anyone ever had a boat trailer shipped?

[Kevin89MC]

I posted on here awhile back about a boat I was looking at, a '99 Response LX at Tommy's of Detroit with no trailer. I ended up getting the boat, for way less than what they listed it for. It was ridden hard and put away wet, but mechanically I have a very good ski boat for an extremely low price. However I am on borrowed time on a borrowed trailer, so I need to get something figured out before the end of the season. Plan B is I put it on blocks in the garage for the winter, but the wife is a little nervous about that! There hasn't been much locally (Midwest-Minnesota), but there have been a few Prostar and Nautique trailers pop up on SIA that I think could fit with minimal adjustment. Willing to drive several hours for the right price, but wondering if anyone has ever had one shipped? I looked at uship.com, anyone ever used that?

Thanks in advance.

Kevin

 

[swc5150]

I used uship to pull a SN196 from Dallas to WI. Worked out great, and was inexpensive with the name your price tool.

[Jetsetr]

Have had good luck with UShip as well....

[foxriverat]

@Kevin89MC Came across this one https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bpo/d/twin-lakes-ski-boat-trailer-1998-eagle/7166716096.html

[Kevin89MC]

@foxriverat thanks for the link, that might work out really well! Thanks to the others about Uship, good to hear in case I go that route.

[jjackkrash]

The cheapest hotshotters I'd use are about $1.50 a mile. That adds up pretty quick on a used trailer depending on the distance. If you subtract shipping you could probably get into a new trailer locally for a similar price to a used one shipped any significant distance, unless you find a screaming deal on a used one that works. When the trailer manufacturer ships trailers to the boat dealers or manufacturers, they can load a lot of them on a semi/flatbed to keep the shipping cost down. Maybe if you can find a shipper who will load it on a semi with other items that might make shipping cheaper, but I have never looked into that.

[UWSkier]

That one posted by @foxriverat would likely work without any bunk modification required. Presumably that's a '98 response pictured on the trailer (it's the right deck) which would have had the same wetted surface as your '99.

[oldjeep]

That craigslist trailer appears to have no brakes if you care about that. To be legal in MN you need to have them on all axles and a breakaway system if you are over 3000lbs.

[MDB1056]

Roadtrip...... See it... buy it.... tow it home.

[oldjeep]

@MDB1056 - you ever towed an empty boat trailer very far?

[BraceMaker]

@oldjeep hahaha. Particularly one with surge brakes and a missing lock out tab.

 

 

 

[MDB1056]

Guys - yes - towed plenty. Slow down a bit empty of course. It's all cost/benefit. If not cost effective to ship, do the road trip math, if not cost effective go tp plan C. Wait for something closer. Not a complicated issue.

[oldjeep]

Your boat trailers must be better behaved than mine. Mine is a handful going a mile even with the brakes locked out. A trailer sprung to be towed with 3-5K sitting on it bounces like crazy when empty. Bracemaker has the right idea - strapping a full 55 gallon drum of water to the bunks would help a lot. If I were driving to get one I would put it on top a car trailer.

[dbutcher]

Let some air out of an empty trailer's tires, as much as you can without damaging the tires. I would guess that 30 lbs. would make an empty trailer ride better and not damage the tires.

[Kevin89MC]

Ha, I'm enjoying the comments about towing with an empty trailer. :smile: Yeah I've never had one tow well unloaded, which makes sense as someone mentioned they are sprung for load. I had to tow an empty borrowed trailer from Minneapolis to Detroit to pick the Malibu up. Brand new tires, but yeah it hopped the whole way down there. Never thought about strapping on a full barrel or airing down the tires, both would have helped I'm sure. Sure glad I decided to check the bearings in an empty parking lot before setting the boat on it, one of the brake shoes had worked off the post, I'm sure from all the bouncing. And glad I decided to buy it just so I could drive back properly loaded!

Yeah that Eagle trailer was gone by the time I called. He does have another ski boat trailer, but also with no brakes. The borrowed trailer I'm on now has brake issues that I'm working out, and even if it wasn't the law, I wouldn't buy one without brakes. Or plan to add them if it has the right plates on the spindles, but that would take some time and effort. But i'd do it for the right trailer at the right price.

[Hornbla]

I did it last year with this outfit: https://www.a1autotransport.com/ I can't find the exact link but they do boat shipping along with auto transport and pretty much any type of vehicle as far as I can tell. Didn't have any issues with them and would use again. I believe they ship everywhere in the US and they came in pretty good as far as price.