Boats · Door-to-door
Boat Transport
We move 15 to 20 boats a month on their own trailers and on flatbed equipment — centre consoles, bowriders, cuddies, pontoons and sportfish hulls. Collected at the ramp, the yard or the driveway, and delivered to the address you give us.
- Volume15–20 boats / month
- On its trailerOr on a flatbed
- PermitsHandled for oversize
- DepositNone — paid at booking
Licensed transportation company · USDOT 3446819 · MC-1120978 · rated 4.9 from 492 reviews · Check our credentials
Get your boat transport quote
Send the length, beam and height on the trailer. We aim to reply within the hour during business hours.
What we need to know first
A boat is priced on its dimensions, not its value. Four numbers decide almost everything about the move: length overall, beam at the widest point, total height sitting on the trailer, and total weight. Beam is the one that matters most — it determines whether the load is legal at normal width, needs an oversize permit, or needs escorts through particular states.
- Length overallHull plus bracket, platform or pulpit
- BeamWidest point, including rub rails
- Height on trailerGround to the highest fixed point
- Total weightBoat, engines, fuel, trailer
- TrailerYours, roadworthy, or ours
- AccessWhat a truck can reach at both ends
On its own trailer, or on a flatbed?
If your trailer is roadworthy, correctly rated for the hull and has working lights, brakes and sound bearings, towing it is usually the cheaper and simpler option. Where there is no trailer, or it is not fit for a long run, the boat travels cradled on a flatbed.
We will tell you honestly which one your boat calls for. A trailer that is fine for a ten-minute run to the ramp is not necessarily fine for two thousand miles at highway speed, and a bearing failure in the middle of a run costs far more than the difference in price would have.
Oversize loads and permits
Once a boat exceeds the legal width, height or length in a state it crosses, the move needs a permit for that state and sometimes a travel-time restriction or an escort vehicle. We arrange those as part of the booking rather than leaving them for the driver to discover. It is also why a quote on an oversize hull takes a little longer to come back than a quote on a car: the route has to be checked state by state.
The same carriers, every month
Our carrier network closed in 2022, and we have not onboarded a new carrier since. Every driver on it has moved vehicles for us for years, so we know how they load, how they strap and how they conduct themselves at a customer’s door.
It also means we turn work away. If we cannot put one of our own carriers on your shipment, we will tell you that plainly rather than hand the job to a stranger to keep the booking.
Preparing your boat
- Strip the deck. Cushions, electronics, canvas, antennas and anything not bolted down travels separately or comes off.
- Drain it. Empty livewells, bilges and fresh-water tanks; drain plugs out.
- Secure the canvas. A tower, bimini or hard top either comes down or is properly braced — highway wind will find it otherwise.
- Trim the engines. Outboards down and locked, or supported for transport.
- Service the trailer. Tyres, bearings, lights, brakes and the spare, if the boat travels on its own trailer.
- Photograph it. All sides, before the driver arrives.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transport a boat?
It is driven by dimensions and route rather than by the boat’s value. Beam and height set whether permits and escorts are needed, and that is usually the biggest single factor. Send the four measurements with the two addresses and we will come back with a real figure, agreed up front and paid in full at booking.
Can you move a boat without a trailer?
Yes — it travels cradled on a flatbed. Tell us at the quote stage so the right equipment is assigned, and let us know whether a lift or crane is available at either end.
Is the boat insured in transit?
Cargo coverage is provided by the assigned motor carrier, subject to its policy, limits and exclusions, and you get that carrier’s current certificate before pickup. Check whether your own marine policy covers overland transport as well — many do not by default.
Do you ship boats internationally?
We arrange overland transport within the United States, including runs to and from ports. Ocean freight itself is handled by the shipping line, not by us.
How far ahead should I book?
Two to three weeks for a standard-width hull. Allow longer for anything needing permits, and longer again either side of the season, when yard and ramp slots get tight.
Ready to move your boat?
Send the length, beam, height on the trailer and the two addresses. We will take it from there.
Related pages
Dispatch Dudes is KATS & COMPANY LLC, Pompano Beach, Florida, a licensed transportation company operating under FMCSA property broker authority, USDOT 3446819 / MC-1120978. Transit windows on this page are estimates based on how these moves normally run, not guaranteed delivery dates.