Moving your boat by road: Everything you need to know

Moving your boat by road to new cruising areas can be practical and cost effective if you like exploring faraway places but have limited time for protracted deliveries by sea. Specialist low-loaders for transporting boats are now highly sophisticated and the practice of hoisting even 50ft-60ft motor yachts on to trucks and driving them across Europe has become routine. For many owners, the main objective in the past was to flee from our chilly northern waters down to the Mediterranean, where precious holiday time can be savoured in guaranteed perfect conditions. But nowadays road transport is being used more creatively, not simply for one-off moves to chase some sunshine. There are many fascinating regions away from the crowded Mediterranean Sea, which in any case has its drawbacks in these uncertain times. [caption id="attachment_107486" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Sophisticated trucks can transport boats up to 60ft[/caption] Each year, all types and sizes of boat are trucked to the Baltic ready for some fabulous cruising in Danish and Swedish waters. The Baltic Sea is vast and intriguing, and although its summers are fairly short, the marinas are geared up to wintering boats in cosy conditions. You can also be driven to the German Baltic coast, which Andersons Boat Transport knows well. By using commercial North Sea ferries, deliveries to Norway are also possible and Geoff Houghton at Boat Transport is the wizard here. There’s a veritable stream of boats driven to and from Holland, a nation unfazed by large loads with clear routes to accommodate them. The Sneekermeer is a regular drop-off zone, well-placed for cruising Friesland’s lakes and waterways, or for exploring the IJsselmeer. Interboat is particularly hot on Dutch deliveries. Article continues below... [collection] The west coast of Scotland is a popular transport destination, and Ireland too. Shoreline Yacht Transport is slick on the Scottish routes. On the European Atlantic coasts, sizeable boats can be delivered by low-loader to French and Spanish Biscay, to Galicia in north-west Spain and further down to Portugal’s west or Algarve coasts. Some companies move boats to Lake Geneva in Switzerland and Hamer Boat Transport has driven to Hungary! When researching this article, I spoke to a range of boat transport companies, mostly family businesses with a personal touch. Each has their specialist destinations, largely because of the costs of maintaining different international permits. But the trailers for shifting and manoeuvring large boats are now extremely clever. There has probably never been a better time to expand your horizons by relocating by low-loader, thus extracting maximum pleasure and amazing new experiences from your boat for quite a modest outlay. Size limits Most UK boat transport companies carry loads up to about 16m (52ft 6ins) long, 4.8m (15ft 9ins) high, 4.5m (14ft 9ins) wide and 20 tonnes weight. Height is the most rigid constraint, because of passing under road bridges. Specialist boat low-loaders really are low, because the vital dimension for bridges is from ground level to the highest part of the load. The legal height of UK motorway bridges is 5.1m (16ft 8ins), so the absolute maximum loaded height is 5m (16ft 5ins). For trucking larger flybridge boats , radar arches, aerials and other paraphernalia may have to be removed even to pass under standard bridges. Sometimes props and rudders need to come off, adding not only work and expense but also the risk of something not going back as it should. Some boats are simply too high for road transport in the UK and Europe, or for ferries. [caption id="attachment_107495" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Stavanger Bay is just one of the wonderful areas to explore if you move your boat to Norway[/caption] On UK roads, laden widths up to 2.9m (9ft 6ins) are classed as normal loads and widths above this are wide loads, which may need an escort vehicle if the police require it. Boats over 3.5m (11ft 5ins) wide must have an assistant travelling with the load, either in the cab or an escort vehicle. Different countries have slightly different rules so for moving through several countries, your transport company will be handling plenty of documentation. Whatever relocation ideas you have, talk to the truckers who do it all the time and they will produce a practical, legal plan. 5 great destinations This highly personal choice of trucking adventures also reflects questions I have received from boat owners keen to venture further afield but who haven’t quite found a way of cruising long distances to new places. In theory, your options are almost unlimited – transport companies seem to carry boats anywhere on the continent, probably to Murmansk as far as I know. But I think that every skipper should enjoy these five wonderful areas before swallowing the anchor. [caption id="attachment_107497" align="alignnone" width="1200"] One of the many colourful Swedish harbours you can look forward to visiting[/caption] Swedish interlude Correspondents have often asked me about cruising to Sweden, usually because they have read about the picturesque Göta Canal or seen mouth-watering photos of the Stockholm archipelago. While chartering is always an option, there’s nothing quite like being there with your own boat. Although it’s actually relatively easy to coast-hop via Dover, Calais, the Dutch waterways and Kiel Canal, Stockholm is over 1,000nm from Lymington and it essentially takes a season to get there and another to come home. Road transport may not turn out to be that expensive an option when set against cruising costs, food and fuel, harbour dues and crew travel. Some trucking companies use the Immingham to Gothenburg freight ferries to move