Cost to truck a Sundancer 280 1000 miles in the US?

[mobocracy]

What's the average cost to have a boat the size of a Sundancer 280 trucked across the US?

As I've (very) casually shopped 280s on sites like BoatTrader, the selection is greatly improved if I extend my range beyond the immediate area where I live in Minnesota. I don't have the vehicle needed to tow a boat like this myself and some may not be boats with trailers, either -- merely pulling them and jack-standing them at marinas seems to be a common winter storage method for boats that aren't in the common trailerable size.

So in addition to whatever costs are associated with making an out of state purchase (mostly time, but some travel costs for personal inspection) you'd have to add in the cost of transportation to make sure the distant boat remained reasonable with shipping costs.

Most of the shipping services seem quote based, making back of the envelope estimates complicated. Most of the forum-type numbers I saw varied from about $4000 to $6000, but the distances were closer to 1500 miles and the boats slightly larger which would add costs.

 

[firecadet613]

To move a boat bigger than a 280, but still trailerable with a pickup, cost me roughly $3800 two years ago. This was a trip of 1300 miles.

 

[FootballFan]

Just a guess, not facts. Could be pulled on a trailer. Guessing it would start at 3-4$ per mile. Will depend on width and whether or not the states which are being crossed require an over width permit and escort vehicle.

 

[JimT]

$3.50 per mile for a 280DA is about right.

 

[mobocracy]

Thanks for the info. $4000 seems like at least a reasonable back-of-the-envelope number to use when price-shopping used boats. I haven't gotten very serious at this point in terms of shopping and may not even bother looking too far afield, but this at least gives me something to consider.

 

[dpmulvey]

A friend just sold his 280. He trucked it from Louisiana to TX to sell.... Roughly 500 miles behind a 3/4 ton RAM diesel. He also trailerd the thing all over the country taking trips. He never had a problem. For the kind of money you are talking to have it hauled, I would consider purchasing a trailer and towing it behind a truck....Your own if you have one and if not, rent an unlimited mileage one from enterprise or the like. You can do your own off season storage for the cost of the truck and bring it home (if you have the room) for cleaning and maintenance.

My 2 centavos.

 

[RollerCoastr]

if not, rent an unlimited mileage one from enterprise or the like. You can do your own off season storage for the cost of the truck and bring it home (if you have the room) for cleaning and maintenance.

My 2 centavos.

I tried to rent a truck to move my 280BR 1,300 miles this spring. I couldn't make it work. Most standard rental companies don't rent anything above a half-ton or specifically prohibit towing or only allow towing of their equipment. (U-Haul) Hertz Truck only rents to companies with a commercial insurance policy. Enterprise Truck doesn't allow out-of-state travel.

I finally left the trailer behind and used the low bidder from uship. That was interesting, but successful.

 

[dpmulvey]

Interesting. I leased a U-Haul from J'ville, FL to RIC when I returned from Italy. I moved some furniture and towed my boat one way. Of course that was many years ago and there was a need for trucks up north as a lot of kids had just moved down to FL for college.

 

[RollerCoastr]

I got the impression that U-Haul aren't the sticklers about it that some of the other agencies are, but the per-mile fee and 1,300 miles in a box truck didn't appeal to me anyway.

I called Enterprise for clarification about interstate travel. The rep explained that some locations may prohibit towing as well, but the real issue was that they couldn't guarantee proximity of a service center on a long hauls. That made sense - I could be in a real mess if I blew a transmission in the middle of Nowhere KY...

 

[Henry Boyd]

The thing with Enterprise is that in many locations the stores are franchise operations, hence the no out of state, no towing rules.

One thing the OP can try and do is contact local marinas, boat dealers and boat haulers in the area where he is either buying the boat, or where the boat will be delivered to. Sometimes you can link up with a boat hauler that is delivering a boat and looking for a return load. I have friends who have moved their boat (36 Tiara) between Boston and Florida several times this way.

henry

 

[mobocracy]

The logistics of trying to do it myself sound at least as complicated as hiring someone else considering I don't own a vehicle that could tow much beyond a pop-up camper, plus I'd have to actually do the work and I haven't towed anything in about 25 years (although that was a fifth-wheel flatbed trailer with a 3/4 ton pickup).

 

[RollerCoastr]

Yep - that's where I found myself this spring. Other challenges include permits and the unreliable nature of trailer tires. I can't say that watching her pull away under someone else's care wasn't stressful though. He also took a longer route and drove through much more rain than I would have. Four months later, the bow still has some stains from diesel soot and road grime.

 

[SlothSeaRay]

Just had a 97 260 Bowrider shipped via uship 750 miles for $950.

I went the auction route which was much cheaper than the set price uship wanted to charge.

Good luck!

 

[EKM]

I moved a 30DA and the low cost option was to buy a used float on trailer and hire a diesel pick up to tow it. Then I had a trailer for it and could make local moves with it. Trailer used was $2200 and sold it later for $2200 (after I sold the boat).

 

[Henry Boyd]

Just had a 97 260 Bowrider shipped via uship 750 miles for $950.

I went the auction route which was much cheaper than the set price uship wanted to charge.

Good luck!

Having seen the antics of the fools on the TV show "Shipping Wars" who are supposed to be "elite Uship transportation providers", I'm not sure I'd trust my boat, or anything valuable for that matter, to them.

 

[k-nutz]

watched a guy transporting a searay on a trailer yesterday on the highway. he cut off a pickup with inches to spare, and when he cut over he did it so quickly that he had to swerve the other way to avoid going into the next lane. I thought the boat was gonna come off the trailer... smh...

 

[Jim W]

I got quotes ranging from $3.40 per mile to $11 per mile to haul a SR 310 (required a wide-load permit).

 

[Kreole Kid]

The wife and I are in Destin Fl. right now, and on the way, I passed a newer looking 260DA, blue hull on a triple axle being towed by a Dodge Crew cab Dually. The guy didn't look like he was having too much trouble pulling her down I-10 East. So if you have access to a triple axle trailer and a Dually, whether it be one of the big three, I don't think you'll have a problem doing it yourself. Good Luck.