Economical & Dependable Boat Shipping Services
Shiply eliminates the inconvenience of boat transportation by assisting you in locating an economical, reliable service that meets your needs. Simply create a listing on our website & relax as transport providers approach you with estimates to transport your boat. Once you find a quote that appeals to you, contact the driver, confirm, and await the collection of your boat.
The Necessity of Boat Shipping
Whether you require the transportation of a narrowboat, sailboat, small boat, or yacht, Shiply can help. Did you recently acquire a new boat that needs to be delivered? Or perhaps you need to transport your boat to a location on land? Maybe it's too sizable for you to move on your own? Regardless of the reason, Shiply can assist you in finding a trustworthy & professional company to ship your boat at a fair price. Selecting a specialized boat hauler will ensure that you are in capable hands. Boat haulage companies in the UK & internationally will be knowledgeable about the intricacies of working with boats, marinas, and ports, and should assist you with all aspects of the transportation process.
By listing your boat transportation on Shiply, our network of transport providers will provide you with price quotes. You simply need to complete a form with some basic information about your boat to be transported, and you will receive free quotes in pounds sterling or euros, depending on your location. Once you have received multiple quotes, you can compare companies based on their credentials, customer feedback, and costs.
The Expense of Boat Shipping
The expense of boat shipping will vary based on several factors, but on average, you can anticipate paying between £100 to £260 for shorter distances and between £450 and £750 for longer journeys. The average cost per mile for standard boat transport in the UK is around £1.50 per mile, but as mentioned, this can vary depending on the size of the boat. The size of the boat being transported will significantly impact the cost. For instance, small boat transport is straightforward as they can often be hauled on the road, whereas larger sailboats or narrowboats will require special attention and will likely cost more to transport. A narrowboat may require specialized narrowboat movers due to its unique size. Whether the boat needs to be transported within the UK or internationally will also influence the pricing, as international boat transport will be significantly more expensive and may require different companies than those in the UK that 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 details about your boat, as well as the pick-up and drop-off dates and locations. Once your listing is complete, you will start receiving free quotes from various transport providers - some of whom may reach out to you to better understand the required services so they can provide an accurate quote for the work.
There are two primary methods of boat transportation, and the method you choose will depend on where your boat needs to go. If your boat is required to be transported in a particular way, please specify this 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 the best option. If you're moving only parts of a boat or a non-starting boat, transportation by road is your only choice.
By sea or river – If your craft needs to be sailed port-to-port, you can hire a crew to do this. Crews should inspect your vessel, plot courses, and check shipping forecasts for you.
Once you have received some quotes, be sure to check the credentials and feedback of any skippers and crew hands, which you can see by viewing the transport providers' company profiles on Shiply. If you're moving a sailboat, RYA or MCA accredited crews are the qualifications to look for.
With any type of transportation, it's crucial to check the level of experience and professional insurance coverage that they offer (do not accept personal insurance) so you can make the most informed decision for your individual situation.
Don't hesitate to ask the companies any questions about the transportation 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 and 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 transported by land, there are several preparatory tasks 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 and 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 and 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, and the majority of fuel - Pump out wastewater and other liquids. Any freshwater tanks and rubbish should be emptied, fuel tanks disconnected, and the majority of the gasoline emptied to make the boat lighter to deliver and prevent any potential leakages during transport.
Disconnect battery and tidy cables - A precaution that will help avoid draining the battery and 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 and battery cables are tucked away.
Make things secure - If they aren't travelling separately, make sure all accessories and life jackets are stowed away in lockers. Secure all doors and compartments in the galley and 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 and rigging etc. from the mast is important (also provide padding for points at which the mast will be tied down). Pulpits, stanchions, and 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.
If any changes occur that may differ from what your transport provider is expecting, make sure they are contacted and made aware so they can plan accordingly.
Finalizing Your Boat's Shipping
When your vessel safely reaches its destination on the delivery date, your boat transporter should assist you with the unloading or docking and may help you with other parts of maintenance and 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 inspect your craft post-transit to ensure that it hasn't been damaged and 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 and other securing materials, refill water tanks, reattach batteries and 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 helps other users when choosing a transport provider for their own job, and it also helps transporters continuously improve their service.
Boat Shipping in South Yorkshire, UK
South Yorkshire is a popular location for boat transport, with many people moving their boats to and from the region. The area is home to several waterways, including the River Don, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation, and the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. These waterways provide excellent opportunities for boating enthusiasts to explore the beautiful countryside and historic towns of South Yorkshire.
People often move their boats to South Yorkshire for a variety of reasons. Some may be relocating to the area and need to transport their boat to their new home. Others may be visiting the region for a holiday or to participate in boating events and need to bring their boat with them. Additionally, some boat owners may need to transport their boat to South Yorkshire for repairs or maintenance at one of the many boatyards in the area.
Whatever the reason for transporting a boat to or from South Yorkshire, Shiply can help connect boat owners with reliable and affordable boat transport services. With a network of experienced transport providers specializing in boat transport, Shiply makes it easy to find the right service for your needs. Whether you need to transport a small boat or a large yacht, Shiply can help you get your boat to its destination safely and efficiently.
