Discover Budget-Friendly & Dependable Boat Shipping with Shiply
Shiply eliminates the stress from boat transportation by assisting you in finding an economical, trustworthy service that suits your needs. Simply create a listing on our platform & relax as shipping providers approach you with estimates to transport your boat. Once you find a quote that appeals to you, contact the driver, confirm the details, and await the collection of your boat.
What Are the Reasons for Requiring Boat Shipping?
Whether you require the transportation of a narrowboat, sailboat, small craft, or yacht, Shiply can help. Did you recently acquire a new vessel & need it shipped? Or perhaps you need to get your boat to an inland destination? Maybe it's too sizable for you to move on your own? Regardless of the circumstance, Shiply can assist you in finding a dependable & professional company to transport your boat at a fair price. Opting for a specialized boat hauler will ensure you're in capable hands. Boat haulage companies in the UK & globally will be well-versed in working with boats, marinas, & ports and should guide you through all aspects of the shipping process.
By listing your boat transport on Shiply, our network of shipping providers will provide you with price estimates. You simply need to complete a form with some essential information about your boat to be moved & you will receive complimentary quotes in pounds sterling or euros, depending on your location. After receiving multiple quotes, you can compare companies based on their qualifications, customer reviews, & prices.
The Expense of Boat Shipping
The expense of boat shipping will vary based on several factors, but on average, you can anticipate paying between £100 to £260 for shorter distances & between £450 & £750 for longer trips. The average cost per mile for standard boat shipping is around £1.50 per mile in the UK, but as mentioned, this can fluctuate depending on the boat's size. The dimensions of the boat being transported will significantly impact the cost. For instance, small boat shipping is straightforward as they can often be hauled by road, whereas larger sailboats or narrowboats will necessitate special attention & will likely have a higher transportation cost. A narrowboat may require specialized narrowboat movers due to its unique size. Whether the boat needs to be shipped within the UK or internationally will also influence the pricing, as international boat shipping will be significantly more expensive & may necessitate different companies than those in the UK who specialize in road transport.
Utilizing Shiply to Locate a Boat Transporter
To create a listing on Shiply, you only need to fill out a brief form with some specifics about your boat & the pick-up & drop-off dates & locations. Once your listing is live, you will start receiving complimentary quotes from various shipping providers - some of whom may reach out to you to better understand the required services so they can provide an accurate quote for the job.
There are two primary methods of boat transportation, & the method you choose will depend on where your boat needs to go. If your boat is required to be transported in a specific manner, please indicate this on your Shiply listing.
By road - If your vessel needs to be hauled within the same country, you'll find that road transportation is likely the best option. If you're moving only parts of a boat or a non-starting boat, transportation by road is your sole choice.
By sea or river - If your craft needs to be sailed from port to port, then you can hire a crew to accomplish this. Crews should inspect your vessel, plot courses, & check shipping forecasts on your behalf.
Once you have received some quotes, ensure you verify the credentials & feedback of any skippers & crew hands, which you can view by checking the transport providers' company profiles on Shiply. If you're moving a sailboat, then RYA or MCA accredited crews are the qualifications to seek out.
With any type of transportation, it's crucial to check the level of experience & professional insurance coverage that they provide (do not accept personal insurance) so you can make the most informed decision for your individual situation.
Don't hesitate to ask the companies any questions about the shipping process, as they will often have extensive experience.
Finding the right boat transport service can be daunting if you intend to compare all the prices & credentials. Larger companies might charge less, whereas smaller family-run transporters could offer you a more personalized service.
Readying Your Boat for Shipping
If your vessel is being transported by land, there are several preparatory tasks to ensure that the shipping goes as smoothly as possible. You'll want to plan as far ahead as possible to give yourself ample time to prepare for the transport & to enable you to find a suitable shipping service. Boat deliveries can be carried out in various ways, but regardless, make sure your boat is prepared correctly to prevent any damage, leakage, or dangerous loose ends occurring during the journey.
Check the condition - Ensure you thoroughly inspect the interior & exterior of your vessel for any prior damage. This way, you can see if it suffers any during transit. You may want to take photographs of the condition before its journey.
Remove valuables - Ensure you take anything valuable off your boat before it's transported, as these will not be insured.
Empty the bilge, water, refuse stores & the majority of fuel - Pump out wastewater & other liquids. Any freshwater tanks & rubbish should be emptied, fuel tanks disconnected & the majority of the gasoline emptied to make the boat lighter to deliver & prevent any potential leakages during transport.
Disconnect battery & tidy cables - A precaution that will help avoid draining the battery & any shortages in electronics. Despite being a waterborne vehicle, your boat might be exposed to different weather conditions when it travels on a trailer. So make sure that all exposed electronics are covered & battery cables are tucked away.
Make things secure - If they aren't travelling separately, make sure all accessories & life jackets are stowed away in lockers. Secure all doors & compartments in the galley & washrooms. Also, make sure that the canopy is extra secure, as it might not be built to travel at the same speeds as a trailer.
For sailboats - Removing all winches & rigging etc. from the mast is important (also provide padding for points at which the mast will be tied down). Pulpits, stanchions & lifelines should only be taken off if they will make the boat too large to transport easily.
You can also check with your boatyard for any other precautions that they might think important for safe transport. If your boat is going to be sailed to its destination, make sure you arrange with the captain what preparations need to be made prior to the handover.
Once your boat is ready, all you need to do is wait for the transporter to arrive. Once you have accepted a quote on Shiply, you will be able to communicate with the transport provider directly.
If any changes occur that may differ from what your transport provider is expecting, make sure they are contacted & made aware so they can plan accordingly.
Finalizing Your Boat's Shipping
When your vessel safely reaches its destination on the delivery date, your boat transporter should assist you with the unloading or docking & may help you with other aspects of maintenance & checks (depending on what you agreed). If there are any other services you need help with, these should be specified at the beginning of the process when listing your required service on Shiply.
Either way, it's important that you inspect your craft post-transit to ensure that it hasn't been damaged & ask the transporter about any discrepancies so they can be sorted out quickly.
Once your boat is safely docked or secured, you can remove the tape & other securing materials, refill water tanks, reattach batteries & motors or re-rig your sailboat so it's ready to be used again.
When you're satisfied that the shipping job has been completed, please leave a review for the service you used on Shiply on their company profile. Leaving feedback is extremely helpful to us as it assists other users when choosing a transport provider for their own job, & it also helps transporters continuously improve their service.
Poole, Dorset, UK: A Popular Destination for Boat Shipping
Poole, situated in Dorset, UK, is a popular destination for boat shipping. Many people frequently move boats to & from Poole due to its excellent harbour facilities & its proximity to the English Channel. Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, offering a wide range of marine services, including boat transport poole & poole boat transport. Whether you're looking to ship your boat to Poole for leisure or commercial purposes, Shiply can help you find reliable & affordable boat shipping services in the area.