boats to Sweden. From Gothenburg, you can be driven to Stockholm but it’s better to unload here and cruise up the Göta River through Trollhätte locks into Lake Vänern. [caption id="attachment_107491" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Gothenburg is a popular shipping route and a great place to start a Swedish adventure[/caption] Then you can meander through a string of peaceful lakes and sounds to reach Stockholm by the Göta Canal. This exquisite route leads through farmland and forests, past waterside villages and idyllic rural jetties. You might choose to fly home for a while, returning for a magical tour around the archipelago itself. Literally thousands of islands and skerries fan out within 30 miles of Stockholm in a fantastic maze of linked channels. The inner islands are softened by trees and dotted with holiday homes and neat villages. The outer skerries are lower, many with tiny rustic harbours and red timber shacks. Moving your boat to Sweden Immingham docks are readily accessible by low-loader from most of the UK and your transport company will make all the shipping arrangements. The freight ferry is for truckers only and carries no private passengers. [caption id="attachment_107488" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Cruising through the Swedish lakes is worth the cost of shipping your boat[/caption] To meet your boat, you’ll have to fly to Gothenburg (Göteborg in Swedish). Your transport company will advise you on the best marina, but if you plan to wait a while before setting off for Lake Vänern, Långedrag is an excellent yacht harbour south of the city. Down to Galicia This beautiful region of north-west Spain is a fair distance away for most boats. Getting there by sea involves either a 350-mile open passage across the Bay of Biscay or a lengthy trip hopping around its edges. But Galicia shouldn’t be missed in a cruising career. With mountains soaring close to the sea, this remote Spanish coastline is dramatically indented by the legendary Rías de Galicia. The three largest rias are shielded by islands and have many secluded anchorages within reach of comfy marinas. You’ll find secret coves and luxurious beaches, lively fishing harbours and smart city waterfronts. [caption id="attachment_107489" align="alignnone" width="1200"] The beaches in Galicia are blissfully quiet[/caption] The most northerly ria has the old town of Muros on its north side and friendly Portosin Marina further up, tucked beneath wooded slopes with views across a glorious sound. Ría de Arousa is protected by islands and its sheltered bays are ideal for family cruising. Ría de Pontevedra has soothing vibes, despite a busy resort at Sanxenxo. Nearby Portonovo has visitors’ buoys, sandy beaches and a marina. The clustered town is a vivid jigsaw of red tiles and whitewash. Ría de Vigo is the most southerly, barely 20 miles from the Portuguese border. Vigo itself is a substantial city and one of Spain’s busiest ports. Being well south, this area has reliably warm sunny weather and is popular for Spanish summer holidays. [caption id="attachment_107490" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Portonovo’s marina is a great spot to base your boat in Galicia[/caption] Opposite Vigo, Cangas is a pleasant marina next to a traditional Galician town, and from here you can shuttle by ferry to visit Vigo’s imposing old quarter. Vigo is also a trucking destination for UK boat transport companies, so Galicia is more accessible than you might imagine. Moving your boat to Galicia For deliveries down to Galicia, UK low-loaders usually take a ferry from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao, both large ports on the north coast of Spain. The main coast road leads west and then south round to Vigo, where the Marina Davila Sport is easy for unloading. An alternative drop-off destination is Baiona, a grand harbour bay with a charming historic town and refreshing sea breezes. The Monte Real Club de Yates is the best place to lie in Baiona, with its stylish restaurant and panoramic views. Spectacular Scotland By sea, Scotland’s Clyde marinas are about 600nm from the Solent via Land’s End, Milford Haven and Ireland’s east coast. That’s almost as far as a trip down to Vigo, so Scotland is a serious passage distance for most southern boats. [caption id="attachment_107493" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Largs marina on the Clyde allows access to Scotland’s stunning west coast[/caption] However, the road transport routes north are well honed and fairly economical. A chap I know in Kent, Rob Knighton, keeps a Botnia Targa 31 in Ramsgate, knows most of the French Channel ports and has cruised widely in Holland. When Simon Butler at Boat-Shift suggested to Rob that he trucked the Targa up to Scotland for a while, they gave it a go and spent six halcyon weeks pottering around the Firth of Clyde, through the Crinan, up to the Isle of Mull and along the Caledonian Canal. Built as a commercial-sized waterway, the Caledonian is actually a string of natural lochs linked by short manmade cuts. Loch Ness is a memorable 23-mile stretch, where mountains rise steeply from the lakeside, their slopes covered by pines and bracken, scattered cottages and the specks of roaming sheep. The western reaches of the Caledonian are shadowed by the scars of Ben Nevis. [caption id="attachment_107492" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Inverness Seaport marina at the eastern end of the Caledonian canal is another tempting destination[/caption] Smaller boats like the Targa are relatively economical to truck to Scotland. They don’t create ‘wide loads’ which need costly pilot vans. An interesting variation on Rob Knighton’s move is to truck up to Inverness Marina on Scotland’s east coast, amble through the Caledonian and fetch