transporting boat from Fl to TX

[Richard Olden]

We are considering purchasing a boat in Florida, around St. Pete.

Does anyone have a ballpark figure to move a boat from that area to the DFW area of Texas? Just trying to get an estimate to work with.

Or do you know of a REPUTABLE boat transport company we could use?

 

[Rick I]

depends on the size!

 

[Sumner]

The size of the boat would probably help and there is water between the two locations, have you thought about moving it that way ,

Sumner

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[Richard Olden]

Oops. the boat is a Catalina 42, 1995. I do understand there is water between there and here but I have a job and cannot take the time off to bring her over via the gulf or ICW. Plus I would still have the transport from the coast to home.

 

[Coyote]

Have you looked into uship.com,, might be a good place to start --
it will give you realistic estimates,

I was going to buy a boat in Mobile, AL and ship it to Daytona and was surprised how EXPENSIVE it was -- made me come up with a different boat!

absolutely get recommendations, check transporters insurance, and
BE THERE for loading and un-loading,,
good luck,
Coyote

 

[Coyote]

forgot to mention you might want to look into water delivery,,,
I would think a Delivery Captain would be much cheaper in the long run than land delivery. I think I was quoted $250 per day for a captain, and you can crew for part of the trip on YOUR new boat, which would be cool.

The cost to prepare your boat for a trip on a trailer would also be quite expensive.
The cost to prepare your boat for a water re-launch would be quite expensive --

I also assume your really not looking to take that 42' boat to Dallas?

you get the idea,
Coyote

 

[rpell1@msn.com]

I also used uship.com to have my Cat30 moved from Savannah, Ga. to Brooklyn, NY. In 2008 it cost me $2000. and it was a pro with a sailboat low boy trailer, pulled by a tractor........No pick-up. There were some delays due to the size of his rig, but I was completely satisfied. Good luck.

Happy Sailing.

Have you looked into uship.com,, might be a good place to start --
it will give you realistic estimates,

I was going to buy a boat in Mobile, AL and ship it to Daytona and was surprised how EXPENSIVE it was -- made me come up with a different boat!

absolutely get recommendations, check transporters insurance, and
BE THERE for loading and un-loading,,
good luck,
Coyote

 

[shemandr]

Some of the yacht sales websites have shipping calculators. You can assume the actual cost will be more, but they can give a view of the scale of the expense.
I'm looking at a boat now that would have a several thousand mile transport, and I don't think it's going to happen. Even though I like the boat very much.

 

[Steve Dion]

$3-$4/mile plus loading, unloading, taking the boat apart, putting it back together.

I moved a 36' boat 2000 miles and it was $6k 7 years ago. Did not have to pay for loading & unloading but you get the idea.

Take it on it's bottom 150 miles/day. Look into a delivery skipper. Easier on the boat and the pocket book.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

You are getting good advice here. I will speak from a retired dealer perspective.

The boat is a Catalina 42. Transporting will require the mast, rigging, sails, canvas, etc. be removed and placed onto a low boy style trailer built specifically boats. It will vary on the yard decommissioning the boat but for a 42 it will be expensive times two for recommissioning but that will depend on the yards. In addition, will you power wash, clean and wax the hull and if so, out of the water which will entail additional storage fees and lift fees.

The boat would be going from Florida to Texas which the rates should be less as most companies will not go to the west coast as in many cases they would be dead heading back to the east coast and there the rates are going to be higher due to that alone. Texas, I am not so sure. Further, you would be dealing with an overwidth load which would require escorts and again the cost would be higher. I am not sure about over height but if that is the case, then special routing would be entailed and costs would be higher as well.

If you are seriously considering this boat, call the yard nearest with a travel lift and ask them what it would cost to decommission and haul out onto a tractor trailer and the same with the yard where the boat would be going to. Yes it will entail a call or two but at least you would get the specifics as to cost. Then call those companies that actually transport sailboats for a living, not U Haul style companies as they in most cases are clueless as to transporting a Catalina 42 which is a large boat that really needs to be secured with attention to detail in driving as well.

