Transporting large sailboat over the road, max height

[scottydaum]

You SHOULD be concerned with the height. MANY interstate bridges are 13'6" MAX especially in older metro areas.
A Profesional Boat Transport Co will be able to pull the Over SiZe/Over Wieght Permits for each state the route goes thru. The PERMIT will dictate the specific route the load MUST take based on bridge heights, road width, and bridge weight limitations.
There are also limitations such as traffic control devices, tunnels, and many RR Grade crossings that Lowboy Trailers won't have the ground clearance to cross.
This is not really something you can get anything other than general advice about on a Forum like this, and after reading, much of it is not good info.
1. Contact the Boat Manufacturer, and work with their data, and shipping
experience.
2. Contact a very established Boat Transport Co and work closely with them. Pay the premium price for the EXPERIENCE, and the TOP LINE EQIPPMENT, not to mention EXPERIENCED DRIVERS.
I have hauled a lot of OversiZe/Overweight loads, (not boats) like cranes, loaders, and other construction equippment and this is nothing to screw around with.
Contruction gear is steel and pretty forgiving, but boats are very fragile out of the water, not to mention the cosmetic damage issue that ONLY experienced boat haulers understand.
Carry On.......

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by GordMay

There is no Federal vehicle height requirement for CMVs. Thus, States may set their own height restrictions. Most height limits range from 13 feet, 6 inches (4.11 meters) to 14 feet (4.27 meters), with exceptions granted for lower clearance on particular roads.

While that is true, there is an extensive 14'6" road network available for permit loads, including most interstate highways.

Usually major non-interstate highways have the highest clearance since they do not have overpasses. The cost of moving very high (>14'6") oversize loads reflects the increased travel cost when following these routes.

[Capt. Hack]

you also need to read every bit and world of the contract . fuel food stops,changes in routes exc. every dollar . I know a few that got rapped with extra charges. I think they even him fart charges when they farted. then they said it is in the contact

[Blackacre]

Some really good info here. Thanks. I would like to view design drawings for my model boat to get the most accurate measurement but I’m not sure how to get those. I can do the wood plank as recommended but it’s not going to be as precise.

My alternate is to transport on a container ship but that’s a little bit more expensive. However they don’t have to remove the mast and they include the haul out and splash cost. Road would be the cheapest option though.

[Siberian Sea]

Anything wider then 102 inches or higher then 13’6” is oversized and will cost you dearly. The trucking company will have a lowboy trailer and each state will require the oversize load permits, this is not your concern the trucking company acquires these but of course the cost per miles will be charged to you.

[JOHNMARDALL]

If you have to take the keel off the boat, in addition to all the other removal and reassembly work, which may prove to be easier said than done, you might find it less expensive and much less of a hassle to have a delivery crew bring the boat to wherever you want it on the West Coast, through the Panama Canal. Beneteau in South Carolina will probably help you make the decision, based on how they get boats to California, etc.
Good Luck
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Boat Equipment

[Secondshift]

Originally Posted by Blackacre

Some really good info here. Thanks. I would like to view design drawings for my model boat to get the most accurate measurement but I’m not sure how to get those. I can do the wood plank as recommended but it’s not going to be as precise.

My alternate is to transport on a container ship but that’s a little bit more expensive. However they don’t have to remove the mast and they include the haul out and splash cost. Road would be the cheapest option though.

I'd bet the added yard costs would close that gap with a keel remove / reinstall. When we sought a shipping quote by land it didn't include any associated yard fees.
Did you consider a delivery crew? Wondering how would that compare.

Regards

[MarkI]

[QUOTE=Spot;2938902]I would be inclined to ask Beneteau to look it up on their CAD system for you.

Asking Beneteau is a good idea, of course. If they can provide that data great.

Just a word of warning. I am pretty sure the spec "SPOT" showed is the current Oceanis 46.1 (I just bought one). It has been shipping less than a year, and its spec's do not match what the OP mentioned. So a different spec of the model 46 is needed.

