Discover Budget-Friendly & Trustworthy Boat Transport Solutions
Shiply eliminates the stress from boat transportation by assisting you in locating an economical, reliable service that fits your requirements. Simply create a posting on our site & relax as transport companies send you estimates to ship your boat. Once you find a quote that appeals to you, reach out to the transporter, verify the details, and await the collection of your vessel.
Whether you need to transport a narrowboat, sailboat, small craft, or yacht, Shiply can help. Did you recently acquire a new boat that requires delivery? Or maybe you need to get your vessel to a land-based location? Perhaps it's too large for you to move on your own? Regardless of the circumstance, Shiply can assist you in finding a dependable & professional company to ship your boat at a fair price. Opting for a specialized boat hauler ensures that you're in capable hands. Boat haulage companies in the UK & globally are experienced in working with boats, marinas, and ports and should support you throughout the entire transportation process.
Obtain Complimentary Estimates for Boat Transport
By listing your boat transportation needs on Shiply, our network of transport providers will offer you price estimates. Simply fill out a form with basic information about the boat you need transported & you'll receive free quotes in pounds sterling or euros, depending on your location. After receiving several quotes, you can compare companies based on their qualifications, customer reviews, & prices.
Boat Transport Expenses
The price of boat transport varies based on several factors, but on average, you can anticipate paying between £100 to £260 for shorter distances & between £450 and £750 for longer trips. The average cost per mile for standard boat transport in the UK is around £1.50, but this can fluctuate based on the boat's size. The dimensions of the boat being transported will significantly influence the cost. For instance, small boat transport is straightforward as they can often be hauled by road, while larger sailboats or narrowboats will require special attention & likely cost more to move. A narrowboat may necessitate specialized narrowboat movers due to its unique size. Whether the boat needs to be transported within the UK or internationally will also impact the pricing, as international boat transport will cost significantly more & may require different companies than those in the UK who specialize in road transport.
Utilizing Shiply to Locate a Boat Transporter
To create a listing on Shiply, you only need to complete a brief form with details about your boat & the pick-up and drop-off dates & locations. Once your listing is live, you'll start receiving complimentary quotes from various transport providers - some of whom may contact you to better understand the required services so they can provide an accurate estimate for the job.
There are two primary methods of boat transportation, & the approach you choose will depend on where your boat needs to go. If your boat requires transportation in a specific manner, please indicate this in your Shiply listing.
By road - If your vessel needs to be hauled within the same country, you'll find that road transportation is likely the optimal choice. If you're moving only parts of a boat or a non-starting boat, transportation by road is your sole option.
By sea or river - If your craft needs to be sailed port-to-port, you can hire a crew to accomplish this. Crews should inspect your vessel, plot courses, & check shipping forecasts on your behalf.
Once you have received some quotes, ensure that you verify the credentials & feedback of any skippers & crew hands, which you can view by checking the transport providers' company profiles on Shiply. If you're moving a sailboat, RYA or MCA accredited crews are the qualifications to seek out.
With any type of transportation, it's essential to check the level of experience & professional insurance coverage they provide (do not accept personal insurance) so you can make the most informed decision for your individual situation.
Feel free to ask the companies any questions about the transportation process, as they will often possess a high level of expertise.
County Antrim, UK: A Sought-After Destination for Boat Transport
County Antrim, situated in Northern Ireland, is a popular destination for boat owners. With its breathtaking coastline, picturesque harbours & marinas, and easy access to the Irish Sea, many individuals opt to move their boats to and from this region. Whether you're relocating to County Antrim, purchasing a boat from the area, or simply need to transport your vessel for maintenance or storage, Shiply can help you find reliable boat transport services in County Antrim.
Readying Your Boat for Transport
If your vessel is being transported by land, there are several preparatory tasks to ensure the transportation goes as smoothly as possible. You'll want to plan as far ahead as possible to give yourself ample time to prepare for the transport & to enable you to find a suitable transport service. Boat deliveries can be carried out in several different ways, but regardless, make sure your boat is prepared correctly to prevent any damage, leakage, or dangerous loose ends occurring during the journey.
Check the condition - Thoroughly inspect the interior & exterior of your vessel for any previous damage. This way, you can see if it suffers any during transit. You may want to take photographs of the condition before its journey.
Remove valuables - Make sure you take anything valuable off your boat before it's transported, as these will not be insured.
Empty the bilge, water, refuse stores & the majority of fuel - Pump out wastewater & other liquids. Any freshwater tanks & rubbish should be emptied, fuel tanks disconnected & the majority of the gasoline emptied to make the boat lighter to deliver & prevent any potential leakages during transport.
Disconnect battery & tidy cables - A precaution that will help avoid draining the battery & any shortages in electronics. Despite being a waterborne vehicle, your boat might be exposed to different weather conditions when it travels on a trailer. So make sure that all exposed electronics are covered & battery cables are tucked away.
Make things secure - If they aren't travelling separately, make sure all accessories & life jackets are stowed away in lockers. Secure all doors & compartments in the galley & washrooms. Also, make sure that the canopy is extra secure, as it might not be built to travel at the same speeds as a trailer.
For sailboats - Removing all winches & rigging etc. from the mast is important (also provide padding for points at which the mast will be tied down). Pulpits, stanchions & lifelines should only be taken off if they will make the boat too large to transport easily.
You can also check with your boatyard for any other precautions that they might think important for safe transport. If your boat is going to be sailed to its destination, make sure you arrange with the captain what preparations need to be made prior to the handover.
Once your boat is ready, all you need to do is wait for the transporter to arrive. Once you have accepted a quote on Shiply, you will be able to communicate directly with the transport provider.
If any changes occur that may differ from what your transport provider is expecting, make sure they are contacted & made aware so they can plan accordingly.
Finalizing Your Boat's Transportation
When your vessel safely reaches its destination on the delivery date, your boat transporter should assist you with the unloading or docking & may help you with other aspects of maintenance & checks (depending on what you agreed upon). If there are any other services you need assistance with, these should be specified at the beginning of the process when listing your required service on Shiply.
Either way, it's crucial that you inspect your craft post-transit to ensure that it hasn't been damaged & ask the transporter about any discrepancies so they can be resolved promptly.
Once your boat is safely docked or secured, you can remove the tape & other securing materials, refill water tanks, reattach batteries & motors or re-rig your sailboat so it's ready to be used again.
When you're satisfied that the transportation job has been completed, please leave a review for the service you used on Shiply on their company profile. Leaving feedback is extremely helpful to us, as it assists other users when selecting a transport provider for their own job, & it also helps transporters continuously improve their service.