Trucking sailboat Texas to Seattle?

[Lunita]

Has anyone had experience having a sailboat trucked from the gulf coast to the pnw? I am looking at options and this may be one. There is the cost of unstepping the mast and prepping everything for transport, and then putting it back together again. You probably need a pilot car for an over width load, and a travel lift cost at each end.
The upside is dodging the canal and the long beat up the coast or the long ride around the pacific high, and The road trip is quick.
The downside is the cost and logistics to make it all happen.
Any experiences here?

[UNCIVILIZED]

There are a good number of threads on this topic. Albeit, few of them, IIRC, are about the route which you're considering. But there's some very good info in them.
Also, much of what's required in terms of permits, & lead cars, etc. is route dependent, & vessel dimension dependent. Which are things which the boat hauling companies would knov/be able to tell you.

Plus, if you post your vessel's dimensions, it may help some other members on here to assist you with "filling in the blanks".

[BigSmile]

Lunita,
Trucking company does handle all that. They'll give a price for transport from point A to point B. They do all the route planning & show up with the car, too.

[Foolish]

Have you considered moving the boat by rail? I did it that way from Ontario to British Columbia and was very pleased with the process. It was put on a flatbed next to a school bus. Just contact your local rail company and ask.

[exMaggieDrum]

I would go with a trucking company that has a lot of experience with this. There are several out there. Haven't ever seen one by rail but that is an interesting idea. I'm moored right next to a Beneteau dealer and trucks are coming in regularly with boats on them.

There would be some logistical problems getting to a railyard perhaps.

[onestepcsy37]

And based on someone's experience that was posted here a while ago, I would put a GPS tracker on the boat so you know where it is while in transit.

[Black Diamond]

I responded with my experience trucking my new HYLAS from Seattle to Rhode Island in another thread.

Be VERY careful with the weight. While the trucking company owns the chase cars and the route (usually) the boat *NEVER* weighs what the specs say. Full tanks, extra batteries, generator, and "stuff" can add thousands of pounds. Our HYLAS was 34K spec but ended up being 47K on the lift. You will get stopped at weigh stations and potentially lose days while the company pulls new paperwork.

As they haul the boat, have them read you the weight from the lift scale (not always right, but probably close)..

Rick
Hylas 49-057
S/V Black Diamond
Portsmouth, RI

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Black Diamond

I responded with my experience trucking my new HYLAS from Seattle to Rhode Island in another thread.

Be VERY careful with the weight. While the trucking company owns the chase cars and the route (usually) the boat *NEVER* weighs what the specs say. Full tanks, extra batteries, generator, and "stuff" can add thousands of pounds. Our HYLAS was 34K spec but ended up being 47K on the lift. You will get stopped at weigh stations and potentially lose days while the company pulls new paperwork.

As they haul the boat, have them read you the weight from the lift scale (not always right, but probably close)..

Rick
Hylas 49-057
S/V Black Diamond
Portsmouth, RI

Very good advice on the load weight discrepancies...

[Black Diamond]

When we built the boat I added extra batteries, air conditioning, a generator, extra alternator, etc..etc. It all adds up.

Good luck!

Rick

[sbarouch]

I bought a Beneteau 37 in Houston three years ago and had it trucked to Seattle by Wiseway Trucking. Jim Wise is the guy, his cell number is 352-538-4632. He was excellent in the care and communication along the way, can't say enough about him. He hauls a lot of boats from the East Coast. If I recall it was about $9,000 to truck it plus disassembly in the ship yard in Houston. The big problem with trucking a boat is scheduling it with a trucker. I lucked out and got this guy a week after I called him otherwise I might have been waiting a month or two for a truck to get by the area.

[Caribsailors]

I've priced the same similar trip Galeston TX to Gig Harbour WA.

For our Beneteau First 38. Received a budget price from Dudley Marine Transport of $9500. Riggers and Boatyards, I've budget $2K on each end from estimate received.

My total budget is $15K usd

[Black Diamond]

You want to be fixed price with the trucking company. If they make a mistake on routing or have to hire additional escort cars, they didn't plan it properly. Their fault, not yours. If the price of diesel goes up or down, not an issue, etc..

One example: Connecticut does not allow trucked boats on I-95 between Friday and Monday. Only Tuesday thru Thursday. Our boat sat on the CT/NY line for 3 days waiting for the route to be legal. Not your fault.

I was in regular phone contact with the driver and the trucking company. I even offered the driver a bonus if he got the boat to its destination on schedule (he didn't, but it was a motivator).

FWIW

Rick
Hylas 49-057
S/V Black Diamond
Portsmouth, RI

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by Lunita

Has anyone had experience having a sailboat trucked from the gulf coast to the pnw? I am looking at options and this may be one. There is the cost of unstepping the mast and prepping everything for transport, and then putting it back together again. You probably need a pilot car for an over width load, and a travel lift cost at each end.
The upside is dodging the canal and the long beat up the coast or the long ride around the pacific high, and The road trip is quick.
The downside is the cost and logistics to make it all happen.
Any experiences here?

J Daniels marine transport. Look them up, they were awesome people to work with and had the best prices!

47' Kaufman, 7' draft, 13'9" beam 30k lbs from Alameda, CA to New Orleans, LA less than $10k.



See more @ redemptiverepair.com

[svHyLyte]

If you are a member of BoatUS (you should be), they work fairly closely with uShip through which you can get firm quotes for your transport. Moreover, BoatUS can/will come to your aid if there are any problems. You might check our the BoatUS web-site for more information.

FWIW...

[Cheechako]

Go with a well known trucking company, not a low bidder. It's going to be expensive, but maybe not any more than the wear and tear on the boat of sailing it . Associated Boat Transport used to be a good company.
I wonder if any companies would allow you to be the lead car, saving money but more importantly, so you could check things each time he stops.
I've trucked twice and had damage both times. Once rubbed a hole in the mast (the padding slipped) once rubbed a hole in the boat.