Are you excited about planning a new yachting adventure? Then you must have thought about how to get your yacht transported to its new destination sound and secure. Yacht transportation by road is one of the best boat shipping options, but it’s a complicated process, especially for newbies shipping their yachts for the first time.
Boat transportation by road requires a ton of preparations, legal knowledge, suitable equipment, and immense experience to carry out. In this article, we will demonstrate everything you need about yacht transportation by road if you’re planning to ship your yacht across the United States.
Is It Necessary to Hire an Auto Transport Company for Yacht Transportation by Road?
In cases of small and light vessels, owners might prefer to ship their yachts by themselves. But the truth is that yacht shipping is challenging; it needs much planning and preparation to ensure successful transportation.
Here are the most important reasons for hiring an auto shipping company:
- They can find the most suitable trailer: trailers come in different shapes and capacities; each is used to transport a specific type of vehicle. Therefore, picking a proper trailer is somewhat confusing, especially if you lack the knowledge and understanding of yachts’ shipping procedures.
- They know the regulations related to oversized cargo shipping: these regulations are not the same everywhere; each state has its laws and shipping regulations when it comes to large loads transportation, including:
- Loads’ escort: oversized shipments need an escort to move legally across the states, and most states require only one back escort. However, lane highways mean you have to get both rear and front attendants, making it more complicated to plan yacht shipping.
- Holidays and weekend restrictions: there is a difference between states regarding oversized loads and their shipping on holidays and weekends; some states allow trailers with large cargo to travel on Sundays while others don’t.
- The permits: permit costs vary from one state to another, and the adequate permit time is also not the same in all states, which makes it extremely difficult to plan for yacht transportation by road without experts’ help.
In the light of the mentioned requirements and to guarantee successful yacht transportation by road process, it is important to find a reliable company that meets the following criteria:
- The Department of Transport highly regulates the auto transport industry. Therefore, trusted companies must be licensed by the DoT to operate legally and have an authorized MC number. Ask for their MC number and verify it using the FMCSA website.
- Appropriate equipment and experience are critical. Yacht shipping requires extensive knowledge and special equipment. Therefore, carrying out a background check for the probable transport company and confirming their efficiency through their track record of successful similar shipping processes is recommended.
- Customer reviews and feedback are essential to evaluating the company’s overall performance and reveal how the company operates its work and deals with customers.
Tempus Logix transports all types of yachts, whether small or big; the company is always ready to handle road transportation and deliver the boats to their new destination sound and safe.
Preparations for Yacht Transportation by Road
Your yacht surely means more than just an investment; you must remember that proper pre-shipping preparation can help ensure a safe and secure transport process.
- Secure it all: the first step is to secure everything that can move inside the yacht during transportation. All loose items or attachments that extend beyond the yacht’s main body must be warped or taped tightly to prevent any damage to the items and the yacht itself.
You must be aware that auto transport companies don’t take any responsibility for any harm related to items left inside the vessel. Don’t forget to lock all outer doors and tape the hatches and interior ones.
- Inspection: Inspect the yacht carefully for any existing damage. And that’s by taking pictures of it and submitting the documents to the shipping company. By that, you can rest assured that your yacht’s pre-shipping condition is fully recorded. And by any chance, if you notice any new damage after the vessel delivery, the company will be responsible for it.
- Turn everything off: disconnect the batteries and store the cables to prevent any contact. Ensure the yacht is as light as possible before handing it over by removing all personal belongings and emptying the fuel and water tanks.
Cost of Transporting a Yacht by Road
When planning to transport your yacht, the first thing that comes to mind is how much it will cost. The answer to this question could never be definitive since the shipping cost is affected by many factors such as:
- The yacht dimensions are the most critical factors influencing the shipping cost. The overall vessel length, width, weight, and height determine what equipment the driver will use to transport the yacht and which road they should take. Additionally, divers can’t drive trailers with oversized cargo anywhere without legal permits, which increases the shipping cost.
- A longer distance means more cost; however, this is not the only criterion when discussing the influence on your shipping quote; a predominant drop-off site can lead to less transport cost.
To calculate the cost of your transport, you’ll only need to use our Yacht Shipping Cost Calculator.
Conclusion
Choosing a dependable auto transport company is essential to guarantee safe yacht transportation by road. It is equally important to prepare your vessel for shipping properly and ensure you are entirely aware of all details related to the shipping process.