Beneteau purposely made the new 46.1 deeper, adding 4-5" of draft compared to the previous 45 (for better motion in a big sea), and I think added a few inches of freeboard. Not sure how that compares to the 46. Odds are the 46 has less height than the current 46.1. So get the proper spec's if that is what you want to go by.

Of course if it was built much before year 2000, there is a good chance there is no CAD model, one reason you might not get the help you want from Beneteau. And old data sheets will show the draft but not the shipping height.

[Snore]

One of my customers took apart his boat for OTR shipping. Unfortunately when the truck arrived, the driver said he was 6” over in height. Whatever the shipper says is your max height, get it in writing.

FWIW, I would look at selling it on the West Coast and buying on the east coast.

If you really want YOUR boat, then as John M said, consider hiring a delivery guy for all or perhaps part of the move. This being the start of hurricane season, I would suggest you keep the boat on the west coast until Nov and then bring her around.

[Blackacre]

Originally Posted by Secondshift

I'd bet the added yard costs would close that gap with a keel remove / reinstall. When we sought a shipping quote by land it didn't include any associated yard fees.
Did you consider a delivery crew? Wondering how would that compare.

Regards

I have a few requests out right now for crew to deliver the boat. With the extra engine hours, fuel, crew it’s likely going to be close in price. It really depends on how you calculate incidentals And potential damage. But I’m considering it.

[Montanan]

The challenge will be the minimum trailer deck level that will be available for transporting your vessel, because the height of the cradle and then of your boat on the cradle will determine the total height.

There are "double drop" trailers which keep the deck height low to the ground and perhaps even some which would have a slot to allow the keel to ride depressed below the deck height, but such "slotting" to allow a recess for the keel would mean that the keel would not be supported during transit, it would be hanging unsupported from your cradle supported hull, which I would have grave concern about the integrity of the boat to hold a substantial keel weight unsupported for long duration travel.

The maximum height of the cargo above a double drop trailer's deck is typically 11.5 feet.

A further challenge of low hung double drop trailers is that they can be easily high centered at the mid point between the gooseneck and the rear wheel axle. One can't go over a driveway incline or a substantial speed bump without scrapping and getting hung up and damaging the trailer.

[Djarraluda]

4.2m is a common limit and used to be the design height for bridges and tunnels. It is also possible to reroute around a few low points like that yet add a considerable distance on travel, so it becomes mileage/time driven. The biggest headache though is clearance to overhead lines, power lines are often ok, except in residential areas, but telegraph wires are very commonly down at 4.3 to 4.5m where they sag. Truckers do tend to worry when you are close to these limits and charge astronomic sums if you exceed the height, as they have to pay for an escort boom lift to raise cables. It is not just price gouging.
Roger

[RobinScurr]

The standard clearance in the US is 14 ft in urban areas and 16 ft if rural. The should be at least 1 route through urban areas with 16 ft. The maximum vehicle height (for the majority of vehicles) is 13' 6" with exception allowed.


Getting to a 16 ft route in an urban area MAY require lifting powerlines, etc, and you won't want to pay for it!


(I believe the standard was spearheaded by the military so they could count on the ability to navigate all US highways)


Find out accurately what your height is and the shipping company will deal with all the rest, including any permits and escorts that may be required...

[Montanan]

Your oversized load beam may be problematic in some transit routes during road construction season, i.e., other than winter as often the two lane, single direction overpasses are closed to one lane each way so as to repair the adjacent opposite direction bridge overpass and also guard rails on bridges. This can result in maximum widths accomodations on such interstates without alternative by pass roads available in some incidences resulting in delayed transits that require special scheduling, limited to certain times and days. And your truck will likely require escort cars, following on interstates and leading and following on narrower State highways.

FYI. I'm sure there are others but here is a prospective transport company you could call which routinely handles large sailboats: https://www.uship.com/service-provid...r-boat-hauling

[Montanan]

Note: The first low bridge obstacle is the most difficult to transit, after negotiating that obstacle what's left of the load will typically fit below the rest of the bridges on the Interstate. Clear sailing from then on.