There are three ways to move a boat: on her own bottom (a delivery passage), by road and by ship.
This page compares the three and covers the road transport side in the detail it usually lacks.
1. The Three, Side by Side
| Delivery passage | Road | Ship / container | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable size | No limit | Practical to roughly 12-15 m; above that, permits and cost | Any size, uneconomic on small boats |
| Duration | Days, by route | Usually fastest over short to medium distances | Tied to sailing schedules, with waiting |
| Effect on the boat | Adds engine hours and fuel; systems run | No hours added; loading and support risk instead | No hours added; handling risk at each end |
| Main risk | Weather, breakdown, route | Incorrect support, road vibration, height and width limits | Handling damage, delay |
| Side benefit | The boat is tested under way; a delivery report is produced | None | None |
2. Road Transport: What Matters
Dimensions and permits
What governs is not length but width and height. On a trailer, the widest and highest points of the boat set what the road allows. Above certain dimensions you need special permits, escort vehicles and sometimes night movement, all of which are cost and calendar items.
Support: this is where the risk sits
Most damage in road transport happens not on the road but in how the boat was supported. Road vibration runs for hours, and if load enters at the wrong point it leaves permanent deformation. What to check:
- Is the keel fully and squarely bearing, most of the weight travels through it
- Do the side supports land on structural points (in line with bulkheads) rather than on unsupported panel
- Do the pads match the shape of the hull
- Do the strops bear directly on the hull, or is there protection between
- Are rudder and propeller free and protected
Preparing the boat
- Mast unstepped and secured, or transported separately. Spreaders and wire protected.
- Everything loose removed or stowed: bimini, sprayhood, outboard, dinghy, spare anchor.
- Tanks drained as far as practical, weight and surge.
- Batteries secured, main isolator off.
- Seacocks closed, bilge dry.
- Electronics and delicate equipment removed or secured.
- A photographic condition record before loading, the only antidote to a damage argument.
3. Transport by Ship
Over long distances, between continents or across open oceans, the boat is loaded onto a cargo vessel, either on deck (lift-on/lift-off) or aboard a dedicated carrier. The process follows sailing schedules and involves waiting. The critical points: correct selection of lifting points during loading and discharge, the securing arrangement on deck, preparation for salt exposure, and customs formalities on arrival.
4. Which, When?
| Situation | Usually right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Moving within the Aegean (e.g. İzmir-Bodrum) | Delivery passage | Short distance, the boat gets tested, a delivery report is produced |
| Newly bought boat, distant marina | Delivery passage | A long passage shows the boat's real condition |
| Small boat, midwinter | Road | No waiting for a weather window |
| Urgent delivery at season start | Road | Calendar certainty |
| Between continents | Ship | The only realistic option |
| Boat with engine or rig problems | Road or ship | A long passage on a compromised boat is a risk |
| Post-sale handover, buyer far away | Depends | A passage produces a delivery report; road gives calendar certainty |
5. What We Do
We carry out delivery passages ourselves: route planning, weather windows, crew, a photographed handover record and position sharing throughout. On road and ship transport we sit on the coordination and inspection side: you choose the haulier, and we take the pre-loading condition record, check the support arrangement and carry out the arrival inspection. We take no commission from hauliers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Send length, weight, from where to where and the date, we will work out which method fits.
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