Boat Transport: South Florida to the Chesapeake

[Joe Mullee]

Need Boat Transport: South Florida to the Chesapeake

I sailed and motored my boat from the Chesapeake to the Florida Keys last fall and winter and now want to get her back home. I'm looking into hiring a delivery captain or trucking it back. Can anyone recommend a transport company for over the highway moving? And does anyone have any info on the costs? Depending on where its picked up and dropped off its between a 1000 - 1200 mile trip.

I also recall reading about a company that loaded boats onto a ship and traveled between Fort Lauderdale and Baltimore. I might be dreaming on this one but in case anyone has any info please pass it along.

Thanks for any help.

Joe Mullee
1983 Hunter 34

 

[KD3PC]

over the road, $2-3 per mile both ways, and costs on each end to prepare the boat, permits and chase car, if needed - are added expenses.

You may try contacting Norton's in Deltaville, as they had their own rig to move boats.

The float on ship is very pricey. It is not really an option for those of us in the real world.

 

[31seahorse]

Re: Need Boat Transport: South Florida to the Chesapeake

Put a request into UShip and get quotes from several haulers. Give dates and locations that you need and be flexible on the dates. You need to be at the ends of the trip or pay someone to be there. Mast/rigging down and prepared for shipping is extra as well as mast up and rigging tuned when the boat is unloaded. I would believe $1000 to $1500 on each end of the trip. We did that once, but would probably not do it again. Our dollars had wings!

Maybe a delivery Captain, but that is a lot of time on your engine and boat in the possession of another person.

 

[KD3PC]

be careful of Uship - what they tell you they have and will do, and what they really have and can do are two different things.

Experience, you need someone who knows boats...not just a "load" that can be cranked down, hard

Insurance, you need a transport company that has it. Not just a Progressive card

Commitment to your schedule. IF you have a crane set up and the Uship yo-yo is still two hours away...you pay. Same with the day of the move, most marinas will work with you on a 4 hour window for a price. Hang time adds up quick if he is nowhere near or fails to show. Reset to next week, or two days from now, will cost YOU $$

best of luck

 

[pateco]

I moved the Stargazer the other way using Derek Lesley with Sailors Moving Sailors. Moved her from Baltimore Inner Harbor to Pompano Beach Florida. I was very pleased with his service.

http://www.sailorsmovingsailors.com/

He has a trailer mounted crane for stepping and unstepping the mast

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Paul Wells with Triton's Yachts in Oriental, NC with fixed and hydraulic trailers who moves boats on the east coast and one who knows sailboats as he is the North Carolina dealer for Catalina. He has his own yard and also works on sailboats 252-249-2001. He knows how to transport sailboats.

Deepwater transport also located in North Carolina is another suggested hauler.

 

[Aqua Equus]

I used a company named Lockview Marina Transport to move my Hunter 27' from Norfolk Va. to Green Cove Springs Fl. They were very efficient and careful with our boat. We were very pleased. Lockview Marina & Transport Co. 6655 St Rt. 90N, Cayuga, NY. 13034 Allison & Nick Johnston Ph. 315-255-2936 or 800-513-2936 Fax 315-253-8065. email- lockview@aol.com, website www.lockviewmarina.com They have several trucks and were on time at both ends.

 

[capta]

I've done plenty of Fla-Chesapeake deliveries, and I think it would be the best and cheapest way to go with a delivery crew.
An yacht broker will have a stable of very competent and reliable captains available to them and that is where I'd go if you do not know one personally. I would highly recommend you do not have 'a friend' or a 'friend of a friend' do it or go cheap with a cut rate delivery captain; it rarely works out well.
I have no idea of the rates today, but in my day, we charged us$1.00 to us$2.00 per mile or $125.00/$75.00 per day for captain/each crew, and ALL expenses.

 

[dziedzicmj]

be careful of Uship - what they tell you they have and will do, and what they really have and can do are two different things.

Be double careful with U-Ship. Triple check their experience and previous comments.

I moved a boat (Catalina C270) from Missouri to Ontario and the guy who eventually did it was great (and very competitive), but the guy whom I selected first took the down payment and never showed up. YMWV (there is no "may" there).

Good luck.

 

[woodster]

try Jamie Wright out of Fl. 863 698 2385 tell him Woody said to call......he may be covered up in work but do give him a call

 

[CaptChuck]

Another vote for Lockview Marina Transport. I used them to transport my Catalina 320 from Charleston, SC to Buffalo, N Y. Price was right. Arrived in SC on time delivered to Buffalo on schedule. No damage. Good people to work with.

 

[Joe Mullee]

Thanks for all the leads. I'm going to do my homework and will report my findings in about a week. I can tell you I've contacted a delivery captain who wanted $300 per day for himself and $200 for his crew plus transportation home as well as several companies to truck it with low prices starting at $2500 all the way up to a high of $16,000 (yeah, right!!!) for a wide variety of services.

I'd be interested to hear back from any of you guys on what you paid and what you received in services. I'm finding a wide spread in services offered though the $16,000 was completely ridiculous.

Thanks again,
Joe Mullee