The boat hauling industry is boom town right now as everyone is wanting their boats hauled now. Currently we are hauling a mason sailboat from Connecticut to California, a Ocean Alexander from Oregon to Florida and a Chris Craft from Ohio to Florida. We have trucks in transit to haul a Riva from Florida to New Jersey, and another Florida boat going from Miami to Ohio. This boat being hauled is a Sunseeker.

We are enjoying a tight schedule as far as hauling boats is concerned but it is tough to stay on schedule. I wish customers would understand that hauling boats is not a science. Things happen and your schedule can become a mess in a heartbeat!! We wish all our fellow boat haulers a terrific season and safe driving.

Tags: Boat Hauling, Boat Transport by jim
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In the 25 years we have been in the marine business and transporting boats, both sailboats and powerboats including yachts we have transported boats for some of the largest boat building companies in the country. Here is a list of the more prominent ones. Carver Yachts, Sea Ray, Hunter Marine, Mainship, Hatteras,Silverton, Bertram, Catalina, Bayliner, Meridian, Nordic Tug, Safeboat, C-Dory, Glacier Bay, Valiant, Cabo, Riva, Oyster sailboats, Sunseeker, Cabo Rico, Chris Craft, Elan, Formula, Maxum, Ocean alexander, Grady White, Camano,  Proline, Cruisers, Silverton to mention a few. Feel free to use these links to surf the web and look at boats. It can be quite entertaining. Although we do transport boats for factories the bulk of our business is transporting boats of all kinds, sail boats, powerboats, and yachts is for private individuals like yourself.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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This blog entry is about boat transport and things to think about prior to and during preparation of your boat for transport.

The first thing that needs to addressed to accurately get a quote from a boat transporter is get the correct measurements. We need the overall height and beam. On larger boats the weight becomes a factor. The boat measurements are needed for factoring which boat transport trailer is dispatched for your boat transport. It is also needed for the assessment if a escort is needed for either the height or the beam.

Boat transporters need to have a marina that has the capability to load a boat properly. That means a travel lift or a crane. It also should have the personnel to disassemble and prep a boat for transport. Being able to maneuver in and get loaded with a boat is of great importance. Being able to easily get into the marina and get out loaded with a large oversize boat is mandatory.

When preparing a boat for transport, the canvas needs to be taken down and put below decks to ensure a safe boat transport. Canvas does not travel well as does not lexan windshields, these need to be removed prior to transporting your boat.

Most times while transporting a boat the dingy will fit somewhere on the trailer or on the boat for transport. It will need to be deflated if it is a inflatable. The outboard motor needs to be removed and stored elsewhere for transport.

When preparing a boat for transport the anchor needs to be stowed or removed. The anchor can possibly come loose in transport or possibly even chafe the gel-coat on the bow of the boat.

All electronics should be removed or firmly secured. Radar domes or television antennas need to be removed as well. Any dash mounted electronic heads need to be stowed below prior to shipping a boat. Flush mount electronic heads can usually be left in place.

Smaller boat are sometimes shipped on their own trailers. When preparing a boat for transport on its own trailer maintenance items need to be addressed. When transporting a boat on its own trailer the brake fluid needs to be topped off. The wheel bearings need to be up to speed, meaning the grease should be fresh and in good serviceable order to protect the axles from burning up.

Hays Marine Transport specializes in transporting yachts, sailboats, powerboats and trailerable boats on their own trailers. Any questions not covered in this page can be addresses by calling 360 414 8888 Additionaly if you google our company there is a wealth of info in our website.

Tags: Boat Transport, Powerboat Transport, Sailboat Transport, Yacht Transport by jim
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   Transporting oversize boats has become quite challenging this year as the road construction in some of the states has made it hard to obtain permits. Due to the weather this year, some of the states has put off all the construction projects until now. There are multiple states with a unusual amount of over-width and oversize restrictions that make routing oversize boats being transported difficult to transport.

When transporting oversize boats, we need to get the authorization to travel on the roads, be it county, city or state routes. When a permit is ordered for a oversize boat and there is a construction project in the route, they deny the permit and we have to start from scratch. Some times they will issue a permit and give us a route that is a lot more miles to transport than originally planned. That is when you the customer will get a call bringing you up to date on the additional miles needed to travel to get from point A to point B. When transporting a oversize boat that is needing a escort or two, the costs will go up. Oversize boat transport usually has its pitfalls and snags but when road construction delays and detours get in the way it usually takes much longer to facilitate a move.

