Boat sales are on the rise! As fun as it is to have your own, if you’re moving out of state with it, you might be panicking. We’re here to help. We’ll go over methods of moving a boat, different options for shipping boats professionally, and the cost of shipping a boat. We’ll also cover how to move four types of boats, how to prepare for moving, and how to re-register your boat. By the end, you’ll feel confident shipping your boat across the country!
Table of Contents
Boat Moving Methods
First, it’s important to know your options for moving a boat. The best method of transporting your boat depends heavily on its size and weight.
DIY Move
One option is the DIY move, which works for relatively small boats like kayaks and canoes. With this method, you can tow the boat yourself on a trailer. Consider this method if your boat is shorter than 25 feet.
Depending on your boat’s size, driving your boat across the country might require a permit. In addition, depending on the boat’s height, you might be required to have an escort vehicle with a height pole drive your route in advance. With a tall boat, you’ll need to avoid overpasses and utilities. We’ll go over these laws in detail later.
You can also consider a DIY move for a bigger boat if you have a high-power vehicle and trailer. However, this option might be dangerous depending on weather conditions and terrain.
Delivery Captain
Another option is to hire someone who can pilot your boat by water. Consider this option if you need to transport a large boat like a sailboat and are moving somewhere accessible by water.
If you go this route, make sure you find someone who you trust to drive your boat. Get professional references, and make sure your captain has a proven record of successfully transporting boats like sailboats.
Shipping a Boat
Lastly, another option is to find a professional service that can ship your boat across the country. This option works for both domestic and international moves. We’ll cover different options for shipping a boat in the next section.
Professional Boat Shipping Methods
There are many options for shipping your boat across the country professionally. Factors that affect your choice of method include the size and type of boat and the distance you have to go. For example, a longer move can weather a boat more than a shorter one.
Also consider your budget, how fast you need the boat to arrive, and the security of the shipping option. You can see if a company offers any kind of security measures to protect your boat.
Truck Boat Shipping
One of the quick and cheap boat shipping methods involves shipping a boat on a truck. This method works well for small boats, as regulations limit the boat’s width, height, and weight.
Many companies offer specialized boat shipping services. They may also have trucks designed for shipping certain boats like yachts.
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Container Shipping
Another option is to ship a boat across the country inside a container. An upside of this shipping method is that you can also put other items in the container. In addition, your boat will be protected from the elements.
Obviously, this method works better for smaller boats. It might also require some preparation like disassembling the boat before it goes into the container.
Sea Shipping
Some methods of shipping boats rely on other boats. Roll-on/roll-off boat shipping involves driving or towing your boat onto another ship. With this method, your boat stays on its trailer throughout transport.
Flat-rack shipping involves securing boats to a rack that’s loaded onto a ship. Lift-on/life-off shipping uses a crane to put the boat on the ship.
Most of these shipping methods have the disadvantage of exposing boats to the elements.
Shipping Costs
Various factors affect the cost of moving a boat. One factor is the distance. Road transport may cost a few hundred dollars for short distances, or thousands of dollars if you’re shipping your boat across the country.
Another factor in determining price is the timing of your move. You may find cheaper options during the winter when there’s less demand for boat transport.
Also, consider insurance and whether you need to up your insurance during the move. You might need additional coverage for risks like theft or damage from transport, including damage from accidents.
DIY
The cheapest method is a DIY method. With this method, longer trips usually cost more than shorter trips. The route you take might include different expenses, including tolls and the price of fuel. Remember you’ll spend a lot more on fuel while towing a boat than you usually do.
Keep in mind that it might be hard to move a boat without helpers, and you’ll probably want to pay the helpers for their time. You might also need to pay for lodging if you’re transporting the boat across the country.
Shipping
The average cost of shipping a small boat professionally is $2.25 per mile. However, this cost varies depending on the type of boat, the popularity of the route you choose, the size of the boat, and the locations you’re shipping to.
