Trucking boats cross country

[med2alfa]

Because of the shortage of available Albin 31 and 35's here on the left coast, I have been considering venturing east to find one. I remember reading a post by TD wherein he mentioned something about this subject of having one shipped.

Has anyone information to share on this experience regarding costs, permits, height limits, insurance, surveys, or any other applicable topics?

[Veebyes2]

Well I have never had to haul far but at least I have engaged the services of a hauler a couple of times.

They are not cheap. It is time & miles loaded plus it is the deadheading time coming to pick up the boat & returning after drop off. For a Left coast haul you might as well say that you are engaging haulage services for 2 weeks from the Right coast. $1000 per day may not be too far out of the ballpark.

If you find something in the Chesapeake area try this guy: Cove Point Marine Services, George or Denise Klien. 800 742 1301 or boathauler@chesapeake.net. Don't know if they have a website. They did a short haul of my 32 late in 99. Very concientious & careful guy.

Don't know if he is still operating but there is a start for you.

[Mariner]

I have a little input here.

Growing up, my father owned a company that built large storage tanks for chemical plants out of fiberglass. They were up to 16' in diameter and typically cylindrical. In other words, they were just like boats. We engaged the service of yacht haulers on a very regular basis. Until he sold the company in 1997, I worked in shipping and often helped in the loading and rigging process for shipment.

I don't know if they're around anymore, but we used Associated Boat Transport. They were good people, but we had trouble getting in touch with them when we purchased our boat in California and needed it trucked to Tacoma. We ended up hiring Dudley Boat Transport. http://www.dudleyboats.com/ They are widely recognized as the best yacht transport company on the west coast and possibly nationwide. And, conveniently for us, they are located right here in Tacoma. A professional shipper like Dudley will arrange everything from begining to end. They will figure out what yards will work on either end and what route needs to be taken. They will coordinate with the yards to figure out what things need to be done to the boat (removal of radar arches, windscreens, etc..). For that long of a trip, I highly suggest having the boat shrinkwrapped. Coming from California, our boat was left covoered with a layer of dead bugs. While they were easily washed off, the risks of more severe damage on such a long trip, make the cost of shrinkwrapping worth it. We always shrinkwrapped our tanks when they were going farther than about 1,000 miles. The trucker will usually take care of securing the boat for shipping if you don't have it shirnk wrapped. This includes the use of a lot of masking tape to seal up any and every opening and secure cabin contents in place.

It is NOT cheap to have a boat of this size shipped. For us from Vallejo, CA to Tacoma, WA was $6,400, plus yard time and labor on both ends. The only hang-up was when we were informed that the driver was waiting at the yard for us to bring him a check right away for the full amount due and we had to drop everything and bring it to him. We were expecting to be able to pay Dudley directly. I think this was only an issue because they contracted it to a independent driver. All in all, our boat arrived without a scratch, althougth there was some minor damage due to improper disassembly of the flybridge railings that was done by the yard in Vallejo. It was easily fixed and we let it slide.

[med2alfa]

Thanks guys, keep it coming! I have lived, boated and fished both near the Chesapeake Bay and Vallejo/Pittsburg, CA. Good memories both places.

Mariner, did you have to buy special insurance for the shipping or was that included? Did Dudley charge by time or by the job?
I would expect you did your due diligence by travelling to Vallejo for personal inspection and having hull and engine surveys done along with the sea trial thing?

Mike

[Mariner]

I honestly don't know how the insurance was covered. We put the boat under the blanket policy as soon as we took possession in Vallejo, so my assumption would be that it was covered by that, and I'm sure Dudley carries insurance for liability on the road.

The boat was actually located in Sausalito and we made two trips down there related to the purchase. First to look at the boat (as well as a sistership at the same brokerage) and make an offer. Then, a second trip to finalize the deal. On the second trip we rode with the broker, a licensed captain, and the surveyor from Sausolito to a yard in Vallejo where the surveyor could inspect the hull. In Vallejo we informed the broker that we would like to finalize the deal and the boat stayed there in the yard until Dudley picked it up, about a week later.

