Transporting a Sailboat

[Dan Bryant]

I've got one of the 1980 H27 sailboats that I'm happily sailing on the Chesapeake. I may be moving to the Great Lakes region, however, and I wanted to know if anyone has had any experience of having such a boat hauled by truck. I don't own a trailer (and even if I did I don't think my '92 Ford Escort is up to the job!) so I would be looking at long distance hauling charges. How much would a job like that run? Does it make more sense just to sell it in Virginia and buy another one in Michigan?

 

[Steve O.]

welcome . . .

to the Great Lakes! I sail on Lake MI and there is some great cruising areas up here. Could you sail your boat up the St. Lawrence seaway and bring it here yourself? Its getting close to haul-out time here in MI, most marinas close down by Oct. 15. Maybe you could leave her in VA for the winter and bring her up next spring, or hire someone to do it? I would personally hate to sell a boat that I liked-- unless it was to get a bigger boat!

 

[Terry]

Do you have to move?

Do you really want to move? Oct 15 is too early to quit sailing for the year. When do the marinas open back?

 

[Steve O.]

short season

Yes, the season is short here in MI--that's the price we pay for having clear, clean, fresh water lakes with beautiful scenery and thousands of islands and bays. All of the state subsidized marinas are open from May 15 to October 15. Some private marinas are open longer, but in MI you just ain't going to have great weather before or after those dates.

 

[TOM M.]

HARV-DEGRAS TO KEY WEST $1360

I sailed out of long island in 1993 alone, got as far a Harve de gras Md. and decided to have it trucked the rest of the way, I waited till there was another boat going my way to reduce the cost, down to $1360 total, I took down the masts and bundled it up with pieces of carpeting discarded by a carpet store, took a bus back to N.Y, and drove my jeep to the keys, I waited a week.

 

[Dave Condon]

Transporting

The question is often asked who would be recommended to transport boats. Nearly all boat hauling companies are excellent and their drivers are professionals. Just a few suggestions.Get Several quotes, inquire about their reputationa and most important, do they have insurance. Be warry of a regular tractor trailer that comes into the yardwith a standard flatbed and not the normal boat hauling trailer