Trucking 51' Bluewater Coastal Cruiser

[Tcheairs]

In perusing this forum I have found several threads concerning overland transport. Most photos I've seen of a loaded yacht on a lowboy trailer are loaded stern first. I was wondering why this was so. I am planning to have my Bluewater trucked from Memphis to the Tn river and (unfortunately) have no access to a travel lift. The upload will have to be "wet" and I don't see any way to get the trailer far enough into the water to load the stern first. Also, it seems to me that the flybridge would be more protected from the wind with the boat headed bow first. Yes, the radar arch, windshield and canvas will have to come down to meet the special permit height restriction. I'd appreciate all comments.

I know I'll get suggestions to move the boat "on it's bottom" but the trip is 1800 miles via the Ms River, Mississippi sound and the Tenn Tom waterway (12 locks) and I have done that trip 3 times with my boat. The cost of moving the boat overland is 1/3 the cost of fuel alone at $5+ per gallon not to mention all the other enroute expenses that are inevitable on such a cruise. Thanks for putting up with me..

 

[CharlieO.]

The ones I've seen shipped that way is because you can get the bow down a bit lower on the back of the trailer and with the flybridge sometimes that extra bit of room is needed.

Can you move the boat to a marina that does have travel lift capabilities?

Your reputable shipper should also be able to answer all your questions.

 

[Tcheairs]

The closest marina to me with a travel lift is Little Rock AR. 130 miles down the Ms and another 130 mi back up the Arkansas river. I've considered that, but I have several quotes for a "wet" load in Memphis. We have an excellent very large and low angle ramp for the wet load. The trip is only 120 miles west to east.

 

[PierreR]

I don't think you will find a trucker willing to back a rig into the water. I think, Memphis only has one marina. They don't have a travel lift? It's possible there is a lift at one of the commercial facilities. Find out what the locals do for haul outs.
You might have to run it 500 miles up to Kentucky lake to get a lift. At that point, you might as well chug it on up the Tennessee. Don the woolies, think 8 knots and do it now while the Mississippi and Ohio are still low. Leave it in Pickwick lake until spring and take your time moving it east from there. 8 knots is about 1/5 the gasoline that 16 knots would be on that boat.

 

[Larry M]

I’ve seen a boat that size lifted with a crane. With cell towers everywhere, cranes are pretty common these days.

 

[PierreR]

I posted a bit to quickly before seeing your last post.

 

[Shrew]

I've seen boats loaded both ways, however......If I were loading a boat, I would want it's heaviest part (the stern) forward of center on the trailer. Too much weight to the back of the trailer will have a tendency to wag.

You need a crane or a travel lift to load a large boat.

 

[Tcheairs]

I have 2 boat moving carrier bids of $5,500 to back their lowboy (with bunks) into the water and do the trip. That doesn't mean that it's the safest way to transport a 51' boat. But the fuel cost alone for the trip down the Ms and back up the Tenn Tom is over 10k. Can't place a price on the hassle of the water trip. The first time I did (the little loop) it was fun..At my age now it would not be fun to do it again.

Thanks though for all the responses

 

[PierreR]

Why would you go down the Mississippi instead of up the Mississippi to the Ohio and into the Tennessee river? That is 1/3 the distance.

 

[Tcheairs]

Current upriver in the Ms is 5-7mph. 3-4 in the Ohio. In high water faster in some places. My most economical cruise speed is 10mph (1 gal/mile on still water). That immediately becomes 2gal/mile upriver on the Ms and doubles my fuel burn. But the main problem is there is NO FUEL (gasoline) upriver from Memphis TN until the Tennessee river. I do not have the range for that..or the nerve to load up with blue 55gal drums..or more importantly, the patience of a towboat captain (it's like watching paint dry).

More reasons why not up the mighty Ms (for me) upon request.

