transporting yacht west-east coasts

3Reefs · #1 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

I'm looking into boats -- Valiant 40 or similar -- for sale on the west coast, but live on the east. Rather than contemplate very long delivery through the canal am looking into possibility of trucking.

Does anyone have experience/advice on (a) how safe for boat a road trip will be (b) the cost?

The route: California to Texas, as that is shortest, or NC/FL if the price was right.

The trip's not ideal, but if the actual boat is ideal...

BONESDILLIGAF · #2 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

can I ask you a somewhat silly question? Have you found a boat? And if not, why only look on the left coast when there are so many for sale on the East?

I ask, because I am also looking for a boat and am looking mostly East coast to avoid the issue of transporting it 3000 miles.

thanks

~BONES~

3Reefs · #3 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

There are no silly questions, only silly answers...
Really I'm just trying to be ready to make a decision should the perfect boat (other than location) happen to crop up in the wrong place. In the end it all comes down to budget of course, but location is definitely low down on my check list in searching for The Boat. Condition, equipment, selling price -- they all come first.
Trucking to Texas cuts the bill close to half, I believe, and from there, well, it's an long, but do-able and even interesting delivery trip to points east and north!

BONESDILLIGAF · #4 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

fair enough.
I cannot fault your logic, and I guess at the end of the day it depends on your budget. Meanwhile, I sit here and discount most left coast boats because of the added expense.

then again, if cost is a concern, you gotta wonder why the boat you find on the west coast is so much less than a similar boat on the east, that it pays to transport it 3700 miles.

I have been searching the used boat scene, and so far both coasts have very comparable prices....

good luck to you, I would be very interested to see how it works for you.

oh, and here is a link to a valiant 40 for sale in NC

1986 valiant 40 Cutter sailboat for sale in North Carolina

~BONES~

DesertPirate · #5 (**permalink**) 04-01-2012

Wondering if 3Reefs has found his boat. It's been a couple of years since your last post, but since your short list and mine has some crossover, I wanted to find out what you ever bought. By the way, I am on the West coast and most of the boats on my short list are on the East coast!