Transporting a boat

When we took delivery of our 45-foot fire boat from Mobile to Baton Rouge, the overland transport cost for the 200 miles greatly outweighed to water transport cost, even considering we had half coastal and half up-stream on the MS River.
Instead, we took two of our less experienced operators and matched them with our most experienced operator and made the trip by water. By the time the boat arrived, we had two competent boat operators added to our crew. It was not enough to teach them nearly everything, but it greatly advanced their knowledge base.

I have been teaching boat operating for nearly 20 years and also have a USCG license. I strongly recommend you take that trip by water with an experienced captain. There are so many topics to cover in this size boat regarding operations (radar, anchoring, man-overboard procedures, NAV rules, chart reading, and and on) not to mention learning all the systems on the boat.
Even if it were cheaper to do a land transport, you will be extending your learning period. In addition, I have read threads on the damage done by land transport crews. Why risk it?

Good luck and congratulations!!
 
I would do it on water and the experience from the captain you hire would be priceless. What a great way to shake down your new purchase. By the time you arrive at your home port you will know every inch of the boat and what it needs going forward and you will have a great story to tell dock mates.

Do it by land and that will just be a project to take apart and put back together.
 
Does anyone have the measurement from the top of the arch to the bottom of the hull?
 
I don’t remember those measurements. But I do know when I researched how to get my boat from San Francisco to Seattle. There was no other option other than significant removal of the fly bridge to make the OTR trip possible.

I went North on the boat with a captain.

My boat is currently in Oregon having come South. With good planning and good help it’s a great trip.
 
One more thought...

If you do it by land and have to take the flybridge off. DO NOT get cheap about who you have take it apart and put back together.

Talk to anyone on here that has done it. It is best to have whoever takes it apart come to your new location and put it back together.

If you don't the person taking apart does so knowing he doesn't have to deal with cut wires and lost screws and bolts.

I had a boat transport company for ten years and we always!!! Flew the person that dismantled the boat to put it back together.
 
Thanks all for your replies. I was able to find a service that specializes in large boat transport and works a lot with my local marina. The have the same boat on the hard on their lot so he was able to get dimensions to assure he can transport for me. I just have to remove props and accessories on the arch. Trip will just cost a little more due to needing an extra pilot car and some off freeway detours for height restrictions. I will keep everyone posted of how the trip goes if anyone becomes interested in a transport referral
 
So after all the logistics having to align and nothing would I ended up having the boat captained to my home port. The captain I found couldn’t have been better. Helped me with some mechanical issues, recommendations for future to do’s to the boat. Very knowledgeable guy that taught me a lot. Even with high fuel prices it ended up being the cheaper option too. If anyone is looking for a captain in the Pacific Northwest I have one to recommend.
 
Appreciate the follow up. I hope you have pictures you can share with us. Come to think of it, I don't think we've even seen your boat.
 
So after all the logistics having to align and nothing would I ended up having the boat captained to my home port. The captain I found couldn’t have been better. Helped me with some mechanical issues, recommendations for future to do’s to the boat. Very knowledgeable guy that taught me a lot. Even with high fuel prices it ended up being the cheaper option too. If anyone is looking for a captain in the Pacific Northwest I have one to recommend.
Name him now, so a few years from now when someone is looking he'll be known.
 

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TRG, to give you an idea of what's involved with removing the fly bridge from your boat for transport, here are a few shots of when mine was done.

P5150927.jpg


P5150929.jpg

Topless Beachcomber. All the furniture on the bridge needs to be removed and stored in the cabin for the trip. It's not a small job.
P5150931.jpg

The fly bridge being lowered onto it's own cradle. It was wide enough that it needed its own wide load permits for the whole trip. See the guy in the pic below, he works for the Portland marina that was going to reassemble the boat. I paid to have him fly to Detroit for 4 days to take it apart because he was the one who was going to have to put it back together.
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I hope when you look at the size of the job you will seriously consider taking it around the coast.
You may want to check post #27 Mike.
 

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