage where the mast (wood) chafed on a stand handle and the dinghy cinched down so hard that it cracked it's hull.
So based on a success rate of 50%, I should do more homework. Admittedly I look for good prices with good reviews. But you know what they say..."Cheap, Fast, Quality...pick any two". So yes if the occasion does arise, I will probably get legal advice first since these last guys tried their games. Live and learn. It's not a level playing field when it comes to integrity.

All of that is true, but you know when you decide based on rates, you're taking more of a chance. I've done a lot of moves as well (though not boat over land), and you generally get what you pay for. With your success rate, I'd invest more if you ever do it again, or better yet, move the boat via water!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57

Trucking any oversized/odd load is a roll of the dice. I live in the capitol equipment world, most of the equipment we ship is odd shaped, heavy and right on the edge of truckable, we design the machines to the limit of shipping size to cut down on assembly costs on the other end.
We document the hell out of every piece we ship, if the truck that shows up doesn't fit the bill or the driver is sketchy we send them home, we don't need to lose a $1,000,000.00 piece of equipment to a fly by night twit. There are plenty of good, professional truckers/owners who do this type of work, there are just as many nitwits too, just like any business.
Make sure it's documented well, have the trucker in the picture in front of the load to make sure he can't claim otherwise when it comes to condition. Make sure the bill of lading shows the entire contents of the boat on a packing list and its condition, have it signed off by the driver. If he isn't willing to do this send him home, he's probably not the right guy.
If your looking to ship your pride and joy just make sure your there to see it loaded and intervene if your not happy with the way it's secured, of course don't be a nitpicking twit, just let them know your aware and will be looking. Your best to make sure it's secured properly up front, trying to get a claim paid on the back side is a practice in futility, the entire system is set up to prevent the claimant from being successful, even with a person in our company who's job it is to pursue those claims it's hit or miss.
Insurance companies have entire departments tasked with fending off claims, good luck in beating that system.
Most of the work to make it a successful move is up front, check out the people who you're hiring, look up their record, interview them and don't be afraid to ask hard questions, a good boat mover will have no problem answering straight. Don't get stuck with a turkey.

Great stuff here! So my 50% satisfaction rate is not too far off the mark.
The only problem I see about sending the trucker back to circus tent he came from is the fact that the boat will be hauled waiting for them. Haul out and wash can be $400 and then lay days trying to find someone competent. Having the driver in the picture is a good idea. I'm sure you have learned from experience.

Originally Posted by angelfish2

Well, now that this thread has scared the daylights out of me (we are moving our IP32 from Montana down to FL in the fall), I think I'll just go get some chores done and try to forget all about it.

Honestly, though, I know we should be there when they load Whimsy, but should we take pictures also?

Yes...take pictures. It won't mean they will cooperate if there is a problem (as I found out) but when you have to go to small claims of worst, at least you have a little evidence.

Originally Posted by MarkSF

CelestialSailor :

We all have the option, if a business does not provide a good service, to take them to court. If I had been in your position, and thought that the facts and evidence were on my side, that's what I would have done. The small claims court is relatively pain free and inexpensive to take advantage of.

I was taken to small claims once for helping someone (I know) and once as a witness. It's not always easy and not always fair. I'm sure we can all agree that it would be better having a competent driver do the job.

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

All of that is true, but you know when you decide based on rates, you're taking more of a chance. I've done a lot of moves as well (though not boat over land), and you generally get what you pay for. With your success rate, I'd invest more if you ever do it again, or better yet, move the boat via water!

I have used Ushpit twice. The drivers are rated. So I chose a higher rated driver but not at rock bottom. I would talk to the driver personally and try to get a feel for it. Obviously that does not seem to work too well.

[Kevin84]

Originally Posted by angelfish2

Honestly, though, I know we should be there when they load Whimsy, but should we take pictures also?

Yes, pictures can be very helpful, but make sure you have something to document when they were taken. Having the driver in the photo helps, but it's not realistic to have him in every shot. Hiring a professional photographer would work well as you'd then have proof of when your photos were taken.

Also make sure the driver does an accurate condition report on the boat, have both of you sign it, and make sure you each get a copy.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Kevin84

Yes, pictures can be very helpful, but make sure you have something to document when they were taken. Having the driver in the photo helps, but it's not realistic to have him in every shot. Hiring a professional photographer would work well as you'd then have proof of when your photos were taken.

Also make sure the driver does an accurate condition report on the boat, have both of you sign it, and make sure you each get a copy.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Some cameras can be set to show not only time and date, but lat/lon, as well, and would improve your chances, both with insurance and the courts. I would also suggest getting a photo of the accurate condition report. Photograph any questionable areas, the before and after could be quite useful.

There's a lot you can do yourselves to get a leg up on the shipping. Removing the headfoil and bubble wrapping it, removing the standing rigging, coiling it, etc., bubble wrapping the mast. Providing the cushioning for and additional supports for same, as needed, so that when the boat is hauled, she's more or less ready for loading. Doing some of that work might even reduce some of the costs. Plus, you can find out in advance what the truckers will need. If you create a pleasant working together sort of atmosphere, everyone will benefit.

Ann

[hellosailor]

Florida is only ~2 hours wide, and it is going to take longer than that to load the boat, inspect the load, unload the boat, inspect the boat...

But there's this convenient Okeechobee Canal that cuts across the state. Bring the boat across via the canal, quicker and simpler than rounding the Keys unless you want to do that as a pleasure trip.

Yes, it will take longer than the full day trucking would consume. But depending on how far up and down the coasts you want to go? Should be able to break this into a weekend or two at the worst. No need to rig and unrig, no need to inspect and worry about whether you'll hit lovebug season.(G)

[oldragbaggers]

As I said before, I would also follow it.

[lifeofreilly57]

"reat stuff here! So my 50% satisfaction rate is not too far off the mark.
The only problem I see about sending the trucker back to circus tent he came from is the fact that the boat will be hauled waiting for them. Haul out and wash can be $400 and then lay days trying to find someone competent. Having the driver in the picture is a good idea. I'm sure you have learned from experience."
(Quote)

Usually there are pieces that need to come off the boat for shipping, depending on the height of the boat from the keel you might need to remove the bow pulpit, stanchions, awnings, etc, etc. It's not unusual to have a day or two of prep prior to shipping, it's rare that you just haul it and load it, in your case maybe the boat is small enough but in many cases it requires a fair amount of prep work. It all depends on the restrictions in place for the route it has to travel.
When I've shipped a boat there was a fair amount of work prior to shipping, one was a Westsail 32 I bought at auction, fixed up and sold to help pay for my boat habit. You would think a boat that small wouldn't need stuff removed? Wrong, it was being shipped from RI to NY and had to have the bow pulpit removed, the dorades, etc, etc due to travel restrictions. The mast was wrapped since it had been re-painted and was in pristine condition ( the boat had only seen 4 years in the water and sat on land for 10), the rigging removed, bundled and boxed, in the end the prep work made for a succesful move with no damage.
For another boat, a racer/cruiser with a DEEP keel everything had to come off the deck including winches to squeak under the height limits, but that's understandable. I will be going through that again this fall when I ship our present new/old boat to my property to do more extensive work on it, I figure it'll be in the boat yard two weeks prior to shipping to strip the decks. Oiy! It hurts more when you know what your in for, sometimes ignorance is bliss.
It sounds like you might be better served taking the alternate approach and taking the water route since the move is not far enough to make it worth all the work and expense of shipping it, unless you plan to ship it to your property to work on it, in which case you'll end up doing it one way or the other.
Good luck with whatever plan you choose.