For example, in North Carolina, with a boat over twelve feet long, expect to pay about $3.55 to $5 per mile for shipping. With a smaller boat, you can expect to pay closer to $2.50 per mile.
Delivery Captain
The priciest method is probably hiring a delivery captain. You’ll have to pay the captain and any crew members hefty daily fees. You also need to fund their travel back home after they deliver your boat. Moreover, you’ll pay for fuel and cover unexpected costs that arise. Thus, prepare to spend at least $350 to $450 per day with this boat transport method.
Moving Four Types of Boats
Now we’ll go over considerations for moving four types of boats.
Sailboat
If you have to transport a sailboat across the country, your options depend on its size.
It’s possible you can transport the sailboat yourself using a specialized transport trailer. To get your sailboat ready, remove as many loose parts from the mast as possible, including radar and rigging.
Don’t secure the mast to the boat; sailboat transport trailers will be able to carry the mast separately. If your boat is too tall and can have the height reduced, you’ll need to remove those parts of the sailboat before transport.
However, especially if you have a larger sailboat to transport, consider hiring professionals to transport your sailboat.
Yacht
If you own a yacht, your main options are to ship the yacht on a cargo ship or get a professional yacht transport company to deliver it for you. This second option is better for short distances, and it may be faster.
Yacht transport companies often have specific advice on preparing your yacht for transport, including ways to reduce the height, protect fragile parts, and secure equipment that might be damaged during travel.
Expect to pay about $20 to $25 per nautical mile when transporting a yacht via a cargo ship. Alternatively, you might pay up to $1,000 to $3,000 per day for a yacht delivery service.
Personal Watercraft
In the case of moving a personal watercraft like a jet ski, you’ll probably be able to get away with driving the boat yourself without needing an oversized load permit.
To transport the jet ski yourself, you’ll need to load it onto a trailer. You can use a loading ramp or lift to get it on. You should then secure the jet ski on the trailer using strong straps and ropes. Shake the vehicle to make sure it’s not moving around when you’re done.
You can also hire professionals to ship your jet ski. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars to ship your jet ski a short distance, and up to $1,000 to $2,000 for shipping it longer distances of more than 500 miles.
Non-Motorized Boats
Small, non-motorized boats like canoes and kayaks can typically be transported on top of a car or trailer.
You usually transport a canoe upside down. Use ropes or cam straps to tie it to the vehicle, with either foam blocks or a roof rack under the canoe. The method for transporting a kayak is similar.
Moving Considerations
The vast majority of boats people own are small boats, especially personal watercraft or non-motorized boats. Thus, in this section, we’ll go over advice for moving these boats.
How To Measure a Boat
Your options for shipping a small boat across the country depend on the boat’s size. Thus, it’s important to know how to measure your boat. You should measure the boat yourself even if the owner’s manual gives you measurements.
Find the overall length of the boat by measuring from the center of the front tip to the back. Include any extensions such as motors in the measurement.
To find the height of the boat, measure from the very bottom to the highest part that you can’t remove. Lastly, to find the beam measurement, measure across the widest part of the boat. Make sure you include rails!
How To Prepare a Boat
There are some things you should do to get the boat ready before you move it. Make sure you clean the boat, as any loose items or debris could fly off while the boat is traveling.
Secure everything else on the boat, including any doors or windows that open. Take off any parts of the boat that you can remove, and store them in a safe place. If your boat has a mast, you might need to remove that as well.
Keep your fuel level low to reduce the boat’s weight and drain your water tanks. Disconnect the boat’s battery throughout transport to protect the boat from electrical issues.
Lastly, do a final inspection of the boat to look for damage; this will let you know if any damage occurs due to shipping. You can also take pictures of the boat.
Transport Permits
If you’re transporting an oversized boat via roads, many states have regulations that will apply to you. Be sure to consult the regulations of whichever states you’re driving through; you’ll need each state to issue you a permit to drive your boat, and states vary slightly in their requirements. These permits can cost anywhere from under $100 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the weight of your load.
