Shipping Whisker/Spin poles

[Greg S]

Has anybody successfully shipped a spinnaker or whisker pole cross-country? If yes, how did you do it and who did you use? Also were you able to ship it for less than the cost of the pole?

I'm trying to get a used one shipped from a private party in Louisiana and am not having too much luck. UPS will do it, but they want over $300, and won't even give you a reference number on the quote, which makes me think that it's going to be "a bit" higher when it gets down to actually shipping it. DHL comes in cheaper but they say yes, then no, then yes and no, depending on which person in which state you talk to.

There must be a way to do it at a reasonable price, right?

Thanks,
Greg

Once you get over a certain size, it is cheaper to go by common carrier, that is, truck.

If you do this, it is cheapest if you go from terminal to terminal, rather than to a residential address.

Bill

[Greg S]

We did get a quote from a trucking company, Yellow Freight, for $448 - $500. Don't recall for sure, but I believe that was for terminal to terminal. I mean, it's 38 pounds and 13.5 feet long. Not sure, but I think I could drive from VA to LA and back cheaper than that. Hummm, I'd have to get the AC fixed on the car first, so maybe not.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Greg,
I did a boat transmission shipment for $65 terminal to terminal (LA) to Hilo Hawaii. If you deliver to the shipping terminal and pick it up at the shipping terminal it is much cheaper than their normal quoted prices.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

Originally Posted by Greg S

We did get a quote from a trucking company, Yellow Freight, for $448 - $500. Don't recall for sure, but I believe that was for terminal to terminal. I mean, it's 38 pounds and 13.5 feet long. Not sure, but I think I could drive from VA to LA and back cheaper than that. Hummm, I'd have to get the AC fixed on the car first, so maybe not.

Something's very odd there Greg.

I had a 150 lb 9 ft dinghy shipped from Maine to Calif for $150. And I think the carrier was Yellow Freight, but I can't recall for sure.

I'd be surprised if a pole was extra costly to ship. After all you could "always" slide one more of those into a loaded truck

Bill

[Greg S]

Hummm, maybe I just talked to the wrong person, I'll have to give them another call. Maybe try one of the other trucking companies too.

Thanks,
Greg

[delmarrey]

Here's another alteritive The ebay of shipping. They'll bid on your shipment.

http://www.uship.com/

[Weyalan]

FWIW, it might be as cheap or cheaper to just ship the spinnaker end fittings and to buy the aluminium tube locally and put the end fittings on yourself (assuming, of course, there is a facility to purchase aluminium tube of the correct size in your area)

[Greg S]

Thanks all for the tips.

I did a Internet search and found a several freight consolidation companies that will give you an on-line quote. I wound up using Discount Freight and was very pleased with them. Extreemly helpful, no jerking around on the original quote, the pole was picked up on time and delivered on time. Perfect. It worked out best for me to do a business to business (Marina to Marina) shipment.

[forsailbyowner]

I shipped a 40 foot mast that weighed 200 lbs through forward air for $140 from tampa to Texas. They are by far the cheapest for large heavy and bulky items.