Hauling boat on trailer from Fl to Md

[ItalianAngler]

I’m adding a boat to my fleet, it is 25ft, 8’6”, beam and on a trailer. Weight including trailer is right around 4,000lbs. I need it pulled from Vero Beach, Fl to Annapolis. Tow and go as they say, no ramp stuff, parking lot to parking lot. Anyone have any tips/leads in this department?

 

[DennisG01]

Are you looking for someone to do it for you or are you doing it yourself? 4K TOTAL lbs for a 25' boat? That's very light. It must be basically just a shell?

If you're doing it yourself, before we start re-typing what's been said many time, please do a little searching and also tell us more about your trailering experience and/or what, specifically, you are wondering about.

My favorite tip... don't worry until the boat starts to pass you on the highway. Then worry.

 

[Hookup1]

Not sure if you are trying to hire someone or DIY but this is what I do...

I tow my 268 Islander 8'6" beam from Cape May to Islamorada and back every winter for the last 14 years. 2007 F150 locked out of overdrive. 1,200 mile drive @ 60 mph about 25 hours. 7AM departure, one night on the road, arrive late the next day. This is late January so some adjustments for weather. Easy drive - you can almost forget the boat is behind you.

Boat is 4,700 lbs dry, motors are F150's at 470 lbs each, lots of gear, tools, spare parts, household stuff. 1,000 lb trailer. Two axel with 15" E-rated radial tires (80psi). Vehicle has 9,000 towing capacity. Your estimated weight seems light to me.

Cape May - Lewes ferry, eastern shore, bay bridge tunnel to Emporia and 95 the rest of the way down.

Two things I'll tell you. First is make sure your trailer, tires and wheel bearings are up to the task. Second is that it's a marathon not a sprint.

Leaving from MD and ending in Vero is significantly shorter than my trip. Still needs an overnight stop somewhere in SC.

 

[seasick]

Are you looking for someone to do it for you or are you doing it yourself? 4K TOTAL lbs for a 25' boat? That's very light. It must be basically just a shell?

If you're doing it yourself, before we start re-typing what's been said many time, please do a little searching and also tell us more about your trailering experience and/or what, specifically, you are wondering about.

My favorite tip... don't worry until the boat starts to pass you on the highway. Then worry.

I agree about the weight estimate. The OP states that the weight WITH trailer is 4,000 pounds. Trailer is probably 1000+ pounds. That doesn't leave a lot for hull and motors.

Assuming the trailer and vehicle are up to snuff, the prep of the trailer is critical and depending on the condition of the trailer, that could mean something simple like checking bearing preload, lights, greasing hubs and tire inspection.
If the trailer hasn't been regularly maintained, there could be a lot more work getting it ready.
At a minimum, carry the proper jack, boards to use as a jack base, appropriate wrenches (make sure before the trip, the all the wheel lugs can be removed), a spare tire and a spare bearing and seal set or perhaps a complete spare hub.
Get a contactless IR thermometer for routine hub temp checks.

If you don't have experience trailering or don't feel comfortable for whatever reason, consider have the boat transported by a shipper

 

[Hookup1]

My trailer DOES NOT go in the water since new. I pay the marina for the on/off round trip. If this is an unknown trailer I would invest in pulling all the hubs, inspecting the bearings, new seals and a proper grease job. Make sure the brakes work and the fluid level is correct.

Seasick's point about having a bottle jack and wood blocks is really important. An automotive floor jack can't lift your boat. Take a set of jack stands and some plywood squares too. Again, I do this every trip. Never a wheel bearing problem but several tire changes over the years. Not problems with the e-rated tires.

 

[ItalianAngler]

Are you looking for someone to do it for you or are you doing it yourself? 4K TOTAL lbs for a 25' boat? That's very light. It must be basically just a shell?

If you're doing it yourself, before we start re-typing what's been said many time, please do a little searching and also tell us more about your trailering experience and/or what, specifically, you are wondering about.

My favorite tip... don't worry until the boat starts to pass you on the highway. Then worry.

It's a Scout 251XS, a bay boat, they weigh next to nothing, single F300 XCA and nothing on the boat but a little fuel. I'm looking to hire this out, I don't have the time to get to Florida to pick it up. The broker, frustratingly so, knows very little about the trailer.

My existing boat is a 282, I've never trailered her, this is an add-on boat for me and a partner to fish skinny water.

 

[DennisG01]

OK, in that case, I know of a number of people (quite a few, actually) who have had good luck with using uship dot com. Since you have such a light boat AND it's already on a trailer, it opens you up to even more drivers bidding on the job since all they need a half ton truck or SUV. They "should" all be insured, but of course double check.

 

[ItalianAngler]

Thank you all for the suggestions and tips, I got a recommendation from another member on the site. Based on the price and availability I opted to go with his guy, very responsive, organized, and professional. Thank you DZippers!!

 

[pmgia]

I used Uship a month ago, I recommend, I’ve done two boats and a motorcycle. Reviews are important.