Boat Shipping

[No Name Sea Ray]

Boat Shipping

I have never shipped my boat and I don't plan on it anytime soon. But after all the hubbub about it here it might be good to have a constructive outlet to talk about shipping a boat.

If you don't know what the hubbub is I am talking about, this is a brief rundown- A ClubSeaRay member had some troubles shipping his boat and came here to tell the tale and get some support. Things turned bad and the threads were pulled.

-ENOUGH SAID- Let's keep this thread out of the shallow water.

Last night I read this good article about what to watch out for when shipping- http://www.boatusmagazine.com/boatus/20100304/#pg50

From Monday's news- Don't expect any help from the feds as the DOT can't even control hazardous materials, I doubt they would be concerned about controlling the shipping of your luxury item- http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-05-03-hazmat-permits_N.htm

 

[Southpaw II]

A couple of years ago I shipped a boat from Tampa to central Mississippi, About 725 miles. I asked the Broker in FL to provide the names of 3 Transporters. I spoke to all 3 and asked for references. Also did a search on the internet. The transporter did a good job, but the crew that rigged the boat down was a disappointment. For all of the things that I had to coordinate by long distance, it went pretty well.

 

[jeremyandalison]

I've shipped two boats in the last twelve months - a 260DA and a 300DA, both from Virginia to upstate NY, about 500 miles.

I used uShip on both occasions and was happy enough with how things turned out. A couple of lessons learned - if you're using uShip, it really is a glorified dating service. It is only a service to connect you to a shipper and makes no warranties and guarantees about their effectiveness. In other words, you have to do your own homework using DOT resources to validate the credentials of the prospective shippers and just as importantly, to know your own shipment. In order for uShip to be effective, you need to figure out as much detail as you can about your shipment and ask as many questions as possible.

Second, the price of shipping and the availability of willing shippers often depends on market conditions. Last year, for example, I had lots of bidders to ship my 260 whereas this year it was more difficult, even way in advance of the shipment.

Third, I think there is a value to paying a price premium to get a shipper who is experienced, credentialed etc.


Happy to share my experiences in further detail if needed.