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Where to eat and sleep while averaging 45MPH? That $1000 budget might cover fuel...nothing more. $1000 worth of tolls? $500 for loading onto the trailer and forklift time to help you adjust the boat to trailer. Motel/food for two for 6 days...$1500?
A blown tranny on your old dulie? How many days to fix, maybe $1500 to fix at the least, and hotel while waiting...not counting the towing bill from where you broke down to the nearest town...for BOTH truck and boat.
$5000 is starting to sound like a bargain yet? Good on you and best of luck either way.
$1000 worth of tolls? Kinda exaggerating there a bit aren't we? Tolls aren't that bad even if I decided to take this all through the NYS Thruway zigzag back to the PA Turnpike down the WV TP and zipped through FL TurnPike. And $250/ nite for a motel? Don't pay that to stay much in a 4 star hotel Manhattan, let alone in a midwest motel. As far as loading the boat, the marina will load and adjust the boat onto the trailer and adjust trailer at no cost, that negotiated as part of the sale....and God forbid if something happed to the truck, which will go through a complete checkup before leaving, I have AAA that would not only cover the tow, but also the hotel stay and car rental while I am waiting for the repairs to get down if they are major, minor repairs I can do while on the road. And old pickup? I am looking at a 14 year old diesel dually with less than 125K on the clock, not like I am looking at taking Fred Sanford's junkyard pickup...now are you going to tell me I need only a 2010 $50K pickup truck? Take a look at some of the equipment the "professionals" use over at uBid, most are not any better (some are worse) than the "old truck".
Not convincing me that me doing this myself or anyone else doing this themselves for that matter would be worse off than paying $5k to someone on uShip. BTW, don't want to point any fingers, but more than one of these "helpful" user IDs giving me "advice" are listed with uShip as transporters, search some of the usernames here and match them up on uShip....conflict of interest here?
Look I don't scare easy, simply put I like challanges. When I was told I was to young to be the GC building my house, well I did it anyhow. When I was told I was to inexperienced to branch off from my job and run my own business, I not only did it but have done quite well so far. And now being told I can't do this, I will. I did get alot of info both through the post and through PMs and for that I am thankful, gave me alot of info and pointers that I can and will use.... and for the ones that have a personal vested interest against me or anyone else doing something like this, just stick to the facts and don't embellish....seriously $1000 in tolls???
Last edited by jlfaulring; 02-08-2010 at 11:27 PM.
Good luck. I think the way you explained yourself in your posts with what you are trying to do, really didnt set well with people on here, including myself.
I do not wish you bad KARMA, but it just seems like you are sure going through a lot for a boat that is 3000 + miles away when we are in an amazing boat buyer's market. I understand you got a great deal and thats great for you, but what you have to accomplish and plan just to get it back to the east coast is very daunting.
I wish you the best and safe travels. Please take pictures and post a thread when you have accomplished this.
Brad
__________________ LTD
Living The Dream, but somedays, its not always my dream!
The $1000 for tolls was the estimate that another poster used for Permits (not toll-road tolls); maybe it's less, but a phone number's been posted so that part is easily quantifiable. Hope it's less for you.
The motel/food/drink number is something I picked out of the air, of course...using $100/night for a motel and $150/day for food, drink and incidentals for two people. That can certainly be cut down to half of that by keeping a cooler of lunchmeat and a loaf of bread in the truck. With the vehicles you drive, I expected that you'd make a vacation out of this instead of the cooler route. No offense intended, but even at $100/day, that's at least $500.
Add in the Permit number and Fuel and trailer rental, then add in a number for surprises and add in whatever opportunity costs you and your partner gave up (income) by taking the trip, and the total comes awfully close to $5000 for a guaranteed, insured, stress-free delivery. All of this trip hinges on whether your tri-axle will allow the boat to fit under 13'6". If it doesn't, seems that either a low-boy or extra permit expense and probably a longer route home will be incurred.
I'm an amateur with the same thought processes that you're contemplating (almost). The most I've done is 1300 miles to NJ for a sailboat and 650 each to Texas and Florida for powerboats. Florida was a piece of cake. Texas was that light tongue and bad road through Louisiana (scared....). The NJ trip was made with a package that was only 28', 8' wide and only 5000 pounds....but driving mountain and inner-city traffic was nerve-wracking. Get the least bit tired and you're out of your lane or onto the shoulder...neither path a good one.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
The $1000 for tolls was the estimate that another poster used for Permits (not toll-road tolls); maybe it's less, but a phone number's been posted so that part is easily quantifiable. Hope it's less for you.
The motel/food/drink number is something I picked out of the air, of course...using $100/night for a motel and $150/day for food, drink and incidentals for two people. That can certainly be cut down to half of that by keeping a cooler of lunchmeat and a loaf of bread in the truck. With the vehicles you drive, I expected that you'd make a vacation out of this instead of the cooler route. No offense intended, but even at $100/day, that's at least $500.
