What To Expect When Shipping A Boat

Transporting a boat, or any type of watercraft for that matter, involves a few extra wrinkles that make it more complicated than shipping other types of vehicles. As you know, boats and yachts come in a wide range of sizes and dimensions, which can make it a challenge to ship types of boats, or even to transport to certain locations. While the process is essentially the same as other types of vehicle shipping, there are laws in place which regulate how large of a cargo load can be driven in certain areas. Similarly, the process of loading and unloading a boat from a transport carrier or ship can be very labor intensive or require specialized equipment in some cases.

Preparation Is Part of It

Another aspect of shipping a boat that is different from shipping other vehicles is that there is more preparation involved. The exact requirements depend on the boat shipping company’s requests, but in general, there are a few things that you’re likely to find that every company will require. To give you an idea of some of the preparations that are most commonly needed when shipping a boat, you can view our in-depth article on preparing a boat for shipment by clicking here.

Know Your Dimensions

One of the most important things you’ll need to know—even before reaching out to a company that ships boats—are the dimensions of your boat. They come in all shapes and sizes and any surprises in terms of the expected dimensions can result in additional costs, delays, or even worse, a company may not be able to transport it at all. Take careful measurements of any parts of the boat that are requested by the shipping company so that they can give you the most accurate price quote possible, as well as to ensure that they’re capable of moving a boat of the particular dimensions you require.

Do you need a boat or yacht shipped to another part of the country, or even overseas? Call A-1 Auto Transport today at 1-888-230-9116 to learn about our full service boat transport solutions! We offer affordable pricing to all interested parties at NO CHARGE and we’ll happily answer any questions you may have about the process!

Explore Pricing Options

Now for the million dollar question (though hopefully considerably less!). How much will it cost to ship a boat? This is the number one question we get regarding any type of transport service, boat or otherwise. It’s also not an easy question to answer since there are so many variables involved in determining the cost. One way to nail down just what you can expect to pay is to contact shippers and get an estimate. This is a fairly quick and easy process in most instances, and any company that transports boats should be willing to quote you a price for the service you need. It’s important to keep in mind that some companies will be cheaper and some will be more expensive, often times for the same service. This is not unusual and it’s one of the reasons why it’s a good idea to explore your options and get estimates from several companies before coming to a decision.

Be Patient

Shipping any vehicle is a time consuming process and boats are no exception. In fact, you’ll probably need to exhibit more patience when awaiting delivery of a boat that’s being shipped than you will with other vehicles. The simple fact of the matter is that boats are generally large, heavy, and have tricky dimensions that can slow the process. Transport times can also depend on the method being used. For example, it may take long if you ship a boat from if you transport it as ocean cargo as opposed to overland transport (when it’s an option, of course). Either way, the companies you contact should be able to give you a reasonably accurate timeframe for delivery, but it’s important to maintain some flexibility with your expectations as delays can occur due to unexpected circumstances, such as bad weather or traffic delays.