Cost to Transport a Boat

When you choose to work with a specialized company with experience in boat transport, you have the guarantee that regardless of the weather outside, your boat will be delivered safely and on time so that you can enjoy the time spent on it. Regardless of whether the boat was bought in California and needs to be transported to New York, in 99% of cases the estimated delivery times are respected. Try to avoid those who offer low prices for the same type of operation so that you don’t have unpleasant “surprises” when the transport is completed.

How Much Does It Cost to Transport a Boat?

In general, the amount of money you are going to spend in order to transport a boat will be affected by factors such as the geographical location, the point of origin, the size of the boat, the distance traveled, and the company transporting it.

Be prepared to pay anywhere between $2.75 and $5.50 per mile for a 28 to 40-foot boat. In the table below you will find the average costs of transporting different boat sizes across the United States. These estimates are based on the quotes we received from various professional shippers across the country. We noticed that most of the prices were less than $5 per mile and, that is 20% to 30% more expensive to transport a boat from the east side to the west side than from west to east.

According to a member of the Boat Red online forum, the cost of transporting a 45-foot boat from North Carolina to Louisiana is around $6,200, while the cost of shipping a 31-foot boat from Florida to Wisconsin is almost $3,550.

You might also like our articles on the cost of boat storage, boat winterizing, or boat upholstery repair.

If you are going to choose the Boat Hauling company from Minnesota, you will have to pay anywhere between $2.50 and $4.50 per mile. The cost for a boat that is over 12 feet is more than $4.50 per mile, while for a boat up to 8 feet and 6 inches, you will have to pay $2.50 per mile.

Boat transportation – short presentation

A shipper will arrive at the location and will place the boat on a trailer to take it to its destination. Depending on the demands, they will assess the boat for any damages and will wrap it. Also, depending on the boat’s size, some may have to be disassembled in order to meet the local state laws for rod traveling.

Once it arrives at its destination, the boast can be stored offshore at a local storage facility or hoisted into the water by the marina. It depends on your own preferences.

You should receive some kind of guarantee that the boat will be transported in a certain amount of time, with no damages.

What are the additional expenses?

Besides shipping, the contractor may charge extra fees that can include the mast unstopping (if needed due to the boat size), unloading, storage, traveling to the start location and back to the company base with the empty trailer, and others. The costs for these types of services would be anywhere between $75 and $120 per hour.

The majority of the states will require permits to legally transport the boat on the road if it is oversized. You will need multiple permits to transport the boat across the state lines, and, depending on the state, these will cost anywhere between $100 and $250 per state. Also, it is important to mention that most states have a height limit of 13 feet and 6 inches.

The mileage price is affected by the fuel prices, as well. Expect to pay more per mile, if the gas costs are high.

It is not mandatory, but some clients like to give a tip to the driver who did the work.

Important things to consider

You should be prepared to answer the following questions when you call any hauling company:

• Where do you need to ship the boat from and to?
• What is the length of the mast?
• What is the boat’s length, height, width, and manufacturer?
• What is the service date? and it is outboard or inboard?

After receiving all this information, the majority of the companies will be able to offer you a price quote immediately online or over the phone.

Whenever you choose a transporter, ask for a referral, their insurance certifications, and their US DOT number.

Most companies will require that your boat have as little fuel as possible, in order to make sure that the trip is safe.

Before loading onto the platform, pictures will be taken in which the state of the boat can be seen before transport. There are checklists that must be carried out carefully before pick-up and delivery. Unfortunately, during road transport, certain equipment inside can be damaged.

Make sure you check if your boat insurance covers the boat during travel. In case it does, you will not be responsible for any damage that may appear during the transfer.

How can I save money?

If the boat transporting costs are too high for you, it may be a good idea to just sell the boat and buy a new one from your new location. In general, larger boats are much cheaper to relocate this way. However, if the boat has sentimental value, this may not be such a good option.

You may be able to save some money on boat shipping if you choose to book in advance.