up for the winter in a west-coast marina. Ardfern Yacht Centre, just north of Crinan, would be a splendid choice – it’s perfectly sheltered, has excellent facilities and spectacular surroundings. Moving your boat to Scotland For Scotland’s west coast, large boat transporters can use motorways and major trunk roads as far as Glasgow, from where the M8 and A737 lead, for example, to Largs Yacht Haven or Kip Marina. For Inverness, there are motorways and dual carriageways until well north of Stirling, and then the A9 winds all the way to Inverness past the Cairngorms National Park. The views would be stunning if you could stay on board! Grandeur of Norway Norway sounds faraway, and for motor boats, it is. The 300-mile haul across the North Sea is rarely a bundle of laughs, and Viking, Forties and the Utsires are lonely areas even in fine weather. These exposed northern crossings are for long-ranging boats like Nordhavns or Flemings , and largish ones at that, though the rewards of such voyaging are considerable. The long west coast is the cruising star of this sparsely populated country, and for most of its length you can make comfortable passages inside sheltering layers of skerries and islands – the skjærgård which stretches over 800 miles from Stavanger to the North Cape. [caption id="attachment_107487" align="alignnone" width="1200"] A season in Norway should be on every boat owner’s bucket list[/caption] The good news for owners of moderate-sized boats is that low-loaders can transport you from almost anywhere in the UK to Immingham docks, where freight ferries shuttle across the North Sea to Brevik, a commercial port 20 miles west of Oslo Fjord. You then have various options, but my first choice would be Stavanger, a stylish west-coast city on the south shore of Stavanger Bay . This marvellous expanse of sheltered water is peppered with islands and attractive yacht harbours. Enticing rias lead in all directions and Lysefjord cuts inland through a breathtaking ravine, its mountainsides rising to 900m. Stavanger has cruising potential for many relaxed seasons, with efficient boatyards for wintering safely. It is also a strategic base for exploring Norway’s sensational west coast, following channels inside the skjærgård. For reasonably low boats, an alternative to Stavanger is transporting to a marina in Oslo Fjord, a magnificent inlet with anchorages galore. Moving your boat to Norway Brevik ferry port is useful for trucking to some interesting parts of Norway’s long coastline, though you could keep life simple and unload your boat here. From Stathelle Marina, you can hop round into Oslo Fjord, or maybe head west along the delightful south coast. However, a road delivery to Stavanger is no problem if your boat isn’t too high and this is certainly the best starting point for a west-coast cruise. Trucking to Oslo is limited by low bridges. Lazing in Lisbon Portugal is one of my favourite cruising countries – far enough south for real sunshine and out in tidal water with refreshing breezes. Portuguese folk are genial, their cooking is delicious and the seafood sublime. The Algarve is a classic destination and boats are often trucked down to Lagos or Portimão. However, some UK companies move boats down to Lisbon, a fantastic base steeped in the romance of adventuring by sea. Lisbon’s famous mosaic of colourful old buildings looks south across the River Tagus and a stately suspension bridge. [caption id="attachment_107494" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Lisbon’s historic waterfront is just one of many reasons to move your boat to Portugal[/caption] Marina Parque das Nações is five miles upstream past the bridge, a welcoming place to start a Portuguese interlude. Barely a 15-minute taxi ride from Lisbon airport, this chic modern marina is close to city sights but also has a prime location near the wild shallow creeks of the Tagus nature reserve. Cascais is an alternative drop-off, a quietly luxurious marina in the Tagus approaches. With its desirable villas, fragrant pines and sandy beaches, Cascais is like a slice of the Riviera with an agreeable oceanic climate. The yacht club is next to a 15th-century fort and you stroll along its ramparts into town. Derek McClarron, an experienced driver with Interboat Transport, told me about his recent trip through balmy Cascais carrying a Broom 50 hardtop. The transit looked pretty dramatic, but everything went smoothly and the high-tech trailer made light of some tight roundabouts. From the Tagus, it’s easy to cruise on south to the Algarve. Moving your boat to Lisbon UK low-loaders use the Portsmouth to Bilbao or Santander ferries and then cut inland to Salamanca and the E80 towards Lisbon. For Portugal’s more northerly marinas, they can turn off at Arrifana towards, for example, Figueira da Foz. In Lisbon, the Marina Parque das Nações is convenient for unloading. Sample trucking prices Delivery prices involve factors in addition to the length, height and width of the load. Timing is relevant and if a transport company has fair notice, efficient two-way loading can bring costs down. Sometimes, on the other hand, you can benefit from a discounted ‘back load’ price at short notice. I was recently quoted the following guide prices, excluding VAT and craning: Nimbus 380 Coupe – Plymouth to Inverness: £2,650 Aquastar 48 – Lymington to Vigo: £7,950 Broom 50 – Portland Marina to Sneek: £7,650 Jeanneau Prestige 44 – Cardiff to Gothenburg: £11,500 Beneteau Antares 42 – Hamble to Lisbon: £8,900 (nearer £6,500 as a back load) Fairline Targa 42 – Chichester to Stockholm: £8,900 First published in the March 2018 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting.

Moving your boat by road: Everything you need to know

Sample trucking prices

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