Shippng a yacht

[Flipz1]

I bought a Leopard 53 Powercat that ran aground and is currently being repaired so she can float again. She is in Key West now, but I need to move her to New Bern, NC to finish repairs.

Any suggestions on towing or transport?

[Thomas1985]

Can it be motored?

Shipping on land will be a very expensive and challenging ordeal.

[Winston Smith]

Try Skipper's Shipper in Jensen Beach, FL for an over-the-road price. Or www.briandeliversboats.com -- he's in Florida and taking her up the ICW should be far less than trucking her.

[MicHughV]

Shipping a 53' powercat with a wide beam by land is simply not in the equation for you as it will cost a small fortune, not to mention the gazillion permits to obtain.

Your best best is to have it towed by a company like Seatow or equivalent and even that will cost a lot of bucks. Besides the tow, you'll likely have to spring for some deck hands as well, plus you'll have to find a travel lift big enough to hoist it out of the water, etc.

Obviously, the boat must be repaired sufficiently enough so that it can float again, regardless of your plans.

Moving it will cost you 10's of 1,000's of $$$. Why not leave it where it's at, and put that money to better use by having it repaired there where it already is ?

[Flipz1]

When you are quoted $55,000 for INSTALLATION of two diesel engines - I don't think I'll have much done in Key West.

BTW - that was on top of $80,000 for two Yanmar diesels that I can purchase for $14,190 each for two new crate engines with 5 year warranties. I figure he was planning on about a $75,000 mark-up.

[Flipz1]

Brian delivers sailable sailboats.

[Flipz1]

No. Everything electrical below the galley countertops has to be replaced.

[Flipz1]

I didn't know Sea Tow did that sort of thing.

[MicHughV]

You might consider some other boatyards in south Florida to do the work.
There are quite a few from Ft. Pierce on down to Ft. Lauderdale.

Your best bet is to call around or even go visit some of these places. Make a list of places that could do the work and plan on stopping by to take a look.

I know that Seatow has a commercial operation for bigger boats. Again, call them and find out.

It will cost less and go quicker to move the boat to S. Florida, rather than N.C.

Most all the working boatyards I've been to from Ft. P. on down will have a travel lift big enuff to pull a 53' cat, but you'd certainly need to make that your # 1 priority to find out.

$14K sounds a bit on the light side for a diesel for your boat. Not sure what hp you're looking at here and whether you plan on turbo versions or not.
You realize of course, there's the engine, the gearbox, shaft and prop, fuel lines, control gear, etc and a gazillion other things needed to drop in a new engine. Hard to say what all you need without knowing a lot more about your boat, but the costs can add up quickly.

To compare apples to apples you'd need to get an itemized quote for parts and labor to make an informed decision.

You know off course that B.O.A.T. means " bring on another thousand"

You must also know off course, that a new one of these cats will run way north of $1mil, so the machinery that goes along with that will also be expensive.

Not sure that I've provided any meaningful advice for you here.....

[Flipz1]

The hull is being repaired. The starboard shaft, both rudders and both props are being repaired in Key West.

As for the Yanmars - I was on the phone with a Yanmar tech and he's the one who told me where to buy the crate engines. They come with the gearbox and electronic controls as a package. I found three companies that sell my engine.

And I'm assuming that I don't have to replace filter housings, fuel filter housings, fuel lines, etc. because they got wet. I'll replace all high current wires.

[MicHughV]

Well, no matter how you want to cut it, moving the boat by a tow is going to cost you big bucks and take a lot of time.
Seems to me that money would be better spent where the boat is at.

As suggested before, get an itemized quote for the engine(s) replacement vs. moving it and negotiate from there.

[Flipz1]

I'm probably going to travel to Key West and start restoring batteries and then power to lights, outlets, fans, etc. first (low power items). Then, I'll begin re-wiring and installing galley items, inverters, windless, genset, Nav, etc. back to original.

Those are things I can do without paying the stunning fees in marinas. I don't see any need for engines before the basic electrical system is working. That gives me time to plan.

[MicHughV]

Y'know, I built my own boat from the ground up many years ago, so been dere, dun dat.
The hull and deck took around a year to build, but the interior work, engine, etc, took around two years to complete

All these little things can be very time consuming as you start fixing one thing only to find another, etc. Especially doing so all by yourself. Finding parts, spares, nuts and bolts, etc, can also dig into your time in a big way, plus having all the requisite tools, etc

Ya, unfortunately boatyard hourly rates are way up there. Why that should be so, I couldn't say, but I've seen hourly rates which are staggering.

A 53' boat is also a very big boat by any standard, so you're gonna have your work cut out for you.

I used to make myself a list of things I had to do, and just start doing them one by one in a systematic way. This way I could stay focused one thing, but plan for the next.

Lastly, commuting back and forth to a boat project will get thin in a hurry. To get a serious amount of work done requires you to be there 24/7 so I'd plan on moving aboard (if allowed) or finding accommodations nearby.

[Flipz1]

Of course, the advantage I have over your project is that everything is already there. I'll buy exact replacements for electronic things (AC, water heaters, Nav stuff).

Much easier.

[MicHughV]

Well, I wish you the best of luck with your project. Hope you will post here and give us an update from time to time on your progress.