Transport cost 30 foot sailboat

[mmazour]

I am currently looking around at 30 foot sailboats, ODay, Catalina, Pearson and S2, and am not finding anything in my area. But am finding a nice selection in Florida, California, Missouri, Rhode Island...You get the idea. Anyway we have a budget of $25,000 I am wondering how much of that is going to be consumed by transportation? Has anyone had a sailboat transported lately? What kind if "ballpark" costs am I looking at?

[Freesail99]

I spent a little over $3200 to move a 31 foot boat 700 miles. I also had to pay for all tolls and permits.

[mmazour]

That is what I was guessing. How recent was that?

[Freesail99]

That was in 2006.

[L02314564]

Not sure if this will help, but there is a website uShip - The Online Shipping Marketplace - Ship Freight, Furniture, Vehicles or Moves that you could get bids on. I have hauled a couple of 30 footers in the last year @ 3.75 per mile but with fuel prices being what it is now, would probably cost atleast 5.50 a mile. The rates did not include permits and tolls.

[UrbanChicago]

What sort of permits are required?

[Freesail99]

Many truckers move the boats on weekend, avoiding getting permits as most weight stations are closed on weekends. Some will still charge for the "permits".

[L02314564]

Originally Posted by UrbanChicago

What sort of permits are required?

Most states require an oversized/overwidth permit to move a boat that exceeds 102" in width. A permit is required even if the boat is only 1 inch wider. I just had to purchase permits from Texas and Louisiana to tow a 27 footer with a beam of 106". The Texas permit cost $60 and required a $10,000 bond. The Louisiana permit cost $10.

With budgets getting tighter by the hour, most states have increased inspections on towed equipment and are ticketing very heavily when a permit isn't on hand or filed incorrectly.

[sander06]

I just moved a boat in Wisconsin. Five bucks a mile.