Cost of moving a boat in the UK - how much !!

[Loggo]

3.5years ago I moved my 34 foot cruiser 100 miles between marinas within the uk - the cost at that time was £850.
I am now looking to return the trip and the best quote I can get is over £2000. I realise that fuel costs and insurance has increased but this seems more than over the top.
I work in the road haulage industry, mostly concerned with 32 ton tippers and on day hire a vehicle with fuel and driver is around £800 to £850 a day. An artic cost a little more to run and insurance is certainly more expensive But this increase has me scratching my head. Has anyone any thoughts or am I being ripped off

 

[DavidJ]

A bit different but I recently moved my 37ft boat from Spain to the UK
The difference between a south coast drop off and a Burton Water Lincolnshire drop off was £1000

 

[Tranona]

Does that include lifts each end? It does sound excessive just for transport. As you probably know there maybe a possibility of a return load if you are not in a hurry. Whereabouts is the boat located?

 

[PlanB]

Presumably you can't just take it by sea/river.

 

[Neil1300r]

34 ft boat, Chichester (Birdham) to Surrey (Penton Hook Marina) £1295.00 + VAT. Cost from 2 months ago. Excluding lift out of and back into the water. Included an escort, which was definitely needed getting out of Birdham and on the A286 - blocking oncoming traffic so the lorry could use the centre of the road and avoid overhanging trees

 

[PCUK]

If you can't take her yourself, hire a skipper and enjoy the trip.

 

[Momac]

Maybe a better haulage price is offered if the job can wait for coordination with a journey for another customer?
Boat Transport | Boats by Road | Beverley Transport Services

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[Canopy Locked]

General haulage rates have always been a race to the bottom, it's no wonder so many haualge companies go to the wall. Has been that way since I had my 1st truck just after the miners strike in the 80's.

Specialist haulage costs reflects the additional costs in planning / prep / permits etc plus time spent loading / unloading. Return loads for specialist boat trailers are less likely and empty running is likely to be much higher than general haulage.

 

[Loggo]

Thank you gentlemen for all the feedback just to respond to a few points raised I am very soft about the dates required and certainly flexible within a fortnight or so. The journey is almost entirely dual carriageway and motorway and should take under 4 hours
The journey would be from Newark to Upron upon Severn and I will pay the Lift at either end I am just being quoted for haulage costs.

 

[nicho]

3.5years ago I moved my 34 foot cruiser 100 miles between marinas within the uk - the cost at that time was £850.
I am now looking to return the trip and the best quote I can get is over £2000. I realise that fuel costs and insurance has increased but this seems more than over the top.
I work in the road haulage industry, mostly concerned with 32 ton tippers and on day hire a vehicle with fuel and driver is around £800 to £850 a day. An artic cost a little more to run and insurance is certainly more expensive But this increase has me scratching my head. Has anyone any thoughts or am I being ripped off

October 2022, our 34’ Mobo was transported from Norwich to Port Solent for £1440.

 

[DavidJ]

Thank you gentlemen for all the feedback just to respond to a few points raised I am very soft about the dates required and certainly flexible within a fortnight or so. The journey is almost entirely dual carriageway and motorway and should take under 4 hours
The journey would be from Newark to Upron upon Severn and I will pay the Lift at either end I am just being quoted for haulage costs.

Do check but I think a convoy vehicle is required in the UK over a certain width regardless of the route

 

[oldgit]

In my case , moved a Princess 35 from Conwy Marina ( Total shambles could not orgamise a piss up in brewery etc.) which cost my transport company serious time and money, to Gillingham Marina.
All the dedicated boat movers were either " busy" or charging top end money.
A trawl of the internet, resulted in a We move anything company able to do the job quickly and at a very competitive rate.
Usually they shift those large bulky elecrical transformers around the UK.

For the bring it home under its own keel brigade , an impeller crapped out on engine start up after being lowered into the water at Gillingham.
It might at best made it a mile or two out of Conwy at worse going round Lands End.
There are brave pilots and old pilots. ?

 

[oldgit]

Thank you gentlemen for all the feedback just to respond to a few points raised I am very soft about the dates required and certainly flexible within a fortnight or so. The journey is almost entirely dual carriageway and motorway and should take under 4 hours
The journey would be from Newark to Upron upon Severn and I will pay the Lift at either end I am just being quoted for haulage costs.

it was 10 years ago we bought the Princess 35 home.
The company might have been A1 Transport or something similar.

 

[Loggo]

Just an update with many thanks to those who took the troubles to reply. It seems my main problem is that although in 2 previous moves no escort vehicle was used it certainly seems to be the law now that an escort vehicle is essential. I can clearly see that this would add several hundred pounds to the price. This would certainly make the current quotations of around £2000 pounds a little more understandable although still hard to be happy with.

 

[wonkywinch]

38 foot WPB from Windermere to Hamble, £2,500 in 2023 exc lift and launch.

 

[DougOut]

£780 to move boat from Shepperton to Windsor (Chertsey Lock was closed for months!) Feb 2024
£1250 from Southampton to Windsor June 2022
£2340 from Rhu to Southampton May 2022

 

[nads]

Thank you gentlemen for all the feedback just to respond to a few points raised I am very soft about the dates required and certainly flexible within a fortnight or so. The journey is almost entirely dual carriageway and motorway and should take under 4 hours
The journey would be from Newark to Upron upon Severn and I will pay the Lift at either end I am just being quoted for haulage costs.

I may be too late to the party, but I think I have relevent information.

I just bought a 34 foot sports cruiser from Southampton & got it delivered to Newark.

£1500 plus vat = £1800. No escort required, but I was right on the width limit (boat is 3.33m). This is the best quote I had by far.

This didn't include the lift at each end.