Budget-Friendly & Dependable Boat Shipping with Shiply
Shiply eliminates the inconvenience of boat shipping by helping you discover an economical, trustworthy service that fits your requirements. Simply post a listing on our site & relax as shipping providers send you estimates to transport your boat. Once you locate a quote you prefer, reach out to the transporter, verify, and await your boat's pickup.
What Necessitates Boat Shipping?
Whether you need a narrowboat, sailboat, small craft or yacht transported, Shiply can help. Did you recently acquire a new vessel that requires delivery? Or maybe you must get your boat to an inland destination? Perhaps it's too large for you to haul yourself? Regardless of the reason, Shiply can assist you in finding a dependable & professional company for transporting your boat at the right cost. Opting for a specialized boat hauler will guarantee you're in capable hands. Boat haulage companies in the UK & globally will understand the intricacies of working with boats, marinas and ports and should support you with all aspects of the shipping process.
Posting your boat shipping on Shiply and our network of transport providers will provide you with price estimates. You simply need to fill out a form with some basic details about your boat to be shipped & you will receive complimentary quotes in pounds sterling or euros, depending on your location. Once you've obtained several estimates, you'll be able to compare companies by their qualifications, customer reviews & prices.
The Price of Shipping a Boat
The price of boat shipping varies based on several factors, but on average, you can anticipate paying between £100 to £260 for shorter distances & between £450 and £750 for longer trips. The average cost per mile for standard boat shipping is around £1.50 per mile in the UK, but this can fluctuate depending on the size of the boat. The dimensions of the boat being transported will significantly impact the price. For instance, small boat shipping is simple as they can often be hauled on the road, whereas something like a larger sailboat or narrowboat will necessitate special attention & will likely cost more to ship. A narrowboat may require specialized narrowboat movers due to their unique size. Whether the boat needs to be shipped within the UK or internationally will also play a role in the pricing, as international boat shipping will cost significantly more & may necessitate different companies to 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 complete a brief form with some information about your boat & of the pick-up and drop-off dates & locations. Once your listing is finished, you will start to receive complimentary estimates from various transport providers - some of which may contact you to comprehend the required services more clearly so they can know how best to quote for the work.
There are two primary methods of boat shipping, & the method you select will depend on where your boat needs to go. If your boat is required to be shipped in a particular way, please specify on your Shiply listing.
By road - If your vessel needs to be hauled within the same country, you'll discover that road shipping is likely to be the best choice. If you're moving parts of a boat only or a non-starting boat, shipping by road is your sole option.
By sea or river - If your craft needs to be sailed port-to-port, then you can hire a crew to do this. Crews should inspect your vessel, plot courses & check shipping forecasts for you.
Once you have received some estimates, make sure you check the credentials & feedback of any skippers & crew hands, which you can see by viewing the transport providers' company profiles on Shiply. If you're moving a sailboat, then RYA or MCA accredited crews are the qualifications to look out for.
With any type of shipping, it's crucial to check the level of experience & professional insurance cover that they offer (do not accept personal insurance) so you can make the most informed decision for your individual situation.
Do not hesitate to ask the companies any questions about the shipping process, as they will often have a high level of expertise.
Finding the right boat shipping service can be overwhelming 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 shipped by land, there are a number of preparatory tasks to do to ensure that the shipping goes as smoothly as possible. You'll want to plan as far ahead as possible to give yourself enough time to prepare for the transport & to enable you to find a suitable shipping service. Boat deliveries can be carried out in several different 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 - Make sure you thoroughly inspect the interior & exterior of your vessel for any previous 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 - Make sure you take anything valuable off your boat before it's shipped, 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 shipping.
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 ship easily.
You can also check with your boatyard for any other precautions that they might think important for safe shipping. 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 help you with the unloading or docking & may help you with other parts 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 helps other users when choosing a transport provider for their own job, & it also helps transporters continuously improve their service.
Boat Shipping in Gillingham, Kent, UK
Gillingham, situated in Kent, UK, is a popular destination for boat owners looking to ship their vessels to & from the area. Many people choose to move their boats to Gillingham due to its convenient location on the River Medway & its proximity to the North Sea. The town has a rich maritime history & is home to several marinas & boatyards that offer a range of services for boat owners, including boat shipping.
If you're looking for reliable boat shipping in Gillingham, Shiply can help you find the right provider for your needs. Our network of transport companies includes experienced boat haulers who specialize in moving vessels of all sizes, from small boats to large yachts. Whether you need to ship your boat to Gillingham for storage, maintenance, or to enjoy the town's stunning coastal scenery, Shiply can connect you with the right transport provider to get the job done safely & efficiently.