Travel lift in Lewiston?

[DDW]

I am idly browsing through Yachtworld etc., some of the boats of interest are back in the Great Lakes. Last time I launched a boat in the Great Lakes we got it to the west coast via Newfoundland, the Bahamas, Florida, then a truck. If I do this I am considering going up the Lakes to perhaps Duluth, and then trucking to the head of the Snake, and driving it to Puget Sound from there. Question is, how do you launch a 40' trawler from a truck to the water in Lewiston? Or if not there, how much further down river do you need to go to find a travel lift?

I am aware of the trucking option, having trucked two large boats from the east coast. This Northwest Passage route looks like it would be fun though, and maybe cheaper as it is only a little over 1000 miles and goes through only 3 northern states.

 

[klee wyck]

I do not see what looks like a dry yard with travel lift in Lewiston, but I do see a decent sized bulkhead there. If the water is deep enough for your draft you could likely hire a crane to lift you off the truck and drop you in the water.

 

[tiltrider1]

If there is a will, there is a way. Sadly, I think you are going to find it hard to launch a 40’ boat on the Snake River.

 

[Comodave]

I have had a crane come to a residence to pick up a boat off a trailer and put it on a cradle. For a bigger boat, get a bigger crane. It will be spendy but it the scheme of things not that bad.

 

[av8r]

Try calling either Tidewater Barge Lines in Vancouver, Wa, or Shaver Transportation in Portland. They both run tugs and barges on the Columbia and Snake, at least one goes to Lewiston.

 

[DDW]

A crane would be a possibility, not sure how far they would need to come. I've seen the Youtube movies of all the cranes tipping over while launching boats, so it might be nice to avoid that....

 

[Comodave]

If you get a competent crane company you shouldn’t have any problems. I have had it done multiple times without any problems.

 

[mvweebles]

Crane. A very large crane.

There is a trucking route between the Sea of Cortez and California. Unfortunately. International highway restrictions prevent using a single truck. The border zone is considered sort of a DMZ so the two trucks meet in the parking lot of a heavy equipment rental company in Tucson. A crane is rented for a couple hours and the yacht transferred from one truck to the other. Benefit is the crane doesn't have to be transported so cost is pretty modest.

Peter