Add in the Permit number and Fuel and trailer rental, then add in a number for surprises and add in whatever opportunity costs you and your partner gave up (income) by taking the trip, and the total comes awfully close to $5000 for a guaranteed, insured, stress-free delivery. All of this trip hinges on whether your tri-axle will allow the boat to fit under 13'6". If it doesn't, seems that either a low-boy or extra permit expense and probably a longer route home will be incurred.
I'm an amateur with the same thought processes that you're contemplating (almost). The most I've done is 1300 miles to NJ for a sailboat and 650 each to Texas and Florida for powerboats. Florida was a piece of cake. Texas was that light tongue and bad road through Louisiana (scared....). The NJ trip was made with a package that was only 28', 8' wide and only 5000 pounds....but driving mountain and inner-city traffic was nerve-wracking. Get the least bit tired and you're out of your lane or onto the shoulder...neither path a good one.
MPG for an older truck, winter-blend ULSD, and several sets of hills and mountains? My guess is 7-9 if the trip is done around 60MPH. 400 gallons is my guesstimate.
What else would you take for a Rockies crossing besides a case of tranny fluid and ??? what can we do to plan for most common situations like this?
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Pick the I40 route. About as low terrain drive as you can get driving cross country. This is not my first time crossing x country, I know which roads to avoid. And with the way the weather has been in the midwest, I may even hold off the trip until April to avoid any major storms.
Pay a hauler, the 3000 mile treck alone is tough enough, if you've towed a boat before you'll understand that kind of trip is not an easy trip. Good luck with your new boat
The $1000 for tolls was the estimate that another poster used for Permits (not toll-road tolls); maybe it's less, but a phone number's been posted so that part is easily quantifiable. Hope it's less for you.
The motel/food/drink number is something I picked out of the air, of course...using $100/night for a motel and $150/day for food, drink and incidentals for two people. That can certainly be cut down to half of that by keeping a cooler of lunchmeat and a loaf of bread in the truck. With the vehicles you drive, I expected that you'd make a vacation out of this instead of the cooler route. No offense intended, but even at $100/day, that's at least $500.
Add in the Permit number and Fuel and trailer rental, then add in a number for surprises and add in whatever opportunity costs you and your partner gave up (income) by taking the trip, and the total comes awfully close to $5000 for a guaranteed, insured, stress-free delivery. All of this trip hinges on whether your tri-axle will allow the boat to fit under 13'6". If it doesn't, seems that either a low-boy or extra permit expense and probably a longer route home will be incurred.
I'm an amateur with the same thought processes that you're contemplating (almost). The most I've done is 1300 miles to NJ for a sailboat and 650 each to Texas and Florida for powerboats. Florida was a piece of cake. Texas was that light tongue and bad road through Louisiana (scared....). The NJ trip was made with a package that was only 28', 8' wide and only 5000 pounds....but driving mountain and inner-city traffic was nerve-wracking. Get the least bit tired and you're out of your lane or onto the shoulder...neither path a good one.
I think I already covered that the permits for the entire trip come out to less than $340 TOTAL....actually listed a state by state breakdown, I am not losing any "opportunity costs because I work solely from my computer and work can be brought anywhere there is a VZ connection...the buddy "owes" me big time for me springing him out of the clink on more than one occassion.
I plan on spending no more than $700 for Motels and meals and if I plan it out right and meetup with a customer or two of mine along the way, well its a tax writeoff.
And why is everyone assuming that uShip is worry-free? The lowest bid I have got thus far is from a guy with 1 feedback and equipment that is in worse shape than anything I have mentioned thus far? I have heard MANY horror stories of uninsured drivers, thieves, and all sorts of scams on uShip. Worry free would mean going with one of the $7- 9K haulers. Again, ALOT would have to go wrong all at once for me to spend $5000 on the trip.
As far as city or mountain driving I already posted the route I would be taking, few hills, but pretty boring terrain and skip just about any major city's. City driving doesn't scare me though, once you've taken a 26 box truck and car trailer through the FDR doing 65 bumper to bumper, everything else seems like a cakewalk
We have come to a point where anymore advice is simply a waste. This guy is going to make this trip and tow this boat. More out of spite, most likely, than anything else.
You said you towed a car trailer with a 26 box truck- thats a whole different ball game. Little weight behind a large heavy duty truck. With the boat you will have a small 1 ton truck (small compared to that box truck) and a huge, wide, tall, and heavy item that can throw you around anytime it wants.
You said you towed a car trailer with a 26 box truck- thats a whole different ball game. Little weight behind a large heavy duty truck. With the boat you will have a small 1 ton truck (small compared to that box truck) and a huge, wide, tall, and heavy item that can throw you around anytime it wants.
