MI to FL boat relocation: sail it or truck it?

[Vegas]

I've gotten quotes from $5700 to close to $9000 to truck my 38 ft. diesel Beneteau from St. Clair Shores MI to Naples, FL.

For those that have sailed it, can you give me an idea what your expenses were? I'm guessing it would cost as much or more to sail it, but am I right???

Thanks for your advice!

 

[gettinthere]

If you truck, call M and N in Macomb co. Lots of cowboys out there. M n N has a great rep.

We went from SCS, JBM; south via the Ten Tom and loved the trip. Shipped mast from Chi to Mobile. Took 6 weeks Chi to Mobile. If you have the time, do it!
That is how I would plan the trip whether Erie Canal or inland rivers. If you are in a hurry truck it, if not definately cruise it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Depends if you count food & drinks or not!

I have no idea how many times my wife said "Let's go on vacation, it won't cost much, we gotta eat anyway, right?"

If you have the time, go for it, it's the journey of a lifetime.

Costs will include berthing every once in a while, as well as stepping your mast at the ends of the Erie Canal.

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~harringd/gallery/WealSeaMenu.html

Read the bottom Bahamas Trip log, lots of good info there, in great detail.

Safe journey.

 

[Nereussailor]

A lot depends on if you plan on sailing it yourself or hiring someone to do it. I trucked mine down using a shipper that I found on U-Ship. This was a few years back when fuel prices were cheaper and I think I spent around $2200 but I'm not positive on that. I gave the guy a huge window for delivery so he could line up a return delivery. This time of year would be a good time to ship south because the usual snow birds are heading back and want their boats brought back up north for the summer. Sailing it down would make for some fun stories.
Most of our expenses were fuel, slips in marinas, and repairs. We didn't spend a lot of nights in marinas, but sometimes you need to wash clothes, and a shower at a marina really feels good. We also took our time and took in the sights along the way so it took a couple of months. If you push it like a delivery, I'm sure it could be done in a few weeks, depending on weather. We hit a bunch of wet and really windy weather and ended up anchored out for a few days at a time more than once. I was just crewing on the boats that I came down on so I really didn't figure out the expenses. I crewed for food, so when I was on the boat, the captains paid for all meals. All off the boat expenses were out of my pocket and oh yeah, alcohol. I would have put them broke if they had to pay for alcohol.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I can't help with trans cost but wanted to forewarn you of the property tax implications of moving it to Fl just to make sure you know the whole picture

 

[Bill1565]

I've gotten quotes from $5700 to close to $9000 to truck my 38 ft. diesel Beneteau from St. Clair Shores MI to Naples, FL. For those that have sailed it, can you give me an idea what your expenses were? I'm guessing it would cost as much or more to sail it, but am I right??? Thanks for your advice![/QUOTTe

Can't sail the Missippi/ Ttenn Tom too many 50 ft bridges. Mast down in Chicago up in Mmobile. Cost depends on your lifestyle after diesel and oil changes.

 

[gettinthere]

50'?
19' just outside of Chicago on the Ship Canal.
We pulled ours at Crowleys Yacht Yard and trucked it to Turner Marine with 7 other masts. Found the group on the Great Loop message board.
Fantastic trip down the river system.

 

[Vegas]

I can't help with trans cost but wanted to forewarn you of the property tax implications of moving it to Fl just to make sure you know the whole picture

Actually I'm clueless about that.....are the registration fees higher, or do you have to re-title it in FL? I'm a FL resident now.

Ted
s/v VEGAS

 

[Jackdaw]

Don't count on getting a cheaper trucking rate if the driver finds a return haul. That's an old wives tail. You get a set rate no matter what. If he has a return, it's better business for him, but you wil not see any of that.

 

[Nereussailor]

Don't count on getting a cheaper trucking rate if the driver finds a return haul. That's an old wives tail. You get a set rate no matter what. If he has a return, it's better business for him, but you wil not see any of that.

You might not believe it Jackdaw, but I saved quite a bit when I brought my boat down from Wisconsin. My original quote was $800 higher until I gave the company a long window for delivery. Everything is negotiable if you take your time and ask the right questions. I'll look and see If I can find the transporter I used. I think he was from either Michigan, Illinois or Indiana. He has 3-4 trucks and makes runs from the Great Lakes to Florida often. I'll PM you if I find it.

 

[Scott B]

Check with the Hunter dealers in the Great Lakes area and who they use for shipping. They often have boats shipped from Hunter in FLA and would have empty truck on one trip?

 

[Benny17441]

No you do not have to retitle it but you must get a Florida registration if you plan on having it here longer than 90 days. If your boat is State registered then you will need to have FL numbers on the hull if it is USCG registered then you do not need them. Regarding taxes, Florida has a sales tax on boats of 6% and in addition some counties have discretionary sales surtax. The way it works is that if the boat was purchased in a state where the base sales tax is 4% then you would have to pay the difference of 2% plus the discretionary surtax for the first $5,000. I believe boats are exempt from tangible property taxes but there is a yearly registration fee based on the length of the hull. I do not know if boats titled to a corporation loose the tangible personal tax exemption.

 

[Caboteur]

The joys of retirement!!
The only way I haven't done it is down the Mississipi... I've sailed the other ways: through Osweego or the Richelieu & Lake Champlain (down the Hudson to NY) but the better way for me is sailing to Gaspé then hang a right to the Magdalen Islands, Canso, Halifax, cross Fundy Bay to Bahaba... definitely a fantastic trip and you don't take the mast down!
The cost is of no real importance; time here is of the essence; the long way via Gaspé will take several months and you'll want to do the first legs in summer and you might even want to winter the boat along the way and make it a two season project.
This is no week-ending and some of these cruising grounds can be a little difficult (tides in the lower St-Lawrence, French in Quebec City, the whales in the Saguenay Fjord etc..)
If you wish some help in planning this don't hesitate, I've gone that way a dozen times now and know most of the nooks and crannies.
Of course before you leave the Great Lakes you will wish to take a last look at Makinak, the North Channel, Georgian Bay, western Erie, take in the sight at the top of the Welland canal etc. Pierre

 

[Jackdaw]

You might not believe it Jackdaw, but I saved quite a bit when I brought my boat down from Wisconsin. My original quote was $800 higher until I gave the company a long window for delivery. Everything is negotiable if you take your time and ask the right questions. I'll look and see If I can find the transporter I used. I think he was from either Michigan, Illinois or Indiana. He has 3-4 trucks and makes runs from the Great Lakes to Florida often. I'll PM you if I find it.

Excellent deal! Maybe I've always been in too much of a hurry.

 

[higgs]

Caboteur makes good points. The North Channel and Georgian Bay are world class cruising grounds. I have been to the BVI and Belize and these northern gems offer things you won't find in the Caribbean, but you also won't find reefs to snorkel on. This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to do some great cruising and that is more important than money if you have the time to make it a leisurely trip. I relocated from IL to Lake Ontario and took three months to move the boat and it left me with a trip of a lifetime.