How to Convey a Watercraft from South Carolina
Conveying a watercraft can be challenging, whether you're purchasing, vending, or simply need to relocate it from one location to another. Discovering a reliable boat transport company in South Carolina that fulfills all your requirements can be difficult. However, with Shiply, you can locate & contrast dependable boat movers in just a few clicks, frequently with quotes up to 75% more affordable than standard rates. Before you begin, you need to determine precisely what service you necessitate. This guide will assist you in doing just that.
How Much Does It Cost to Convey a Watercraft in South Carolina?
It's challenging to provide a precise price because there are numerous variables that can influence quotes. On average, short distance transport can cost between $150 to $300, while longer journeys can cost anything from $600 to $1,000. Here are some crucial factors that can affect the cost of your boat transportation in South Carolina:
- Distance: The distance your boat needs to be conveyed will greatly influence the price. If the boat only needs to be relocated within the US, then inland transportation on a trailer is the most probable method, which is usually more affordable than international travel. If the boat needs to go internationally, there are a few options, such as Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO), enclosed containers, flat racks, and submersion.
- Boat Size: The size of the boat can also greatly influence pricing. Standard-sized boats can be conveyed internationally using enclosed containers, while larger boats cannot. The size of the boat can also affect which routes a boat transport company can take if transporting by road.
- Trailer: Whether you have your own boat trailer or need the boat movers to provide one can also influence the cost.
- Locations of Pickup & Delivery: The ease of access to your pickup and delivery locations can affect pricing, with remote areas potentially incurring extra costs.
- Time of Year: Seasonality can also influence pricing, with ice, wind, and snow affecting road conditions and available routes.
Why People Often Relocate Boats to and from South Carolina
South Carolina is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts, with its stunning coastline, lakes, and rivers. Many people relocate their boats to South Carolina for vacations, fishing trips, or to enjoy the scenery. Others may be relocating to the state permanently and need to convey their boat with them. South Carolina is also home to many boat dealerships and manufacturers, so people may be conveying boats to or from these locations for purchase or repair.
How to Properly Measure Your Boat
To get an accurate quote for conveying your boat, you need to provide the dimensions to potential boat movers. While the manufacturer usually provides 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 boat, measured from the two widest points.
A 'standard' boat is considered to be roughly 40' long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Boats over this size may require a special permit to travel.
How Can Shiply Help Find Boat Transport Companies in South Carolina?
There are many things to consider when looking for a boat transport company, and it can often seem overwhelming given all the variables. This is where Shiply can help. Once you have the make and measurements of your boat and the pickup & 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 contrast your options.
Shiply's feedback and review system allows you to view ratings & feedback for any boat mover who quotes you, so 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. This means not only is using Shiply good for the environment, but it can also be up to 75% more affordable than standard rates.
Preparing for Your Boat to be Shipped
Once you've looked at all your quotes and chosen one you're happy with, you need to prepare your boat for transport. Here are some steps you should take:
- Documents: If your boat is being sold or traveling abroad, you may require some documents. Make sure you have these at hand if you need them to avoid any late mishaps.
- Cleaning: Thoroughly clean your boat before it's conveyed. This way, you can remove any personal belongings and expensive electronic equipment that you don't want to get lost during transit. You can also get a good idea of the condition of your boat prior to pickup should anything occur. Make sure to secure any loose items that will stay on the boat, such as life jackets, and disconnect the battery and tidy the cables.
- 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 you're conveying a sailboat, remove all winches and rigging from the mast.
- Photographic Evidence: Document the condition of your vessel with time-stamped photographs before it's picked up. This will come in handy as evidence of its prior condition should any damages occur while it's being conveyed.
What to Do After Delivery
Once your boat has been conveyed to its destination in South Carolina, 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 operates as expected.
- Exterior Condition: Compare the exterior condition of the boat upon arrival to the photos taken prior to pickup. This will help you spot any damages that occurred during transit, and you can then raise this with the boat transport company.
Once the boat transport has been completed, we also ask that you leave feedback and a rating for your chosen boat mover. This helps future Shiply users browse services with the same level of confidence and helps your mover understand how their level of service was received.