 

[PierreR]

Current upriver in the Ms is 5-7mph. 3-4 in the Ohio. In high water faster in some places. My most economical cruise speed is 10mph (1 gal/mile on still water). That immediately becomes 2gal/mile upriver on the Ms and doubles my fuel burn. But the main problem is there is NO FUEL (gasoline) upriver from Memphis TN until the Tennessee river. I do not have the range for that..or the nerve to load up with blue 55gal drums..or more importantly, the patience of a towboat captain (it's like watching paint dry).

More reasons why not up the mighty Ms (for me) upon request.

You are quoting high water currents. The currents right now are probably 3mph and lower
Most of these tows are not that fast. The currents are highest above Cairo and down around NOLA

 

[mvweebles]

I have 2 boat moving carrier bids of $5,500 to back their lowboy (with bunks) into the water and do the trip. That doesn't mean that it's the safest way to transport a 51' boat. But the fuel cost alone for the trip down the Ms and back up the Tenn Tom is over 10k. Can't place a price on the hassle of the water trip. The first time I did (the little loop) it was fun..At my age now it would not be fun to do it again.

Thanks though for all the responses

What did the haulers say about whether the boat would be oriented bow-first or stern-first? The TF list has some incredibly knowledgeable contributors, but since you've already asked haulers with experience, I would think their input would trump anything TF can muster.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Be careful - there are some wicked stories about incompetent boat truckers. I've never had it done, but Joule out of Clearwater seems to have the least-bad reputation.

Peter

 

[Nick14]

In perusing this forum I have found several threads concerning overland transport. Most photos I've seen of a loaded yacht on a lowboy trailer are loaded stern first. I was wondering why this was so. I am planning to have my Bluewater trucked from Memphis to the Tn river and (unfortunately) have no access to a travel lift. The upload will have to be "wet" and I don't see any way to get the trailer far enough into the water to load the stern first. Also, it seems to me that the flybridge would be more protected from the wind with the boat headed bow first. Yes, the radar arch, windshield and canvas will have to come down to meet the special permit height restriction. I'd appreciate all comments.

I know I'll get suggestions to move the boat "on it's bottom" but the trip is 1800 miles via the Ms River, Mississippi sound and the Tenn Tom waterway (12 locks) and I have done that trip 3 times with my boat. The cost of moving the boat overland is 1/3 the cost of fuel alone at $5+ per gallon not to mention all the other enroute expenses that are inevitable on such a cruise. Thanks for putting up with me..

You're probably aware of height limitations. The total loaded height of the boat can't exceed 14'0", which usually means a maximum of about 13'8" for the boat itself.

FWIW, I've done several long and cross-country hauls of boats. I've had consistently great experiences with Associated Transport out of Marysville WA (and had horrendous experiences with some others).

 

[rslifkin]

You're probably aware of height limitations. The total loaded height of the boat can't exceed 14'0", which usually means a maximum of about 13'8" for the boat itself.

FWIW, I've done several long and cross-country hauls of boats. I've had consistently great experiences with Associated Transport out of Marysville WA (and had horrendous experiences with some others).

Total height can be taller up to a point, but once you're into over-height territory things start to get significantly more expensive and complicated (due to needing more complex permits, escort cars, a pre-planned route, etc.).

 

[rgano]

I have run an eight-knot boat up a couple of hundred miles of the Mississippi when it ran at four MPH after waiting for a month to let some spring flooding subside, and I sympathize with your desire to not make that run as well as your wish to NOT mess around with temporary gasoline containers. But that trip around your elbow to the south would be just too much for me when the route north is so much shorter. Soooo, I am thinking of alternative methods to extend your boat's fuel supply. Firstly, watch for the lower currents in the Miss/Ohio, at this time of year. If that does not do the trick, how about finding somebody willing to tow you to a point where you would be confident in making the rest of the trip to the first gas station at Paducah if I recollect correctly - it's not so far. You could even run your own engines at a slow speed to help improve the towboat's speed into the current, and he can use more than half his available fuel because his return trip is downhill.

