LaSalle - It is so close to arriving, you can almost hear the water lapping against its beautifully painted blue-and-white hull.  The LaSalle Canal Boat is finished and loaded onto a semitrailer truck in Albany, NY. And there it waits.

“If you’ve never built and moved a boat before, you find out it’s an interesting and complicated process,” said Ana Koval, president and CEO of Canal Corridor Association, which owns and will operate the boat. “I suppose you could say the waiting just adds to our anticipation.”

She explained that the boat was actually completed a few weeks ago. It then had to await Coast Guard inspection. Having passed with flying colors, it had to await arrival of the truck that would take it to its new home on the I&M Canal in LaSalle. Now it is loaded on the truck and awaits permits from the State of New York. Permits are necessary for each state the boat travels through because of its size.

 “This is what you call a super load, because it’s so big, so long, so fat,” said Jim Hay, owner of Hays Marine Transport, which is hauling the boat. “Together the boat and truck measure 110 feet long. It’s almost 14 ½ feet tall. And we’re talking 104,000 pounds for truck, trailer and boat. 

“Not only do we have to get permits for each state we’re going through, but the state of New York decided we needed to also get permits for each county, city and town we’re going through, since we can only travel on secondary roads there.

“New York and Pennsylvania have us routed all over the place, which has added an extra 300 miles to the trip.”

He believes the boat will leave Albany today. “A few days into the trip, we’ll have a better idea of when it will arrive,” he said.

Back in LaSalle, there is plenty of other activity. The boat dock is nearing completion. And workers hustle to ready the Lock 16 Visitor Center, where boat tickets will be sold and guests will enjoy a café, gift shop and more.

“Things are really shaping up, and people are just so excited,” said Ms. Koval.  “I was talking to a woman who was in tears the other day. She was so happy that after all the talk, all the delays, it will only be a matter of days before the LaSalle Canal Boat comes home to LaSalle.”

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Tags: Boat Hauling, Powerboat Transport, Yacht Transport by Eric
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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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Well the season seems to be upon us now, the phone is ringing off the hook. It seems spring has finaly arrived, the snow is melting, grass is starting to grow. That reminds me of one of the chores to do this weekend!! We are getting alot of calls to transport large yachts. Currently on the board for the next two months we have several Bayliners, Nordic Tug, Mainship, Carver, Searay, and a large Maxum. This season is going to be pretty hectic as the boating season for transporting boats and yachts started late due to the weather. We still have some slots open in the schedule. But the way things are going there is going to be a shortage of good trucks on the road this year.

Tags: Yacht Transport by jim
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Jim and Ken, I just wanted to let you know how pleased my family and I are in the job you all did in getting my Yacht “KATHLEEN” from California to Conneticut. I was impressed with you knowledge of Mainship Yachts and the proof is in the pudding!! With out a hitch she arrived in excellent condition and unscathed. I will recommend you and your boat transport services to anyone I know whom may be in the need of your services of transporting yachts.     John Huckins

Tags: Yacht Transport by jim
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We just completed a Yacht Transport from Florida to California. The boat was a Seamaster 46, she was 13.10 wide and over 15 ft tall weighing 50,000 lbs. Transit time was 7 days plus some waiting time at the California state line due to some permiting issues. When they are this big there is allways something!! Transporting this Yacht was in the relm of what we do on a regular basis, as we specialize in transporting oversize yachts nationwide including Hawaii. Hays Marine Transport

Tags: Yacht Transport by jim
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A few months ago we transported this Yacht from California to Washington state. This boat had been in the family since new, it was built in 1933. It was bought by a investment Corp. to restore and use as a cruise Yacht. She was 48 ft long and weighed 33,000 lbs. We took great care in her loading due to her construction of wood. Her builer, Stevens Yacht Corp. built her to very high standings and a testimony to both her excellent construction and the care and equiptment used in her transport she took on very little water when it went back into the water after a 5 day trip north. With the equiptment we use in our boat transport business, this kind of transport was right up our allie as we stretched the trailer out as long as we could to keep her keel in perfect alignment while we moved her. Hays Marine Transport

Tags: Yacht Transport by jim
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