Trucking from California to The Gulf Coast

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MV Content

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
116
Location
United Kingdom
Vessel Name
MV Content
Vessel Make
Fellows & Stewart 58' Pilothouse Cutter
I'm looking for a trucker to take Content from San Diego (or anywhere south of SF) to the Gulf Coast. 58' long, just under 15' beam, just under 16' tall.

Any recent experiences, recommendations? I've done the basic research, but haven't found the perfect solution yet!

Any input gratefully received.
 
Dockwise. Too big for over the road.

Agree, moved a 53' Hatteras MY on dockwise from Ft Lauderdale to Vancouver BC; not cheap, however it was painless, boat arrived undamaged.
 
For all those yelling Dockwise, they don't serve either San Diego or the Gulf Coast. You'd have to go to Coast Rica and then Fort Lauderdale. The other shipping companies like SevenStar can take you from Ensenada to West Palm, but that's not a great deal of help either. You might find some other water freight companies to handle it from Ensenada to the Gulf Coast.

As to the OP's question we have several who have used companies like Associated and Joule is always a reliable fall back. Height of your boat at various points is important to know. Certainly the mast will have to be removed for truck. Likely the electronics too. Beyond that I don't know if it will fit under the height limits or not.
 
Thank you all for your speedy input. Several dialogues running now.
 
I think its called the Jones Act. Boat transport cannot originate and terminate in the US.


We are currently shopping for a new-to-us boat and at one point was considering whether to look at the west coast. Talked to two different companies - estimated cost was 50-60K.


You can load in Vancouver and off load in Fort Lauderdale - or combinations like that.


I am thinking 15ft beam can go over the roads. Friend of mine just had a 14'8" beam shipped from TX to WI.


Probably would require special permitting and an escort vehicle.
 
I called M&B as I thought they might like the business. (We also used them and were very pleased). They said they won't haul a large boat out of California...too much trouble.
 
I called M&B as I thought they might like the business. (We also used them and were very pleased). They said they won't haul a large boat out of California...too much trouble.

You are right on that not that I think about that. That stopped hauling vessel out of Cali do to all the red tape now days. There is another state as well they will no haul out due to the same reason. I forgot about that before I posted the info. Sorry about that Mate.

Cheers.

H.
 
We are certainly encountering a reluctance from many truckers to actually quote. But the trucking option is very much a Plan B: we are so encouraged by how well Content handled the trip from BC to San Diego, that we are actually becoming much more focused on the Panama Option.
 
We are certainly encountering a reluctance from many truckers to actually quote. But the trucking option is very much a Plan B: we are so encouraged by how well Content handled the trip from BC to San Diego, that we are actually becoming much more focused on the Panama Option.

Wifey B: Well, it's about time. :rofl:

Seriously, you're there and you want to be here but there's so much to see in between. We had a great time in Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco (probably not recommended today), Huatulco, Quetzel, Costa Del Sol, Chinandega, Liberia, Puntaneras, Quepos, Golfito, Panama City, Cristobal, isla Bastimentos, George Town, Port Antonio, Isla Bastimentos (again), Belize City, Puerto Aventuras, Cancun and then Key West. All those wonderful places. You might choose to skip the detour to Grand Cayman and Jamaica, but the rest is all just part of a good trip home. So many things to experience, at least for a girl who had never been to a single one of those countries before. :D
 
Wifey B: Well, it's about time. :rofl:



Seriously, you're there and you want to be here but there's so much to see in between. We had a great time in Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco (probably not recommended today), Huatulco, Quetzel, Costa Del Sol, Chinandega, Liberia, Puntaneras, Quepos, Golfito, Panama City, Cristobal, isla Bastimentos, George Town, Port Antonio, Isla Bastimentos (again), Belize City, Puerto Aventuras, Cancun and then Key West. All those wonderful places. You might choose to skip the detour to Grand Cayman and Jamaica, but the rest is all just part of a good trip home. So many things to experience, at least for a girl who had never been to a single one of those countries before. :D



Haha! Yes, it is indeed about time! Seriously, we had never considered any short-cuts, but domestic issues at home in the UK had forced us to evaluate that option. We remain very excited about the trip, and expect to get our domestic issues under control :) thanks for the list, by the way!
 
I think its called the Jones Act. Boat transport cannot originate and terminate in the US.
Jones Act concerns foreign flagged vessels.
 
Haha! Yes, it is indeed about time! Seriously, we had never considered any short-cuts, but domestic issues at home in the UK had forced us to evaluate that option. We remain very excited about the trip, and expect to get our domestic issues under control :) thanks for the list, by the way!

Wifey B: That was just our stops but many might choose different. For all of us it was just a blast. We did hit Panama City for Carnival, not planned. Port Antonio, Jamaica for Easter. Wow.

There are also places along the way you could leave the boat for a trip home. Many safe, secure and well run marinas.

 
I have a friend that brought his 40 ft Bluewater single engine from San Diego to Key west on its on bottom, then did the loop. After that he bought a Defever 34 in Florida and shipped it back to San Diego by ship. I will ask him who he used .
 
Thanks Lepke.... We are British-flagged.
 
Jones Act restricts a foriegn bottom vessel from loading cargo in a US port and then delivering it to a US port. There is more but that is the part that is germane to this thread.
 
Jones Act restricts a foriegn bottom vessel from loading cargo in a US port and then delivering it to a US port. There is more but that is the part that is germane to this thread.

And the issue arises because most shipping vessels are foreign flagged. All the vessels used by companies like SevenStar and Dockwise are.
 
Gotcha. So America First is working :)
(no, I'm not gonna go there!)
 
We used United Yacht Services in Florida to ship our OA from Florida through the canal and dropped at Ensenada. We didn't have the time to bring it back to CA on it's own bottom. They do go both ways and were very helpful. We gave up on the idea of trucking our boat when we found out we would have to remove the fly bridge and pay California for 3 chp escort vehicles from the California border to the delta. Since it would take 4 or 5 days because the truck wouldn't be allowed on the freeways, it was VERY cost prohibitive. Also, transport by truck can be very damaging to a hull on rough roads. Best of luck!
 
I think its called the Jones Act. Boat transport cannot originate and terminate in the US.

Yes they can if there is a foreign port between USA ports.
 
Gotcha. So America First is working :)
(no, I'm not gonna go there!)

Since the Jones act was originally passed into law in 1920 I agree, you should not go there.

Marty...............................
 

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