Delivery of boat to Cardiff - options.

craiglockwood

craiglockwood

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I used to be a regular on this forum about 7/8 years ago when I used to sail a little 22ft Jaguar around the Bristol Channel. I used to love that little boat but work got in the way and I had to stop sailing.

Now, 8 years on I have the time to indulge myself again and have just purchased a Newbridge Virgo Voyager and am itching to get on the helm again.

The problem I have is that the boat is in Plymouth and I need it to be in Cardiff. I do not feel comfortable enough to sail the boat back alone so am wondering what options are open to me. Would delivery by road be extremely expensive? Are there services out there which could match up a non boat owning skipper to sail the boat for me? Any retired sailors fancy sailing it with me?

Lots of questions I know, but any help appreciated.

Craig
 
You'll probably find hiring a delivery skipper the cheapest method. By the time you've paid the crane on/off and launch fees, road delivery won't leave you much change out of a grand. Offer to act as crew for the trip and you'll learn an awful lot about your new boat too.
 
If it is a Voyager bilge keeler she is small enough to be moved on a flatbed HIAB truck (self-loading - built on crane), much cheaper than a full articulated boat transporter. HIAB not viable though for fin-keeler unless you already have a strong cradle.

Not many delivery skippers will be keen on a Plymouth-Cardiff run in a 23 ft boat, and the day rate costs may add up to more than a cheap road delivery.
 
jwilson said:
If it is a Voyager bilge keeler she is small enough to be moved on a flatbed HIAB truck (self-loading - built on crane), much cheaper than a full articulated boat transporter. HIAB not viable though for fin-keeler unless you already have a strong cradle.

Not many delivery skippers will be keen on a Plymouth-Cardiff run in a 23 ft boat, and the day rate costs may add up to more than a cheap road delivery.
Click to expand...

I would second this option and is how similar sized boats get moved here by one company. They can pluck a Centaur out of the water and pop it on the back
and then pop it back in the water the other end. There are likely to be similar companies down there that have long flat beds with Hiab cranes.
 
Thanks for the replies.

This particular Virgo Voyager has a shallow fin keel rather than bilge keels so doesn't sit nicely. Anybody know of where I could find a delivery skipper? I would happily crew too so could take the opportunity to learn from the skipper.
 
Topcat47 said:
You'll probably find hiring a delivery skipper the cheapest method. By the time you've paid the crane on/off and launch fees, road delivery won't leave you much change out of a grand.
Click to expand...

It's a 23 foot bilge keeler, not a 30 foot fin. A flatbed with a decent HIAB should be able to pluck it up, plonk it on the back, and deliver to wherever needed. That's how we brought Kindred Spirit down from a farmyard near High Wycombe - and the lorry couldn't even get close alongside her there due to a slurry pit in the way! Crabbers are very heavily built boats (KS weighs 3.5 tonnes) and I'm sure the Newbridge will be less than that.

I wasn't the one paying for the move, but a figure of £300 rings a bell. Granted Plymouth to Cardiff is a bit further.

Pete
 
prv said:
It's a 23 foot bilge keeler, not a 30 foot fin. A flatbed with a decent HIAB should be able to pluck it up, plonk it on the back, and deliver to wherever needed.
Click to expand...

It is actually a fin keel so I have ruled out a flatbed. There must be somebody out there who fancies a paid sailing trip with me?
 
craiglockwood said:
It is actually a fin keel so I have ruled out a flatbed. There must be somebody out there who fancies a paid sailing trip with me?
Click to expand...

If the objective is to get the boat home quickly and at minimum cost, then if she's in the water now the towed trailer option, with slipways at both ends has to be a good bet.

On the other hand, perhaps the solution is a number of short hops, with perhaps a delivery skipper (or an instructor from a sailing school), for one or some of them.

Thereafter maybe you can find friends / family with sufficient experience to join you and enjoy the rest of your cruise , which you might want to stop thinking of as a delivery. Just a thought.

A.
 
craiglockwood said:
There must be somebody out there who fancies a paid sailing trip with me?
Click to expand...

If you are paying, it's a commercial delivery and requires a qualified commercial skipper which won't be cheap. You will be paying the skipper's daily rate, fuel costs, any berthing costs on the way and travel to and from the start and end points for skipper and crew.

If you find a non-qualified skipper to do it for money, it will be fine...unless it isn't. Then the authorities and insurers will start asking awkward questions.
 
I would move her by road. Honestly, unless you sail her around yourself and you have loads of spare time it will end up costing you more than road haulage. even if you did it yourself, all it will take is to get holed up in falmouth or newlyn waiting for a weather window for the last leg, then you run out of leave and have to go back to work until you can re-attack. the cost of the cruise will soon overtake road haulage. I have done the south coast to cardiff sail both ways several times. and also had various yachts road hauled for same journey over the years. Got a 34 foot fin keeler hauled by road for £500 with a proper insured boat mover by utilising a return journey. In contrast, I have spent some serous wedge over the years on that sailing journey. victualing the yacht for 3 or 4 crew, then as I said having a shocker with the weather and running out of leave- boat left in marina on visitor rates.

plus, it doesnt sound like you have much time to prove the boat before your voyage. smashing into a monster sea in mounts bay in a little 23 footer isnt the time to find out the parts of the boat or equipment that need attention.

dont get me wrong its a really enjoyable if challenging journey to make. But especially with the weather these days it needs a well found boat and if you think it will be cheaper by sea than road you are probably mistaken.

btw where are you keeping it in cardiff? I can recommend CBYC! :)
 
Camelia said:
Try these guys http://www.boat-transportation.co.uk/ they do an online quotation service.

Used them in the past and happy with their service.
Click to expand...

+1 for SW boat transport. They moved a 30 footer from Plymouth to Cardiff for me 18 months ago for around £700 IIRC. Might be able to use a smaller (cheaper) truck for the OPs boat? Either way it left Plymouth at 5am and was in Cardiff a bit after 8am. Super service and compared to the hassle of sailing it round (the move was in November) a no brainer.

Also agree with the general advice that a delivery round lands end is not an ideal shakedown for a new, oldish boat.
 
Make a short initial trip, say 10 hours and see how you getting on; you may gain confidence to be able to do the trip by sort hops; you have a whole summer in front of you and you can pick the weather for the hops; it is an opportunity
 
Sail in company?

The clue is in the title, sailing boat - sail it there.

We are doing that route.

Pass through Plymouth about 20th June. Have to be in Portishead 27th.

Thence to Falmouth, Penzance, St Ives[?], Padstow or Lundy. Then we head for Portishead, by then you can see Cardiff and Bob's your mother's brother.

Can you sail during the week and do you need a competent crew or captain?

Hey, ho.
 
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC said:
do the trip by sort hops; you have a whole summer in front of you and you can pick the weather for the hops; it is an opportunity
Click to expand...

yes what with all those convenient places to stop off in a fin keeler on the north cornish coast :rolleyes:

how much do you think the whole summer will cost on visitors rates then?
 
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