I would consider as pointed out a delivery captain with credentials and insurance vs. transporting and do not forget to discuss this with your insurance company first to make sure you are covered.

 

[kloudie1]

Talk to Rooke Sails in Memphis.. Chris trucks boats all around the South . He may not be able to haul one quite that big, but if not, he can point you to a reputable mover who can.
http://rookesails.com/

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Kloudie 1 made a good selection as I have know Chris at Rooke Sails for years and he is reputable. Also check with Paul Wells at Triton's Yachts located out of Oriental, NC which by the way he has hauled a Catalina 42 before and is a Catalina dealer as well. 919-249-2001

 

[Richard Olden]

Thanks for the information

Gees, it seems more complicated cost wise than I was assuming. I had a boat move between lakes 7 years ago and, although expensive, not as cost prohibitive as this. I may need to take a leave of absence to bring the boat back via the ICW!

 

[Sumner]

post removed because I forgot which coast St. Pete was on ,

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[kloudie1]

The run from St. Pete to Kemah would be a good one with an experienced crew, a well prepared boat, and some time.. You'd have to stay outside until Pensacola because of the low fixed bridges on the ICW around Navarre, just east of the Pensacola inlet. From there it is a long and busy motor boat ride to Kemah/ Clear Lake.. or you could stay outside all the way to Galveston.

 

[Steve Walsh]

Doesn't Catalina have a plant in the Tampa/St. Pete/Largo area? They should be able to tell you who they use.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The only Catalina plant is in the St. Pete area and they should be able to help. I forgot the name of the Catalina dealer nearby but they should also know and are respected.

 

[BigEasy]

I transported a 35' boat from Charleston to New Orleans two years ago.
Total cost was approximately $5500. $1500 for decommissioning and prepping mast, $3000 for transport, and $1200 for re commissioning. I did most of the work on the back end including waxing, bottom painting, & rerigging with exception of restepping the mast. Longer distance and larger boat will be more expensive.

 

[BigEasy]

Richard,
After giving you situation further consideration, I would not opt for a water delivery from St Pete to Kemah. If you did the water delivery to Kemah, you will have the cost of a captain and mate, fuel, marina expense, food, and transportation expense to get the captain & mate back home. Between New Orleans & Galveston there are thousand of oil platforms off shore and a ton of commercial vessels from oil supply vessels, tows, shrimp boats on the ICW----lots of obstacles and potential liability. You are going to incur the expense of decommissioning and re-commissioning regardless, on the trip from Kemah to Dallas. I would opt to truck it the entire way. The trucking company will bear the liability with their insurance and you will have your boat delivered at Dallas in 2 to 3 days. By the way, the rate per mile for my delivery was just under $3 per mile. One additional bit of advice that the trucker told me was to make sure that the shrouds and stays are removed from the mast completely. An alternative is to allow them to remain on the mast; however, bubble wrap the wires as a group, then shrink wrap the bubble wrapped wires and running rigging to the mast. If you simply shrink wrap the wires to the mast, the vibration during transport will scratch and mar the anodized finish on the mast. Oh, and don't forget to get some 2x4's and splint the jib furler drum and furler extrusion so it is not bouncing at the end of mast during the road trip, possibly bending it. Another cost consideration is that the trucking companies are going to have a "flat rate" for delivery for short distance deliveries. I once considered trucking a boat from Kemah to New Orleans, a distance of only 365 miles; the rate was almost $2000. Compared to the delivery from Charleston to New Orleans, a distance of 1100 miles, I was charged $3000. Of course there are a lot of variables including the current fuel prices that are going to dictate the final cost of trucking. You definitely want to get at least 3 estimates from reputable companies. Also question them about the method of transport. For a 42' boat you want it transported on a dedicated sailboat flatbed that has a separate rack for the mast.