Shipping a canoe

[spencer]

I am looking at shipping a canoe across the country. My first contact with a trucking company was a real shock. What are some affordable ways to ship a wood canoe?

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

I hope it's not a good canoe, because the chances it will get there in one piece are about 50/50 at best. The last boat I gad shipped truck freight did arrive OK .... once they found it after losing it for a few weeks. I was a canoe dealer for about 20 years and have seen far too many beautiful boats with fork lift holes through them to ever feel comfortable using truck freight as anything but an absolute last resort. We got to the point where we wouldn't even special order boats unless they came on a factory shipment from the canoe company that built them.

I do have an excellent canoe shipping service that I used twice last summer. It's a small, family-run operation using a big pickup truck pulling a double-length canoe trailer. Canoe transport is their business, not freight and I've never used a shipper that's so careful about getting the boats padded and carefully strapped down. They drive coast to coast delivering canoes, surf skis, outriggers and kayaks for both individuals and manufacturers. If their route happens to cover your area (they're pretty flexible) I don't think you'll find anyone that's better and their prices seem reasonable.

The company is K.A.S. Transport, based in New York. Telephone (315) 986-1869. Their e-mail is kastransport@earthlink.net. Your boat would be a hundred times safer with them than it would be with any trucking company.

 

[Giiwedin]

I've shipped a number of wooden canoes with:

Affordable Boat Carriers
PO Box 501094
Malabar, FL 32950-1094
(321) 724-8960
mdually3@yahoo.com

They are a bit quirky about pickup and delivery scheduling, but overall I've had very satisfactory experience with them. Cost for coast-to-coast transport is about $450. No problem with damage whatever.

 

[ebeeby]

Ditto on Affordable. They delivered a 1929 Old Town from vermont to a rowing club in Dallas.

 

[Michael Grace]

I've used Affordable Boat Carriers quite a few times, always with good success. In fact, they're delivering a boat to me tomorrow!

Michael

 

[Michael Grace]

Well, Santa came today, in the form of a big black truck dragging a long white trailer behind. After many a mile in snow, sleet and rain, a fine old wooden beauty was delivered in perfect order from NY to FL with narry a scratch. I've not tried KAS yet- they seem like fine folks- but I do know that Affordable has always done a great job for me.

[Spokesperson has not been compensated for this endorsement ]

Michael

 

[Andy Hutyera]

While visiting Joe Baltich, a Souris River dealer up in Ely MN, I got to watch him prepare to ship several canoes. Joe built a canoe shaped crate out of about 1 x 3's and suspended the canoe inside using plastic staps. Joe claims he's never had a canoe damaged using this method of shipping. I took a picture of the finished product which can be seen at: http://www.picturetrail.com/hutyera

 

[Wangta]

Hey guys,

Realize this is an old thread but I searched around and didn't see a newer post - does anybody have a reputable and reliable company that can ship a 18' cedar strip canoe from VT to FL?

I emailed the companies on this thread and some of them bounced back (understandable - it's been 7 years!).

Thanks so much. Pic of boat attached.

 

[Mark Adams]

I'm with Peter, KAS is the way to go. They can be a bit slow at times, but they take really good care of the boats. Last time, he brought me 2 all wood Rushtons.

 

[MackyM]

I have had KAS deliver several from as far away as Vancover to Clearwater,FL with zero damage

 

[pklonowski]

You can also post in the Classifieds section, looking for a ride for your canoe.