Topic: Trucking vs. Trailer

Good day all!

I am running a calculation to determine if it is better to spend a gazillion $ on a road trailer for my Contessa, or if its occasions of use would be so rare as to make it preferable to let Professionals move the boat. 

The example case that I am running is Montreal to Kingston (yes I KNOW there is a very nice Seaway).  A professional carrier with hydraulic lift truck recently quoted me $1500 plus GST for the move.

Our boats, loaded, and on the trailer work out to a gross weight of 7500 pounds which is roughly double the capacity of the vehicles to which I have access.  It means I must find and hire someone with a pick-up truck to haul the boat for me.

Which brings me to my point.  Have any of you had to hire a pickup to pull your boat?  Was this a friend or was it by a Professional?  How much did it cost?

Thanks!

Christopher

2 (edited by bertinol 2012-05-26 14:58:12)

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

Chris
I recently moved a Contessa from Georgian Bay to Toronto using a hired hydraulic trailer, a Ford 550 double axle pickup and my steel cradle. I was given three quotes by truckers -- $800 "but not for three weeks because I'm too busy"; $950 "next week" or $1,100.

I chose the middle guy and I'm glad I did after watching the 5,500 pound Contessa crawling up steep hills and careening down the Hwy 427 and Gardiner expressway, trying to change lanes with monster trucks in all directions.

The charges sound excessive, but the reality is that those hydraulic trailers cost about $100k. That means the trucker gets $100 for a day's labour; $200 goes to diesel fuel and about $700!!! goes to pay off the bank loan on the trailer. Even then, he has to do 150 trips just to pay off the trailer. And you thought boats were expensive.

I thought of buying a trailer for $1,000, but it didn't look safe, the brakes were dodgy, I had no means of pulling such a heavy trailer and I had nowhere to store the trailer for the summer months.  Plus a trailer requires a crane at each end to lift the boat into the water (at a cost of $150-$250 a lift) and a mechanism for stepping the mast.

I would have looked for a better trailer if I had intended to do a lot of moving, but there were too many complications so I let that idea pass.

cheers

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

Thanks very much -- it sounds like you had a great experience.

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

When I bought Varuna, she came with a trailer, and it was a hassle to hire someone to tow MY trailer from Detroit to Maine.  Eventually I hired a friend, but he insisted on being 1/2 owner, so that he wouldn't be doing the job 'for hire'.... when it arrived, we tore up the bill of sale.  As I haul Varuna now on my shore, I have no use for the trailer, so am building a 'tiny house' on it!  I lent the trailer once to someone to move his boat, and he used an F-150, and the rig definitely looked shakey.... I understand and F-350 is the right choice.  You know, you can pull a 10,000lb trailer with a 14' U-haul box truck if you want to go that way.  My advice is to pay someone to do the move with their rig.  Remember, if you have your own trailer, you must pay someone to put the boat on it and to unload it.  Good luck!

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

I talked to East River Marine (in Nova Scotia) about this.  He said you could get a trailer with an extendable tongue that would allow you to launch a CO26 from a ramp.  He also said a gin (sp?) pole would allow you to put up the mast without a crane. 

I am also going to look at short-term leasing an F-350.  The quote to move my boat from NS to Ottawa was $5k.  That would get me a high-end new trailer and probably pay for the lease and gas money.  I'd then have a somewhat portable boat.

Opinions?

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

Just make sure the ramp is long enough and deep enough - about five feet, depending on the height of the trailer.  It would be very embarrassing if the end of the trailer went off the end of the ramp into deep water or thick mud. It would be even more embarrassing if you launched the pickup truck along with the boat!

I've raised masts using an A-frame. It can be done but a 30-foot mast is a little too exciting for me. Perhaps you can throw a line over a handy tree branch and use it to step the mast.

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

I've heard one can rent a U-Haul truck to pull our boats around.  Not sure how the insurance works though.

I have a friend moving a 32' boat from Sydney NS to Montreal -- he is looking at about $4000 through Can-Am Marine transport.  Might be worth considering allowing the pros to deal with the boat.

Christopher

Re: Trucking vs. Trailer

Wonderful blog! I truly love how it’s easy on my eyes as well as the info are well written. I am wondering how I may be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your rss feed which need to do the trick! Have a nice day .. .. wink wink wink