In Iowa, you can only drive your oversized boat from thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset on weekdays. You also can’t drive on Sunday. You need a state-issued permit for any boat over 8 feet and 6 inches wide. If your boat is 14 feet or longer, you may need an escort as well, and you’ll need a height pole if your boat is 14 feet 4 inches or taller.
Texas has similar restrictions. Like in Iowa, you can only travel during daylight hours, although you can travel on weekends. You can get away with having a boat up to 65 inches long, 8 feet 6 inches wide, and 14 feet tall without being required to have a permit. Otherwise, you’ll require an escort vehicle. Many laws govern the nature of the escort vehicle you use as well.
In North Carolina, you need permits for boats over 8 feet 6 inches long, more than 14 feet tall, and more than 60 feet long when attached to your vehicle.
Lastly, in South Carolina, you’re restricted to daylight hours on Monday through Saturday. Additional laws govern the use of state highways near urban areas during school days. You need a permit for trailers with loads of over 53 inches that are more than 8 feet and 6 inches wide and more than 13 feet and 6 inches tall.
Aquatic Hitchhiker Laws
If you’re moving a boat between states, also know that some states have laws related to invasive species known as aquatic hitchhikers. These species can be carried on boats, motors, and water gear, and can spread if you use your boat in new water.
The best advice for stopping the spread of aquatic hitchhikers is to clean debris from your boat and other gear using hot water. Drain all the water from different compartments of your boat, and allow the boat to dry for at least five days.
If you’re moving your boat out of a body of water, be aware of local laws relating to aquatic hitchhikers that might require you to clean your boat. Also do some research on the laws in the state you’re moving to, so that you know if they differ from the laws you’re used to.
States like Iowa require you to pull drain plugs and open any other water draining devices while you transport your boat, to prevent these species from spreading. Similarly, Texas requires you to remove aquatic hitchhikers before leaving a body of water.
Re-Registering a Boat
Once you arrive at your destination, you might need to re-register your boat. Check your state’s requirements.
Know that there are typically fees for registering a boat. In addition, keep in mind that if you have a boat trailer to transport your boat, you should title and register the trailer as well.
In Texas, motorized boats, as well as non-motorized boats 14 feet or longer must be registered. You have 90 days to do this after arriving with your boat in Texas if you plan to use the boat.
In Iowa, you need to register most boats except for kayaks and canoes of 13 feet or less in length without a motor or sail, and other small inflatable boats. You can use your boat registered in another state for only 60 days in Iowa.
North Carolina has different registration guidelines, requiring all motorized vessels like jet skis to be registered, as well as sailboats over 14 feet long, among others. You have 90 days after your arrival in North Carolina to register your boat.
South Carolina similarly requires registration of mechanized boats, with the exception of a few vessels. You can use a boat from another state for 60 days in South Carolina without registering it.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you’re feeling confident about shipping your boat across the country. There are different methods of transporting a boat including a DIY move, professional shipping, and hiring a delivery captain so do proper research to find the best option for you. There are also several types of shipping methods, including container shipping.
Costs of transporting a boat vary. DIY moves are typically the cheapest, and delivery captains are often the most expensive. There are specific considerations for transporting different types of boats, including sailboats and personal watercraft. Know how to measure and prep your boat for a move, and be aware of certain permits and laws if you’re moving your boat across the country. Different states also have different guidelines for re-registering your boat after the move.
Once you’ve shipped your boat across the country and re-registered it, it’s finally time to hit the water!
If you’re feeling stressed about other aspects of your move like packing moving boxes and transporting your stuff, consider hiring professional movers to help you out. Movers can help make this process much quicker and easier!
Sophie Pollack-Milgate has a day job as a bioethics research assistant. In her free time, she likes to read books critiquing psychiatry, complain about how either ice or heat are ruining her runs (depending on the season), and modify recipes beyond recognition.
