A Comprehensive Guide to Transporting Your Boat
Whether you're buying a new vessel, selling an old one, or simply need to relocate your boat from one place to another, locating a reliable boat transport company that fulfills all your requirements can be a daunting task. On Shiply, you can find & compare trustworthy boat movers with just a few clicks, often with prices up to 75% lower than standard rates. But first, you must identify precisely what service you need. This guide will assist you in doing exactly that.
The Expense of Moving a Boat
It's difficult to offer a precise cost due to the numerous factors that can influence quotes. However, on average, short-distance transport can range from $150 to $300, while longer haul trips can cost between $600 and $1,000. Several elements can impact the expense of your boat transportation, including:
- Distance: The distance your boat needs to travel will significantly affect the cost. Domestic transportation within the US is usually less expensive than international travel. For international transport, options include Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO), enclosed containers, flat racks, and submersion.
- Boat Size: The dimensions of your boat can also greatly influence pricing. Standard-sized boats can be transported internationally using enclosed containers, while larger vessels cannot. The size can also impact which routes a boat transport company can take if transporting by road.
- Trailer: Whether you have your own boat trailer or require the boat movers to supply one can also affect the cost.
- Pickup & Delivery Locations: The accessibility of your pickup and delivery locations can impact pricing, with remote areas potentially incurring additional costs.
- Time of Year: Seasonality can affect pricing, as ice, wind, and snow can alter available transportation routes.
Accurately Measuring Your Boat
To obtain a precise quote for transporting your boat, you need to provide its dimensions to potential boat movers. While the manufacturer usually supplies these, we recommend double-checking yourself to avoid any issues on the day of transport. Measure the overall length from the bow's end to the stern's middle, the overall height from the highest non-removable point to the bottom of the keel, & the beam, which is the overall width of the vessel. A "standard" boat is approximately 40' long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Boats exceeding this size may require a special permit to travel.
How Shiply Can Assist in Finding Boat Transport Companies
Shiply streamlines the process of locating a boat transport company. Once you have your boat's make, measurements, and pickup and drop-off locations, you can enter this information on our site, and boat moving companies will send custom quotes directly to your inbox. The more details you provide, the more accurate these quotes will be, giving you an excellent place to compare your options.
Shiply's feedback & review system allows you to view ratings and feedback for any boat mover who quotes you, ensuring the company is dependable. You can also message anyone who quotes you within our platform to sort out details such as trailers and accessibility. Using Shiply is not only beneficial for the environment, as drivers are often making the journeys already and looking for extra loads, but it can also be up to 75% cheaper than standard rates.
Readying Your Boat for Shipping
Once you've selected a quote you're satisfied with, you need to prepare your boat for transport. Some steps you should take include:
- Documents: If your boat is being sold or traveling abroad, ensure you have any necessary documents at hand to avoid late mishaps.
- Cleaning: Thoroughly clean your boat before transport to remove personal belongings and expensive electronic equipment. This also allows you to assess your boat's condition prior to pickup.
- Empty Liquids: Empty the bilge, refuse stores, and most of your fuel prior to pickup, and disconnect the fuel tanks to make the boat lighter and prevent potential leaks during transit.
- Remove Sails: If transporting a sailboat, remove all winches & rigging from the mast.
- Photographic Evidence: Document your vessel's condition with time-stamped photographs before pickup as evidence of its prior condition should any damages occur during transport.
After Delivery
Once your boat has been transported to its destination, there are a few steps you can take to ensure everything is in order:
- Check Vital Signs: Ensure the boat's engines still run and any electronic equipment left on the vessel operates as expected.
- Exterior Condition: Compare the boat's exterior condition upon arrival to the photos taken prior to pickup to spot any damages that occurred during transit. If any issues are found, raise them with the boat transport company.
After the boat transport is completed, we ask that you leave feedback & a rating for your chosen boat mover so future Shiply users can browse services with confidence and help your mover understand how their level of service was received.
Boat Transport in Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona, US, is a popular destination for boat owners looking to transport their vessels to and from the area. Many people move their boats to Flagstaff to enjoy the beautiful lakes and rivers in the surrounding region, such as Lake Powell and the Colorado River. Additionally, Flagstaff's central location makes it a convenient hub for boat transport, with easy access to major highways and interstates. Whether you're looking for "boat transport flagstaff" or "flagstaff boat transport," Shiply can help you find reliable and affordable boat movers to meet your needs.