Have you towed a large boat before?
Actually, I have. When I was a kid, the family owned amid 80's SunRunner 28' Boat and several times from 18 til my mid-20's we'd tow it from Albuquerque to either Utah or Wyoming. Now a SunRunner was a big wide boat, and though it was only through a few states, you were going through some crazy mountains. After my folks divorce, it was either me or my younger brother that would be responsible from picking up the boat from my dad to use it, so I do know how to handle a large boat and trailer behind me. And if I remember back then the damn trailer that we had back then didn't even have it's own set of brakes, the rule was never faster than 45....three days it would take sometimes to make it from NM to WY. Still wasn't as bad as the FDR.
Going from San Diego, single use permits are as follows: CA $16, AZ $15, NM $15, TX $31, OK $22, MO $39, IL $30, IN $30, OH $65, PA $28 and Finally NY $40.... Grand total: $331, and I can apply either via online or mail (I have time and will save $5 fees that some of them tack on for using a credit card.
Helpful link to the Federal Highway Administration's website about Overwidth Permits and links to each state's respective website:
"I see you put your request on uship, the boat is not 10,000 lbs- more like 12,000-13,000 lbs. I know Larson quotes the rig at 9,000 or so, but its a 31' compact cruiser with all the bells and whistles, and 2 engines."---NADA takes into account the engines, that I know.
I am starting to wonder how many transporters are on this website? Maybe that's the reason for the "don'ts" and "can'ts" and the "you need $1000 in permits" and "you need a new truck" and the general sense that I am pesonally insulting them by saving myself money by not paying 5-6 grand that the trailer swingers on uboats want to charge. Seriously, I have looked at some of the hauler's equipment and could quite frankly buy what they have down in CA for $15-20K total put 4,000 miles on it and sell it for the same, if not a little more (to cover sales tax) up here in NY.
What happens if I make this trip, maybe others may decide to do the same thing??? Could be bad for business I suppose.
Keep you posted.
Don't forget the Tolls in Ill, IN, OH PA and NY. I'm sure that will add quite a nice little sum to your trip. If I were 32 and had nothing better to do I would probably consider doing this. But at 49 I know better and have done many foolish things thinking I can do this. Well don't forget that Murphy will crop up when you least expect him to. How much money will you not make working while on this little excursion across the US?
Well if you decide to go ahead and do this Good Luck to you.
__________________ 2007 Lowe FM 185
2007 Mercury Verado 150
Motorguide Wireless
Lowrance LMS 111 HD
Mercury Temptest Plus prop
Don't forget the Tolls in Ill, IN, OH PA and NY. I'm sure that will add quite a nice little sum to your trip. If I were 32 and had nothing better to do I would probably consider doing this. But at 49 I know better and have done many foolish things thinking I can do this. Well don't forget that Murphy will crop up when you least expect him to. How much money will you not make working while on this little excursion across the US?
Well if you decide to go ahead and do this Good Luck to you.
Actually, the only toll roads on this route are in OK and NY, and for relatively short stretches. I woun't be losing out on any money on this because all of my work is done on a computer, which I can tote along with me.
I hope you post the end results either way....your first post made this sound like a suicide trip....by post #43 you have a senario that is much closer to being done realistically. If you plan to trailer to FL and back every winter then buying a truck and trailer would be a very good idea.
People sell used trailers for one reason.....they don't trust them anymore!!! So why would you want it? 110K miles on a used diesel isn't much of a problem just have the truck looked over (I think you already said that). 10mpg is at best but seems you already know that too. ALOT of 1 ton trucks still come with a 5,000 hitch, doesn't make sense but check and/or change to a 15K, it matters!!! Hills can make underated equipment fail.....again, renting that new trailer, or buying one helps that issue.
Towing a 10.5 beam.....you might get by without permits but seems you know what's needed there to get them. Screw it, make the trip. You've got most issues covered, the rest will work themselves out.
BTW: I've never transported a load for anyone but used to buy-to-resell 30ish foot cruisers like this one. I've hauled them from FL, SC, GA, IN, NY all to VA. I sold my boat last week but kept it in a garage and hauled it every weekend for the last 5 years....38ft cigarette boat. Weighed 15,000 loaded behind a F350 dually and would run the highway at 80mph on long trips. (trailer is rated for 18,000 and EVERYTHING gets serviced regularly).
I've also paid for loads to come from FL, SC, and AL. After considering the cost of the trips I think I spent an extra 20% by paying someone else.....I figured I made up that difference by being at work instead of on the road for a few days.
Either way good luck and PLEASE post the end results!!!
this sounds like a government agency that just bought the brightest/best/greatest/most efficient thing on the market with no one to operate it. And it all seemed like a good idea at the time.
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