 

[rslifkin]

As another thought, when going up-current, depending on your fuel burn vs speed through water relationship, your most efficient speed might be faster. If you're doing 8 kts against a 4 kt current, then a 50% increase in boat speed to 12 kts has the effect of doubling your speed over ground (to 8 kts).

 

[DavidM]

As another thought, when going up-current, depending on your fuel burn vs speed through water relationship, your most efficient speed might be faster. If you're doing 8 kts against a 4 kt current, then a 50% increase in boat speed to 12 kts has the effect of doubling your speed over ground (to 8 kts).

That is a point that few boat owners realize. I didn’t think about it until I read it above and I am a retired engineer! Lot of good that did.

David

 

[psneeld]

https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm#:~:text=Speed,about three miles per hour.

At the headwaters of the Mississippi, the average surface speed of the water is about 1.2 miles per hour - roughly one-half as fast as people walk. At New Orleans the river flows at about three miles per hour.

 

[Osprey69]

As another thought, when going up-current, depending on your fuel burn vs speed through water relationship, your most efficient speed might be faster. If you're doing 8 kts against a 4 kt current, then a 50% increase in boat speed to 12 kts has the effect of doubling your speed over ground (to 8 kts).

Will not the fuel consumption (as it does in higher speeds through the water) increase (usually exponentially) and therefor reduce per mile fuel efficiency?

 

[rgano]

As another thought, when going up-current, depending on your fuel burn vs speed through water relationship, your most efficient speed might be faster. If you're doing 8 kts against a 4 kt current, then a 50% increase in boat speed to 12 kts has the effect of doubling your speed over ground (to 8 kts).

Increasing speed in the PO's professed fuel-limited case is not going to help him a lot if the example of my boat is any example. No free rides in boating!

So, lessee, for my boat at 8 statute MPH, I am burning 2.2 GPH diesel, and increasing speed to 12 SMPH, I burn 6.3 GPH. In a 4 MPH head current, I am indeed increasing my SOG by 100% while burning 286% more fuel per hour. But that still does not explain the consequences well enough for me.

Put another way (for MY BOAT only) to go 100 miles against a four knot head current at 8 MPH will take me 25 hours burning 55 gallons. Increasing to 12 MPH I can get that 100 statute miles covered in half the time of 12.5 hours burning 78.8 gallons. That's 0.6 gallons per mile versus almost 0.8 gallons per mile.

If I am time limited, like darkness looming, fine, but if I am fuel limited for a long trip with no fueling opportunities, increasing speed is not so good.

 

[PierreR]

Will not the fuel consumption (as it does in higher speeds through the water) increase (usually exponentially) and therefor reduce per mile fuel efficiency?

Yes, there is a magic number to maximize the fuel mileage and it is lower than most would expect.
When you look at a river and it has a lot of bends and wanders around the current is slow. Where it is narrow and straight, the current will be higher. At this time of year, I doubt you would average 2 mph current from Memphis to Paducah. My guess is the magic number is some where's around 8 mph burning 6 gph.

 

[rslifkin]

Fuel burn per hour will increase with increased boat speed. But the optimal speed to run will depend on the fuel burn curve of the boat in question and how steeply it climbs. Generally optimum speed is faster when going against the current, but depending on the boat, it may still be fairly slow.

Basically, if increasing boat speed by 50% produces a 100% increase in ground speed, then as long as your fuel burn (per hour) is less than double for the 50% increase in boat speed, you come out ahead. Without flow meters or accurate fuel consumption data at different speeds, however, you won't be able to determine the best speed to run.

 

[PierreR]

Tcheairs make sure of the real price tag at the end of the trip. What does the $5,500 include. Haul out and launch? tie down and securing? insurance? Permits? Detours, taxes? Beware of hidden chargers.
I actually went and calculated the distance from Memphis to Green Turtle Marina in Kentucky Lake. It's 287 miles At 8mph you fuel burn would be between 287 gallons expected an 330 gallons high. 48-57 hours motoring.
Going south on the Mississippi and up the Tenn Tom to Iuka would be 1360 miles if you did not take the ICW around NOLA. 500 miles of that would have currents against you. Your fuel burn would be closer to 1,300 gallons.
All miles are statue.

