Economical & Dependable Boat Shipping with Shiply
Shiply eliminates the inconvenience of boat shipping by helping you discover an economical, trustworthy service that fits your requirements. Simply post a listing on our platform & relax as shipping providers send you estimates to transport your boat. Once you discover a quote you prefer, reach out to the transporter, verify, and await the collection of your boat.
What Are the Reasons for Needing Boat Shipping?
Whether you need a narrowboat, sailboat, small craft or yacht shipped, Shiply can help. Did you recently acquire a new boat & require delivery? Or maybe you need to get your boat to a location on land? Perhaps it's too large for you to transport yourself? Regardless of the reason, Shiply can assist you in finding a trustworthy & professional company for transporting your boat at the appropriate price. Opting for a specialized boat hauler will guarantee you're in secure hands. Boat haulage companies in the UK & globally will understand the intricacies of working with boats, marinas and ports and should help you with all aspects of the shipping process.
Posting your boat shipping on Shiply and our network of transport providers will offer you price estimates. You simply need to fill out a form with some basic details about your boat to be shipped & you will receive complimentary quotes in pounds sterling or euros, depending on your location. Once you've obtained several estimates, you'll be able to compare companies by their qualifications, customer reviews & prices.
The Price of Boat Shipping
The price of boat shipping will differ depending 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 shipping is around £1.50 per mile in the UK, but as mentioned, this can vary depending on the size of the boat. The dimensions of the boat being transported will significantly impact the price. For instance, small boat shipping is simple as they can often be hauled on the road, whereas something like a larger sailboat or narrowboat will necessitate special attention & will likely cost more to ship. A narrowboat may require specialist narrowboat movers due to their unique size. Whether the boat needs to be shipped within the UK or internationally will also play a role in the pricing, as international boat shipping will cost significantly more & may necessitate different companies to 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 some information about your boat & of the pick-up & drop-off dates & locations. Once your listing is finished, you will start to receive complimentary estimates from various transport providers - some of which may contact you to comprehend the required services more clearly so they can know how best to quote for the work.
There are two primary methods of boat transportation, & the method you choose will depend on where your boat needs to go. If your boat is required to be shipped in a particular way, please specify on your Shiply listing.
By road - If your vessel needs to be hauled within the same country, you'll find that road transportation is likely to be the optimal option. If you're moving parts of a boat only 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, then you can hire a crew to do this. Crews should inspect your vessel, plot courses & check shipping forecasts for you.
Once you have received some estimates, make sure you check the credentials & feedback of any skippers & crew hands, which you can see by viewing the transport providers' company profiles on Shiply. If you're moving a sailboat, then RYA or MCA accredited crews are the qualifications to look out for.
With any type of transportation, it's crucial to check the level of experience & professional insurance cover that they offer (do not accept personal insurance) so you can make the most informed decision for your individual situation.
Do not hesitate to ask the companies any questions about the shipping process, as they will often have a high level of expertise.
Finding the right boat transport service can be overwhelming if you intend to compare all the prices & credentials. Larger companies might charge less, whereas smaller family-run transporters could offer you a more personalized service.
Readying Your Boat For Shipping
If your vessel is being shipped by land, there are a number of preparatory tasks to do to ensure that the transportation goes as smoothly as possible. You'll want to plan as far ahead as possible to give yourself enough 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 - Make sure you 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 shipped, 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 with the transport provider to arrange the details of the transport.
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.
South Ayrshire, UK & Boat Shipping
South Ayrshire is a popular destination for boat owners in the UK, with many people moving their boats to & from the area. The region is known for its stunning coastline, with numerous marinas & harbours that offer excellent facilities for boat owners. Whether you're moving your boat to South Ayrshire for leisure purposes or for maintenance & repairs, Shiply can help you find a reliable & affordable boat transport service.
One of the main reasons people move their boats to South Ayrshire is for the excellent sailing opportunities in the area. The region is home to several popular sailing routes, including the Firth of Clyde & the Irish Sea. Many boat owners also choose to keep their boats in South Ayrshire during the winter months, as the marinas & harbours offer secure storage facilities.
If you're moving your boat from South Ayrshire, Shiply can also assist you in finding a suitable transport service. Whether you're moving your boat to another part of the UK or internationally, our network of transport providers can help you get your boat to its destination safely & efficiently.
Finalizing Your Boat's Shipping
When your vessel safely reaches its destination on the delivery date, your boat transporter should help you with the unloading or docking & may help you with other parts of maintenance & checks (depending on what you agreed). If there are any other services you need help with, these should be specified at the beginning of the process when listing your required service on Shiply.
Either way, it's important that you check your craft post-transit to ensure that it hasn't been damaged & ask the transporter about any discrepancies so they can be sorted out quickly.
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 shipping 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 helps other users when choosing a transport provider for their own job, & it also helps transporters continuously improve their service.
