Shipping a boat

[lrak]

Hi All

Just a crazy question...


I live in Australia - you know that place where Kangaroos roam the street, crocodiles eat toddlers and stingray's kill celebrities - yeah thats the one. ha ha.

Anyhow I am looking at some classic bluewater boats in US - westsails etc - and given the current exchange rate and differences in pricing... am really attracted to boats that I personally can't afford in Australia.

I have spoken to a couple of brokers over there who have quoted $12 - $15,000 for transport - shipped to Australia but I would really like to know if I am missing any alternatives.

In an ideal world I would be able to afford enough time away from work to sail it back myself but that is only a pipedream.

I am guessing that a delivery skipper would be more expensive than this also...

Does anyone have any alternatives?

Thanks All

Karl

[hellosailor]

Karl, the topic has been discussed before here or on similar sailing forums. I don't think you've missed anything, unless you can find a way to charter it out and charge some Yanks to bring it over to you.

There's a float on-float-off service which is certainly no cheaper, and sailing it over (including Panama Canal transit fees) isn't going to be cheap either. No mater how you do it, crew, food, preparation...those delivery expenses are part of why the boats aren't imported wholesale to you.

Although I suppose for the price of transport, you could take two annual trips to the US and sail it over here for the next five years?

[SCoffshore]

You can probably save yourself a little coin by looking at the main shippers fro Australia and the States and calling their shipping depts direct and cutting out the middle man. Most these days are doing that in order to make some more money. If the boat you decide on has a keel that can be semi-easily removed, you will save yourself some coin also. Biggest thing is you will end up having to have a cradle made and typically the mast derigged. The boat will come flat rack on the deck of a container ship. Not a big thing really. It can also be put on a plane and flown to you if you really want it fast.

[camaraderie]

I think 12-15k is probably significantly under the real cost these days for say a 40' boat. I paid more than that for my 52 from Martinique to Florida several years ago when oil was less than half the price. Be really sure about the cost before you buy the boat!

[Zephyr88]

Originally Posted by lrak

Hi All
I have spoken to a couple of brokers over there who have quoted $12 - $15,000 for transport - shipped to Australia but I would really like to know if I am missing any alternatives.

I'd be very interested to know the names of the brokers that quoted you for transport to Australia. I'm thinking of buying in the US as well and your idea for shipping seems like a good one.

What size boat are you looking at buying?

You can PM me with the names as I don't think putting them up on the forum is allowed.

Thanks

[sailingdog]

AFAIK, you can post the names of the brokers, provided you're not one of them.

[Zanshin]

Shipping via Dockwise from Port Everglades to Brisbane a couple of months ago was quoted around US$40k for a 43' and I got a quote Port Everglades to Sardinia for the same boat at US$30K for next week. The costs you quoted are quite low and I would be surprised if they could ship for that.

[lrak]

Hey All

I tried to PM you Zephyr but apparently I haven't posted enough to have this privledge. Could have told me that before I started posting aaargh.

Basically before I throw everyone into a frenzy it is important to know that I am looking at smaller boats... 32 footers etc. and all quotes have simply been generated by yachtworld etc a range of brokers - sorry I have recently lost a lot of emails with a self destructing computer... but got a quote this morning for Florida to Au for $15k us... but on a small boat - read barely 30 foot. (Sorry i am being descrete - I don't want someone else buying this one, if I can help it.)

There is a massive range of quotes upto about $30k depending on location in US... and more importantly the dimensions of the boat derigged.

Best bet is to find a boat you are interested in and enquire all the brokers to date have been knowledgeable and helpful... have a look also at shipping agents one I looked at was Premier Shipping? They were really helpful.

Hope this is some help

Sorry i can't PM... will have to randomly post to get to limit of 10 - ha ha.

[Ilenart]

Irak,

most people I have heard shipping a boat from the states are normally looking at 38 ft yachts and larger. If you are looking at a yacht under 30ft I'm not sure if it would be worth the cost of shipping. There are a lot of cheap Oz yachts under 30ft; H28's, Custom 30, Viking 30 Compass 28 / 29, etc all come to mind.

For example, this Custom 30 is on the market for A$33,000.

This Cavalier 26 is A$20,900.

Ilenart

[funsailthekeys]

Just a thought, you would be amazed at the money you save if you put it in a container. I'm not completely sure on the largest size container, but I think it's 40'. From Pt Everglades to Singapore it was $7000.