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How to Move a Vessel: A Thorough Overview


Whether you're acquiring a new vessel, selling an old one, or simply need to relocate your boat from one location to another, discovering a reliable boat transportation company that fulfills all your requirements can be difficult. On Shiply, you can find & compare trustworthy boat haulers in just a few clicks, often with prices up to 75% lower than standard rates. But first, you must determine precisely what service you need. This overview will assist you in doing just that, including information on boat transport lexington and lexington boat transport.


The Expense of Moving a Vessel


It's challenging to offer an exact cost due to the numerous factors that can influence quotes, but on average, short distance transport can range between $150 & $300, while longer haul trips can cost anything from $600 to $1,000. Several elements can affect the expense of your boat transportation, such as:
- Distance: The distance your vessel needs to travel will greatly impact the price. Domestic transport within the US is typically less expensive than international travel.
- Vessel Size: The dimensions of your boat can also significantly affect pricing. Standard-sized boats can be transported internationally using enclosed containers, while larger vessels cannot.
- Trailer: Whether you have your own boat trailer or require the boat movers to provide one can also impact the cost.
- Pickup & Delivery Locations: The accessibility of your pickup and delivery locations can affect pricing, with remote areas potentially incurring additional costs.
- Time of Year: Seasonality can also influence pricing, as ice, wind, and snow can alter available transportation routes.


Measuring Your Vessel Accurately


To obtain a precise quote for transporting your boat, you must provide its dimensions to potential boat movers. While the manufacturer usually supplies these, we recommend double-checking yourself to avoid any mishaps on the day of transport. Here's a brief overview:
- Overall Length: Measured from the very end of the bow to the middle of the stern.
- Overall Height: Measured from the highest (non-removable) point of the boat to the bottom of the keel.
- Beam: The overall width of the vessel, measured from the two widest points.
A 'standard' boat is considered to be roughly 40' long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Vessels over this size may require a special permit to travel.


How Shiply Can Assist in Finding Boat Transport Companies


There are many factors to consider when searching for a boat transport company, which can often seem overwhelming given all the variables. This is where Shiply can help. Once you have the make & measurements of your vessel and the pickup and drop-off locations, you can simply enter this information on our site, and boat moving companies will send custom quotes directly to your inbox. The more information you provide, the more accurate these quotes will be, giving you a great 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 you can stay safe in the knowledge that the company is reliable. You can also message anyone who quotes you within our platform to sort out details such as trailers and accessibility.
Another added bonus of using Shiply is that drivers are often already making the journeys and looking for extra loads, meaning not only is using Shiply good for the environment, but it can also be up to 75% cheaper than standard rates.


Readying Your Vessel for Shipping


Once you've looked at all your quotes & chosen one you're happy 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, you may require some documents. Make sure you have these at hand if needed to avoid any late mishaps.
- Cleaning: Thoroughly clean your vessel before transport. This allows you to remove personal belongings and expensive electronic equipment you don't want to get lost during transit and get a good idea of 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. This will make the boat lighter for transport and prevent any 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. This will come in handy as evidence of its prior condition should any damages occur while it's being transported.


What to Do After Delivery


Once your boat has been transported to its destination, the hard part is over, but there are still a few steps you can take to ensure everything is in order:
- Check Vital Signs: Check that the boat's engines still run and any electronic equipment left on the vessel still operate as expected.
- Exterior Condition: Compare the boat's exterior condition upon arrival to the photos taken prior to pickup. This will help you spot any damages that occurred during transit, which you can then raise with the boat transport company.
Once the boat transport is complete, we also ask that you leave feedback & a rating for your chosen boat mover so future Shiply users can browse services with the same level of confidence, and your mover can understand how their level of service was received.


Boat Transport in Lexington, Kentucky


Lexington, Kentucky, US is a popular destination for boat owners looking to transport their vessels to and from the area. Many people move their boats to Lexington for various reasons, such as participating in boating events on nearby lakes and rivers or storing their boats during the off-season.
Lexington's central location within the United States makes it a convenient hub for boat transport, with easy access to major highways and interstates. This accessibility allows boat transport companies to efficiently move vessels to and from the area, whether for local or long-distance transport.
When searching for boat transport lexington or lexington boat transport, it's essential to choose a reliable and experienced company that can safely and efficiently handle your vessel. By using a platform like Shiply, you can easily compare quotes from multiple boat transport providers and find the best option for your specific needs and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Shiply Cover My Area?

