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ThomasWeiss · 14-06-2016, 11:54

Hey all,

I want to move the boat down to Marathon in the fall, but don't really want to sail the distance (about 450nm straight) myself. I was looking at either having the vessel shipped over land or finding someone that would want to sail it and figured I'd ask for opinions here. What would you guys advise?

Stu Jackson · 14-06-2016, 12:14

From where?

ThomasWeiss · 14-06-2016, 12:19

Destin area.

**skipmac** · 14-06-2016, 12:23

Both will be expensive if you hire someone to do it for you. If you're talking about your Catalina 25 the beam is only 8' so could be towed without special permits. If you want to do it yourself and can access a trailer that will handle the load that might be cheaper but you still have to factor in a yard bill to lift on and the launch at either end. Plus you will have to build a cradle for the boat.

Figure a couple thousand or more either way.

TurninTurtle · 14-06-2016, 12:44

Well...

Trailering the boat might be an option, but that will be a top-heavy trailer which requires care and some experience with towing.
Crosswinds could be a severe issue.
The shallower draft version would be a bit less of a problem than the deeper fin keel.

Also you need to have an appropriate tow vehicle.

The trailer to handle the boat could save you a bunch of money, paying for itself over several years. Hauling it out yourself for seasonal storage instead of paying slip fee for several months with the boat just tied there. Getting it out for a few hours or days to do maintenance...

A couple of the 2000 mile DIY transports would probably pay for the trailer...
There's some "tricks" for trailer launching where you wouldn't need a crane if there's an appropriate boat ramp.

The advantage of having pros do it is... they would be the ones on the hook for damages if they overturn it on the freeway or get it stuck under a low overpass bridge.

ThomasWeiss · 14-06-2016, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurninTurtle

The trailer to handle the boat could save you a bunch of money, paying for itself over several years. Hauling it out yourself for seasonal storage instead of paying slip fee for several months with the boat just tied there. Getting it out for a few hours or days to do maintenance...

The advantage of having pros do it is... they would be the ones on the hook for damages if they overturn it on the freeway or get it stuck under a low overpass bridge.

My thoughts exactly on the pro route - they break it they bought it. It'll be in the water for good once it's down there due to the fact that it's home for me, so I'd rather just pay for a haul if needed. I'm just antsy to get down there with her; I didn't expect to be in north Florida for longer than a week but murphys law happened so that's that.

SebastianB · 14-06-2016, 16:03

Just made the trip from long beach miss on a 31'. First real voyage! I am glad we did it ourselves.

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ozskipper · 14-06-2016, 17:46

It "may" fit on a J24 trailer. If you ask around the local yacht clubs you may find someone who will rent one to you. OF course you will need a large tow vehicle and you will also need to know the weight of your boat compared to a J24 to find out if the trailer can carry it. But it would be an economical option..

ThomasWeiss · 14-06-2016, 18:31

So update: after calling around apparently I'm not going to find a marina in marathon so I believe I'll be heading west instead (maybe Corpus Christi) and taking some time to explore Mexico. Needless to say I'll be taking the ICW down that route.

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maxingout · 14-06-2016, 18:56

That sounds like an exciting plan!

SebastianB · 15-06-2016, 09:13

It may not be your cup o tea but we are on a mooring ball and love it. 322/month

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Scaramanga F25 · 15-06-2016, 11:02

Borrow a trailer, rent a U-Haul truck.

Tetra · 15-06-2016, 11:29

You might consider uship.com for a load that size.

bruce v · 15-06-2016, 13:50

Don't know where you are planning to travel to or from or exactly when but I and my wife are taking a trip from Cincinnati to Mobile in early November. We are taking a 29' Ericson with the mask down If you are traveling that way around that time, perhaps we could hook up for that portion of the trip. I might also suggest you try some of the marinas in and around Mobile or even Port Lavaca in Texas as those will accommodate your boat in the water or on the hard. We spent this winter in our RV in nearby Port O'Conner, TX and found it nice. Have been all along the coast area along the ICW and suggest it would be a decent place to winter with exception ot Houston area (way too much rain).