Tags: Boat Transport, Powerboat Transport, Sailboat Transport, Yacht Transport by jim
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Buck, our newest boat transporter with his new Waltron trailer has just left New Jersey with a Rinker 342 Fiesta V going to Des Moines Iowa. This boat had shrink wrap on it and within the first 200 miles it was coming off. There goes a waisted $800.00 dollars! He should be delivering on Monday to the boats new home in Iowa. Transporting this small of a boat is pretty straight forward as no escorts were needed being under 12 feet wide and of legal height.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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Washington boat transport is one of our main destinations on the west coast. Washington’s boat owners probably import sailboats, powerboats and yachts more than Oregon and quite possibly even California. Currently we have two boats being transported to Washington. A 45 foot hunter sailboat and a 50 foot Searay powerboat.

Washington has some of the best cruising grounds in the United States. The San Juan Islands are a favorite. Anacortes, Friday Harbor, Bellingham, Olympia, Port Orchard are just a handful of the ports of call in this beautiful area.

As a destination for a boat transport to Washington here are a few we through the years  have learned to prefer. In Olympia you have Swantown at the port of Olympia. In Anacortes you have Marine Service Center. Belingham hosts Seaview North Boatyard.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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Boat transporting both in and out of Maryland is quite busy as it is one of the largest boating communitys in the United States. Rumor has it it is the sailboat capitol as well. When transporting boats in or out of Maryland there are some terrific marinas and boatyards to handle just about anything a boat owner would want or need. Baltimore, Annapolis, and the area around Deale and Tracys Landing are great areas of destination when your boat is being hauled out for transport or going back into the water after being transported.

Logistics of transporting boats of all kinds, sailboats, powerboats and yachts are pretty straight forward as Maryland is a pretty easy state to transport boats around in. The routes are good and there are very few height restrictions in and out of the marinas.

Here are some of the marinas we like to use when transporting boats in the state of Maryland. In Annapolis we like to use Bert Jabins, In Baltimore we like to use Edwards Boatyard. In Tracys Landing we prefer Herrington Harbour North. Deal Maryland has a great boat yard, Harbour Cove Marina.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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We have been transporting alot of powerboats, sailboats and yachts in and out of Washington State the last few years. I think Washington boat owners import more boats than either Oregon or California. We transport alot of sailboats and trawlers into Washington State. Hey lets face it it is cruising country.

Washington State has alot of terrific destinations to spend time at while boating. Vancouver Island, San Juan Islands, Lake Washington to just name a few. Some of the ports of call that are terrific are Friday Harbor, Anacortes, Bellingham, and Port Orchard.

As a destination point for transporting boats into this area we have found a few we really enjoy working with. Here are a few, In Olympia Washington we like Swan Town at the Port of Olympia. Anacortes has a good boat yard. In Seattle we like Shilshole marina.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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When it comes to transporting boats though or to Pennsylvania right now it has been real hard to find a good route and to get a permit for oversize boats. There is a lot of road construction going on right now and finding a suitable route is slim pickings. I currently have two boats being transported through the state and it has been tough. I have a 45 foot Hunter sailboat, and a Catalina sailboat going through. The Hunter is being transported to Seattle Washington. The Catalina sailboat is being transported to Conneticut. I have no idea how long this situation is going to continue, but we all hope it ends soon.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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It appears that the season is on now. Everyone wants their boat transported now. It happens like this every once in a while when we have strange weather in the spring. When winter never seems to end, no one thinks of their boat. But lord help us when the weather breaks! We have been in this industry long enough to see it coming and it has. Currently we have a Nordic Tug Trawler yacht , a Beneteau sailboat, two Hunter sailboats, a Hatteras powerboat, and a few Sea Ray powerboats on the books to be transported. Current boats being transported are a Catalina sailboat, a Hunter sailboat, a Coast Guard boat, A Navy Boat, and a Mainship. These are all currently being transported across the country.

Tags: Boat Transport by jim
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