Yes! There are couriers using Shiply all over the country and abroad, so whether you need to move a sofa across town or send a car across Europe, we have got you covered.

Does Shiply Have Different Sized Vehicles?

There are thousands of couriers on Shiply, with a wide range of vehicle sizes capable of handling any delivery. Providing the rough dimensions (and pictures if possible) on your listing will allow the delivery company to get the right vehicle sent out to you.

How Can I Contact Shiply Support?

Shiply Support is available only on email, at

Who Will Carry Out My Delivery?

Whoever you choose! There are thousands of rated transport providers on our platform ready to make a bid to carry out your delivery. It is up to you to decide which quote to accept.

When Will I Receive A Quote?

You will typically start to receive quotes within 30 minutes. If you are worried about the lack of quotes, try adding some more detail to your listing as transport providers may be unsure of dimensions or weight and feel unable to provide an accurate quote. If your delivery is urgent, you can try our 'featured delivery' feature which moves your listing to the top of the search page for couriers.

How Many Quotes Will I Receive?

Whilst there is no guarantee of quotes, 98% of our listings receive at least 3 quotes, so you are likely to find someone who can undertake the delivery of your items.

Does Shiply Provide Packing Materials?

f your item requires packing materials or extra care then you should make sure this is highlighted in your listing and discussed with any transport provider whose quote you are considering. Couriers on Shiply are able to provide all levels of service and can help pack your items, just ensure you inform them of your needs.

Will My Goods Be Tied Up Securely?

Transport providers will almost always tie up an item in the transport vehicle, as the risk of damage from moving around during transit is high. You should always confirm safety precautions and packing needs with transport providers before accepting a quote.

Can Items Be Taken Upstairs?

Yes, items can be taken upstairs if needed, and can also be assembled. Transport providers on Shiply are happy to provide these services, but you should ensure that you are mentioning these requirements in your listings as it may mean a second person is required for the move.

Can I Travel With My Goods?

The majority of transport providers on Shiply are only insured for the transportation of goods, however, some are also able to take people. If you need to travel with your goods, make sure to mention this in your listing and to highlight this to any courier who quotes on your listing.

What If I Need To Cancel My Booking?

If you have accepted a quote and paid the deposit but wish to cancel the delivery, then you should first inform your chosen transport provider that you no longer require the delivery. You should then contact us at to have your deposit refunded.

Can I Change The Address Of The Delivery?

If you have not yet accepted a quote then you are able to change the address of your listing. Note that editing details of your listing after publishing will result in active quotes being voided, so you will have to wait for new quotes to come in. If you have already accepted a quote and need to change the address, please let your transport provider know and contact us at .

Do I Need To Take My Boat Anywhere?

Typically, boat transporters on Shiply will be able to pick your boat up from wherever it is located and will use special boat trailers to do so. If your journey is strictly overseas then it may be cheaper to drive to the port yourself, but boat transporters will always be able to collect your boat, wherever it is.

Can I Keep Items In My Boat During Transportation?

This will likely be up to your boat transporter's discretion, so make sure to ask! One thing to note is that the items will likely not be covered by the insurance that covers the boat, so don't leave anything in there you cannot easily replace.

How Shiply works

How Shiply Works

How Shiply Works

  • 1

    Request quotes from our 447,168 rated shipping companies.

  • 2

    Compare prices and read previous customer feedback to pick the right quote for you.

  • 3

    Sit back and relax while your item is safely moved by your chosen shipping company.

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How Shiply Helps The Environment

By utilizing spare capacity of vehicles running on the road, Shiply helps reduce the number of otherwise wasteful journeys needed to ship the item.

3 0 2 6 7 4 3 1 0 Kg/CO2 Saved

Recent Testimonials

Debra W Testimonial

Debra W.

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Patrick G.

"Everything was perfect! Fast, easy and hassle-free process! I definitely recommend and would use them again in the future. Thank you so much!"

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"Great experience using these guys. This was my first time having to transport a car using a service like this and I could not be happier. Picked up earlier than expected and delivery was early as well. Quick easy and problem free."

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"I’ve used Shiply twice now and have been really pleased with the result. It’s quick and easy to use. For both occasions the quotes were very competitive and the quality of the job was excellent. I highly recommend it."

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