 

[kthoennes]

The only other large marina in our part of the state on the Missouri River is Cedar Shore Marina in Chamberlain. It's a large, beautiful marina with gas, water, pump outs, power and a marina store, but it has no boat servicing -- the slip holders pool their resources each season for launch and pull, hiring an 18-wheeler with a very large submersible trailer for a couple days. The truck pulls them all out one by one up a *very* large boat ramp and lowers them onto jack stands or cradles in a large paved storage area for the winter. That marina does host some pretty large houseboats -- not sure they're 50's but they're pretty close. I just mention all that because every year they are able to find truckers with very large, 18-wheeler size boat trailers that are submersible, for very large houseboats.

 

[Comogene]

While not 50". my 25,000#, 36 footer was trucked, bow forward from Maryland to just north of Boston. Did have to remove the props to lower the boat a bit. Chine just about sat on the rear axle fenders and flybridge was removed. Boat was positioned with engines just over rear axles.


If experienced boat hauler, they know how to position boat.

 

[Tcheairs]

Yes, there is a magic number to maximize the fuel mileage and it is lower than most would expect.
When you look at a river and it has a lot of bends and wanders around the current is slow. Where it is narrow and straight, the current will be higher. At this time of year, I doubt you would average 2 mph current from Memphis to Paducah. My guess is the magic number is some where's around 8 mph burning 6 gph.

PierreR. No guessing here..took the boat out in the river, put it in neutral and drifted between the bridges at 7 mph on the gps in front of Memphis. I’ve been boating the lower Ms for about 50 years. Been up river to Cairo and down to New Orleans several times. GPS doesn’t lie. Average current in the lower Ms is 5 mps. This time of year as in TODAY, 7 mph in long straightaways. Come down here and I’ll demo for you (or ask any rowboat captain).

 

[Tcheairs]

The only other large marina in our part of the state on the Missouri River is Cedar Shore Marina in Chamberlain. It's a large, beautiful marina with gas, water, pump outs, power and a marina store, but it has no boat servicing -- the slip holders pool their resources each season for launch and pull, hiring an 18-wheeler with a very large submersible trailer for a couple days. The truck pulls them all out one by one up a *very* large boat ramp and lowers them onto jack stands or cradles in a large paved storage area for the winter. That marina does host some pretty large houseboats -- not sure they're 50's but they're pretty close. I just mention all that because every year they are able to find truckers with very large, 18-wheeler size boat trailers that are submersible, for very large houseboats.

I’ll check with the Cedar Shore folks and see if one of those trucks will give me a lift. Thanks

 

[Tcheairs]

While not 50". my 25,000#, 36 footer was trucked, bow forward from Maryland to just north of Boston. Did have to remove the props to lower the boat a bit. Chine just about sat on the rear axle fenders and flybridge was removed. Boat was positioned with engines just over rear axles.


If experienced boat hauler, they know how to position boat.

My 50’ Bluewater engines are midship. Props and shafts are in tunnels. 2’ draft. No kidding.

 

[PierreR]

With all the rain this week the Mississippi this week has been running much higher than it normally does at this time of year. As soon as it gets cold the flow rate will drop. Right now its running more like early spring. The river is choked down through Memphis and the current is higher than north of Memphis.
I bow out, I have no dog in this fight.

 

[magna 6882]

I spent my career moving heavy haul and large objects. The boats we moved were to big for conventional trailers and we would use either two cranes or a dry dock to transfer from land to water. The decision for direction would be bunking the boat and trailer and the center of gravity of the load. Most trailers that would be able to handle a boat would be a drop center deck so weight likely toward the truck and then bunking would likely easier with as much flat bottom on the deck with the bow overhanging the trailer axles.