Purchasing your first boat is a worthwhile investment, especially considering how pricey it can be. Some are even known to cost up to a seven-figure digit value. Even so, you’ve still gone ahead and bought yours. Perhaps your primary goal for purchasing the boat is to use it to enjoy your time with your family and friends while sailing/fishing along Australia’s most famous coastline.
But after buying the boat, the issue of transporting it to your preferred spot becomes another crucial consideration. Indeed, ferrying it solely from the purchase point to your locality can be strenuous and costly. The better option, in this case, is to hire a reliable boat transporter. They have the expertise and capability to deliver your boat by road to your address, whether it’s Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, or any other Australian city. With that in mind, here are nine things to consider when choosing a boat transporter:
1. Adequate Equipment
A reliable boat transporter should have the right equipment to haul your boat into the carrier and deliver it to you intact. A giant boat carrier can benefit you if you have more than one boat to be transported and want them delivered to you simultaneously.
For assurance, you can request to have a look at their transportation carriers. While at it, check if they’re in good shape so that you don’t commit your boat to a risky haulage vehicle.
2. Tracking System
Purchasing your boat probably costs you a lot of money, and you’d want perfection in its transportation. The anxieties that may crop up when your boat is in transit are immeasurable. Even if you trust the company, the worries can’t just end until your boat is delivered safely. You hope it arrives in good time, perhaps for your planned sailing vacation with your family and friends.
So, to avoid such uncertainties, check if the boat transporter company has any tracking systems in their carriers and whether you can get frequent updates on the boat’s location.
Typically, tracking systems use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to determine the boat’s precise location at any point in time. A reliable transport company should integrate this with the internet and a corresponding app to send timely notifications to your smartphone.
3. The Company’s Experience
The number of years a boat transporter has been in the business assures you they’re capable of your vessel’s transportation. If they’ve been in business for a long time, they know the ins and outs of boat transportation. There’s no doubt they know how to carefully handle the boat and balance and support it perfectly during shipping so it won’t break.
Rugged roads may toss your boat side to side, breaking some parts. It can even fall over the road and get destroyed. Only seasoned transporters have a mastery of mitigating such vulnerabilities. They also know when it’s safe to move your boat without the risk of vandalism or theft. If they think there’s any insecurity, they can make necessary arrangements to have the police assist with the transportation. So ensure you check the company’s history to guarantee a safe boat transport process.
4. Transportation Prices
Different boat transporters charge differently for their services. It’s always worth comparing prices and deciding on the most cost-effective option. There’s no denying some may charge exorbitant fees, yet they have the same type of equipment as the others. But that fact shouldn’t make you go for the cheapest offers as their services may be subpar. Your winning point is evaluating the prices against the benefits and choosing the best value for money.
The good thing is that many boat transporters display their prices online or can readily give quotes. Thus, you can compare prices from your home’s comfort without hopping from one company office to another.
5. Insurance
As much as a boat transporter puts all necessary measures in place to safeguard the boat’s integrity while on transit, the unexpected can happen and leave your boat damaged. It may be a sudden wild storm or an accident on the road. Working with an insured company assures you that, even if something of the sort happens during transportation, they’ll take it upon themselves to replace or repair your boat.
There’s no doubt your boat probably cost you a lot of money. Without insurance, the damages may be too expensive to rectify and may drain your finances. Therefore, consider checking if a reliable firm insures the transporter. At the same time, they should be able to give you information beforehand on whether they need you to pay more for your boat insurance, maybe because of its price and make.
6. Overall Transportation Timeline
Consider determining the time it’ll take for your boat to get to you when choosing a boat transport company. A boat transport company with timely deliveries can assure you you’ll have your boat as soon as you want it. So, specify your deadlines and ask them if they can meet them. If not, try another company or consider adjusting your schedule. With such valuable cargo, late deliveries are a no-no. You can also discuss what happens if they fail to meet the agreed timelines.
7. Size And Type Of Boat
The size and type of your boat should be a consideration during transportation. Not all transport companies have big enough carriers to transport gigantic vessels. Asking such helps you hire a company capable of handling your cargo comfortably.
In addition, different types of boats also require certain specific transportation regulations. For instance, the way you can transport a wood boat legally can differ from that of a power boat. So, determine any laws you must follow for your boat transportation.
8. License
Shipping is a big industry and is usually under the government’s radar. So, for a company to successfully move boats around from one state to another, they need to be licensed. Therefore, ask your shortlisted boat transporter to show you their permit and ascertain their validity. If they’re hesitant to share the documents, drop them and move on to the next company. Working with an unlicensed firm may lead to the confiscation of your boat by the authorities.
9. Reputation
Checking a company’s reputation helps you ascertain its credibility. To efficiently do this, read reviews from their previous customers from their feedback system wherein clients leave comments on how they found the transporting company’s services. If you find more negative comments than positive ones, it’s wise to avoid working with them. At the same time, if you have friends who’ve used boat transportation services, you should ask for references on which one you can work with.
Conclusion
When buying a boat for the first time, you must choose a reliable transport company so your vessel can be delivered to your address on time and in good shape. Before hiring, take your time to scrutinize the company’s technical know-how, resource endowment, and reliability. Their word of mouth alone shouldn’t be enough. Go ahead and ask them to show you the necessary documents and inspect their carriers by yourself. It goes a long way to ensuring your prized possession reaches you in one piece.
