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A Comprehensive Guide to Boat Transportation


Moving a boat, whether for buying, selling, or relocating purposes, can be an intimidating undertaking. Locating a reliable boat transport company that fulfills all your requirements can be difficult. However, with Shiply, you can effortlessly discover & compare reputable boat movers in just a few clicks, frequently with quotes up to 75% lower than standard rates. Before you start, it's essential to ascertain precisely what service you need. This guide will assist you in doing exactly that.


Boat Transport Costs


Offering a precise price for boat transport is challenging due to the various factors that can affect quotes. 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 influence the expense of your boat transportation, including:


- Distance: The distance your boat must travel significantly impacts the price. Domestic transport within the US is generally more affordable than international travel, as it typically involves inland transportation on a trailer. International boat transport can be pricier, with options like Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO), enclosed containers, flat racks, and submersion.


- Boat Size: The dimensions of your boat can also considerably affect pricing. Standard-sized boats can be transported internationally using enclosed containers, while larger boats cannot. The boat's size can also impact the routes available for road transportation.


- Trailer: Whether you own a boat trailer or require the boat movers to supply one can affect the cost of your boat transportation.


- Pickup & Delivery Locations: The accessibility of your pickup and delivery locations can influence pricing. A boat being collected from a remote area may incur additional costs for the extra miles required.


- Time of Year: Seasonality can also affect pricing. Ice, wind, and snow can alter road conditions, which may impact the available transportation routes.


Accurately Measuring Your Boat


To obtain an accurate quote for boat transport, you must provide the dimensions of your boat to potential boat movers. Although the manufacturer usually supplies these measurements, we recommend verifying them yourself to prevent any issues on the day of transport. Here's a brief overview:


- Overall Length: Measure from the very end of the bow to the middle of the stern.


- Overall Height: Measure from the highest (non-removable) point of the boat to the bottom of the keel.


- Beam: Measure the overall width of the boat from the two widest points.


A 'standard' boat is considered to be approximately 40' long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Boats surpassing this size may require a special permit for transportation.


Discovering Boat Transport Companies with Shiply


Shiply streamlines the process of locating boat transport companies. Once you have the make, measurements, pickup, and drop-off locations of your boat, you can input this information on our site, and boat moving companies will send personalized quotes directly to your inbox. The more details you provide, the more precise the quotes will be. This offers you a convenient way 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 trust the company's reliability. You can also message anyone who quotes you within our platform to sort out details such as trailers and accessibility.


Using Shiply not only benefits the environment, as drivers are often making the journeys already and looking for extra loads, but it can also save you up to 75% compared to standard rates.


Readying Your Boat for Shipping


Once you've selected a quote you're satisfied with, it's time to prepare your boat for transport. Here are some steps you should take:


- Documents: If your boat is being sold or traveling abroad, ensure you have all the necessary documents ready to avoid any last-minute issues.


- Cleaning: Thoroughly clean your boat before transport. This allows you to remove personal belongings & expensive electronic equipment, and assess the condition of your boat prior to pickup. Secure any loose items that will remain on the boat, such as lifejackets, and disconnect the battery and tidy the cables.


- Empty Liquids: Empty the bilge, refuse stores, and most of the fuel before pickup. Disconnect the fuel tanks as well. This will make the boat lighter for transport and prevent any potential leaks during transit.


- Remove Sails: If you're transporting a sailboat, remove all winches & rigging from the mast.


- Photographic Evidence: Document the condition of your vessel with time-stamped photographs before pickup. This will serve as evidence of its prior condition should any damages occur during transportation.


Post-Delivery Steps


After 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: Verify that the boat's engines still run and any electronic equipment left on the vessel operates as expected.


- Exterior Condition: Compare the exterior condition of the boat upon arrival to the photos taken before pickup. This will help you identify any damages that may have occurred during transit, which you can then address with the boat transport company.


Once the boat transport is complete, we kindly ask that you leave feedback & a rating for your chosen boat mover. This helps future Shiply users browse services with confidence and allows your mover to understand how their level of service was received.


Boat Transport in Mooresville, North Carolina


Mooresville, a town situated in Iredell County, North Carolina, is renowned for its strong ties to the boating industry. Many people frequently move their "boar" to and from Mooresville for various reasons, such as acquiring a new boat, selling an old one, or participating in boating events on Lake Norman, a popular destination for water enthusiasts. The town's proximity to the lake and its thriving boating community make it an ideal location for boat owners to transport their vessels. With the help of reliable boat transport companies, like those found on Shiply, moving your boat to or from Mooresville can be a seamless & stress-free experience.


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.

"Communication was great from the time I accepted the quote until the car was dropped off. In terms of the timeline, I was given a potential range for both how soon the car would be picked up and how many days it would be in transport."

Patrick G Testimonial

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!"

Sophie G Testimonial

Sophie G.

"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."

Gary M Testimonial

Gary M.

"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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