Shipping a Watercraft from Columbia, South Carolina
Moving a watercraft can be a challenging endeavor, whether you're purchasing a new vessel, selling an old one, or simply need to relocate your boat from one place to another. Locating a reliable watercraft transport company that fulfills all your requirements can be difficult. However, on Shiply, you can discover & compare trustworthy boat haulers in just a few clicks, often with prices up to 75% lower than standard rates. Before you begin, you must determine precisely what service you necessitate. This guide will assist you in doing just that.
The Expense of Watercraft Transport
It's difficult to offer an exact cost for boat shipping due to the numerous factors that can influence quotes. On average, short distance transport can range from $150 to $300, while longer haul journeys can cost anywhere from $600 to $1,000. Several elements can affect the expense of your watercraft transportation, including:
- Distance: The mileage your boat needs to travel will greatly impact the price. Domestic shipping within the US is typically less expensive than international travel, as it usually involves inland transportation on a trailer. International boat transport can be more costly, with options such as Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO), enclosed containers, flat racks, and submersion.
- Boat Size: The dimensions of your watercraft can also significantly affect pricing. Standard-sized boats can be transported internationally using enclosed containers, while larger vessels may require alternative methods. The size of the boat can also impact 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 of your watercraft transportation.
- Pickup and Delivery Locations: The accessibility of your pickup and delivery locations can impact pricing, with remote areas potentially incurring additional costs for the extra miles required.
- Time of Year: Seasonality can also affect pricing, as ice, wind, and snow can alter road conditions and available transportation routes.
Measuring Your Watercraft for Transport
To get an accurate quote for transporting your boat, you need to provide potential boat movers with its dimensions. While the manufacturer usually provides these, we recommend double-checking yourself to avoid any issues on the day of transport. Here's a brief overview of what to measure:
- 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 roughly 40' long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Boats exceeding this size may require a special permit for transport.
Locating Watercraft Transport Companies with Shiply
Shiply streamlines the process of finding boat transport companies. 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 the quotes will be, giving you a great platform 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 already making the journeys and looking for extra loads, but it can also save you up to 75% compared to standard rates.
Readying Your Watercraft for Shipping
Once you've chosen 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 on 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 and rigging from the mast.
- Photographic Evidence: Document your vessel's condition with time-stamped photographs before pickup to serve as evidence of its prior condition should any damages occur during transport.
Shipping a Watercraft to and from Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina, is a popular destination for boat owners due to its proximity to Lake Murray, a vast reservoir spanning 50,000 acres. Many people transport their boats to and from Columbia to enjoy the lake's recreational activities, such as fishing, water sports, and leisure boating.
When transporting a boat to or from Columbia, it's essential to consider the city's location and accessibility. Columbia is situated in the center of South Carolina, making it a convenient hub for boat transport within the state. However, if you're transporting your boat from another state or country, you may need to factor in additional travel time and potential costs.
Post-Delivery Checklist
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: 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. This will help you identify any damages that may have occurred during transit, which you can then raise with the boat transport company.
Once the boat transport is complete, we ask that you leave feedback and 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.