I'm looking into shipping costs/dates to get my newly purchased boat from Marine Max Jacksonville Florida to Spring Lake, MI (located near West MI - Grand Haven). Any suggestions on who to contact? Thank you.
Boat Shipping GW 232 Gulfstream on Magic Tilt Trailer - Florida to MI
- Thread starter chadwick11
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Mustang65fbk
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I've never used them before but in the three different times I've bought boats on the east coast, I've always looked at quotes from UShip. From Maryland to Seattle it was typically around $1 or so per mile, but some places were even more than that. I'd get quotes anywhere from $3k the first time I bought a boat in 2017 on up to over $8k the last time I looked in 2021. I think it'll vary quite a bit depending on locations and companies used, fuel prices and so forth. Here in Seattle, it's already up over $4.25 a gallon for fuel and can't imagine it's going to be going back down anytime soon. On top of that, it's pretty much turning into summer already, which is going to be a shipping company's busiest and most expensive time of the year. That being said, fortunately for you it's only just over 1k miles between the two locations and shouldn't likely be anymore than probably $3k or so. Now the time frame is likely going to be a different story, I'd imagine most companies will probably be at least 2-3 weeks out and likely take 4-5 days to get the boat to you.
Still waiting for them to provide recommendations...so I thought I may as well jump in decide if I make a road trip down there or find one myself.
I appreciate sharing you experiences on shipping and timing. I'll look into that option while waiting for Marine Max to provide assistance.
wahoo33417
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I have used Tony Stewart (561.253.4007) every year for the past 12 years. He carries my boat for me to do a section of the Great Loop. He drops me off and then we agree that he'll pick me up at a predetermined marina/boat ramp at a set date.
Tony is a one man operation. He has always taken care of my boat and I trust him. He is licensed and insured.
I met him through my local Grady dealer. They use him when they need just one boat picked up from or brought to the factory.
He used to keep his costs under a dollar a mile, but last trip or two he said he just couldn't do that any longer. Everything from fuel to insurance had gone up too much.
He works mostly up and down the east coast, but I know he goes all over the country, even to CA.
I will say that Tony tends to be optimistic on the pick-up time at the end of my trips. When he says he is an hour out, that means two hours. When he says he'll be at the boat ramp first thing tomorrow morning, that means about mid-morning. Not always, but often.
He has both an F250 and an F350 dually along with several trailers.
One of the things I like about him is that at the boat ramp, he'll adjust the bunks of his trailer to fit my boat. We'll get my boat on and it will look good to me. Tony will say no, he doesn't like it and he'll point out why. We'll slide my boat off and he'll readjust his trailer until he's got it just right for my boat.
When he lowers the outboards, he lowers them onto carpeted boards that absorb any weight of the engines over bumps in the road. And he makes sure the hydraulic arms are fully retracted.
It is this kind of attention to detail that I appreciate and lets me know that he knows what he's doing.
If you have any questions, let me know. I do feel confident recommending him.
Rob
Tony is a one man operation. He has always taken care of my boat and I trust him. He is licensed and insured.
I met him through my local Grady dealer. They use him when they need just one boat picked up from or brought to the factory.
He used to keep his costs under a dollar a mile, but last trip or two he said he just couldn't do that any longer. Everything from fuel to insurance had gone up too much.
He works mostly up and down the east coast, but I know he goes all over the country, even to CA.
I will say that Tony tends to be optimistic on the pick-up time at the end of my trips. When he says he is an hour out, that means two hours. When he says he'll be at the boat ramp first thing tomorrow morning, that means about mid-morning. Not always, but often.
He has both an F250 and an F350 dually along with several trailers.
One of the things I like about him is that at the boat ramp, he'll adjust the bunks of his trailer to fit my boat. We'll get my boat on and it will look good to me. Tony will say no, he doesn't like it and he'll point out why. We'll slide my boat off and he'll readjust his trailer until he's got it just right for my boat.
When he lowers the outboards, he lowers them onto carpeted boards that absorb any weight of the engines over bumps in the road. And he makes sure the hydraulic arms are fully retracted.
It is this kind of attention to detail that I appreciate and lets me know that he knows what he's doing.
If you have any questions, let me know. I do feel confident recommending him.
Rob
I'll give him a shout and see what he has to say - thank you for sharing your experience and tips.
wahoo33417
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Chadwick: I should have thought to ask; What size boat are you shipping? I know Tony can carry 33' Grady's and probably even 37'. But I don't know that he can go any bigger than that.
But best to hear it from him, of course.
Rob