[TD]

I had my 2000 35' TE shipped from LI, NY to Seattle. It was $10k and did not include removing radar arch, loading and unloading. I used Murphy Yacht Transport [1-800-258-3470 or murphyyacht@adelphia.net] and was happy with them. Also got quote from Hays [813-979-2900 or www.haysmarinetransport.net]. I bought insurance as soon as I took posession on east coast through my State Farm Ins however I made the hauler was reputable and insured. I shipped in May [the busy time] but arranged it about 2 months before. I would strongly recommend a survey of the boat including engines, unless you are experienced and do it yourself. One thing surveyors don't normally do is side hull testing for voids. This is necessary in my book. I had a 39' SeaRay which had a problem but of course this don't happen very often.
Let me know if you think more info is useful.
I maybe I should mention that I started my east coast shopping by putting an add in a local LI paper. Very lucky that I got a response from a private party who was very nice to work with. TD

[med2alfa]

Thanks to all for the helpful tips. It sounds like after doing your due diligence in finding a boat, finding a reputable hauler, insuring the boat, making the loading and unloading arrangements, and finding the $$bucks$$ to make it all happen is all that's needed. Simple huh!

I did pose this question with the Bellingham dealer for Albin and came up with the same $$ amount.

TD, sounds like you didn't have any problems with damage to your boat. Did you have it shrinkwrapped? Also, did you have to add or modify the heating system(s) to meet your needs here on the west coast? What system did it come with? Did you get the galley up or down model? I looked at a 35TE yesterday and the up galley setup looked too small. I love to cook and need my space!!! The U shaped galley on the down galley model looks to be just what the cook ordered!!

Thanks again, guys. If you're going to the Seattle Boat Show, stop by the Albin/Sabreline/Back Cove displays at the Quest Field House. They are good people and have been very helpful in answering my many questions about Albin boats and construction issues. If they don't know the answer they have a connection to the factory that has provided the answers to my questions.

[TD]

No I didn't really have much to complain about. I didn't shrink wrap--there are arguments against and for it but I think the don't wraps is the best approach. The shrink wrapper really needs to know what he is doing because it is very easy to cause damage to gelcoat and it contains condesation-need proper venting. Even though my shipper did tape the side window sliders one did come open--no damage though.
I have the two heat pump system and it works fine. I carry a small heater for the front cabin if my wife needs it. I don't have a heater/fan off of the engine. Since I don't or haven't yet done any winter cruising/fishing I don't think I need it. I could always run the generator if needed.
I have the galley up which started in the 2000 year 35' Albin. It was a must for my wife & me because then the cook can enjoy company and happy hour appropriatley!!! It also gave us a double bunk arrangement in the forward port side so when my sons come fish I don't change anything in the up cabin.
We are fishing people primarily--spent six weeks this last summer at Neah Bay salmon and bottom fishing so boat needs might be a little different. Did well.

[med2alfa]

I understand your point about the shrinkwrap. Sounds like the truckers experience in hauling boats needs to be relied upon. From my experience in trailering smaller boats, wind and weather will take it's toll if things are not properly secured.

The wife and I are in the same mode as you. We are primarily out for the fish, crab and shrimp thing. We are new to the area so have a lot of local knowledge to catch up on. Did do well on crab and shrimp and caught a few salmon around the west side of Anacortes, but most of our experience is in and around Port McNeill, BC. Our annual trip in early August always produces limits on salmon and sometimes halibut. We have plans for the cruising thing when we get our Albin. It would be a great trip up to the Broughtons in mostly protected waters from here. A guy could spent all summer there exploring and fishing the area.

It seems to me that the bunk berths on the 35 are a bit on the narrow side. Didn't get up in them as they were being used for storage, but just my opinion. Also, if you have a generator you probably have the single engine model? That's what we are looking for as I like the space in the holy place to service what needs servicing.

By the way, did you mount downrigger brackets? If so how did you mount them on the gunnels and what coring material did you encounter? If it was end grain balsa did you do the epoxy annulus method to properly mount and bed the brackets? I've been reading a lot lately on this method to eliminate water entry into the core. Passagemaker, Nor'westing and Dockside mags have had good articles on this subject lately. We've got to protect our floating investments.

[TD]

I have twin Cummins 370hp so it is a crawl to the far port and starboard side but I can still make it. 90% of work is from a nice space in the center and mine has an electric oil changer and that is nice.
The only donwrigger to buy is the Scotty. I have two electric 2'--4' extension I think the number is 1406 and are about $400 at Outdoor Emporium on 4th ave in Seattle. Boat show price might beat it. I mounte the swivel mount right on the wide rail area about 1 1/2' from transom. That is solid fiberglass from what I saw so didn't do anything else but if you run into any wood I would fiberglass epoxy it. I ran #8 wire in waterproof conduit directly to my batteries with fuze at the battery. I am also planning to buy a Ace Line Hauler crab/shimp pot puller at boat show which will plug directly into the scotty plug. You can see it on www.acelinehauler.com.
I did spend 5 weeks in a trip from Seattle to Sullivan Bay [land side from north end of Vancouve Is. a few years ago in our 39' SeaRay. It was really spectacular.