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Americans love boating. In the year 2020, there were roughly 12 million registered recreational boating vessels in the United States, and it was Florida that topped the list among American states with the highest number of registered recreational boats. In 2021, almost 87 million Americans participated in boating-related activities like sailing, motorboating, fishing, kayaking, and more.
Almost all boat owners need to ship their boats through land one day or another. For that, they need shipping companies that have expertise in handling boats. If you’re one of these people you’ve landed in the right place. In this article, we are going to guide you through the process of boat shipping.
What are boat shipping companies?
Boat shipping is a tricky business. It requires professionals who have the right training, tools, and expertise in loading, transporting, and unloading boats from carriers. Companies that specialize in boat shipping are called boat shipping companies.
Boat shipping companies not only ensure safety but they have insurance coverage for any damages that may arise to a customer’s property. Therefore, choosing boat shipping is the best option for people considering moving their boat from one coast to another.
How to find the right boat shipping company?
Like other types of vehicle shipping, the boat shipping company has also moved online for the most part. So, you can research boat shipping companies online and make a list of the first few that you come across.
In case you can’t easily decide on one company, we have a three-step factor to shortlist reliable boat shipping companies.
1. Accreditation
Accreditation is very important when choosing a company that is going to transport your boat. Like all other transportation companies, boat shipping companies are required to have a DOT number. This means that they are registered with the Department of Transportation and you can run the number through the department’s website to check the authenticity of the claim.
The second accreditation a cars shipping company must have is from FMCSA. This is also a must-have for a company that offers to pick up and drop off your boat. Only companies that are properly accredited are worth doing business with because they will be subjected to all the rules and regulations, thereby ensuring a better service for you.
2. Insurance
Insurance is also a must-have for any company that offers to ship your boat. This will usually be mentioned on their website but still make sure you ask your boat shipping company for it. Ask for it to be mentioned in the contract so that there are no issues later on.
Also read: Car Shipping to Hawaii Made Simple
To protect yourself from any loss or damage, make sure to check your car thoroughly before handing it over to the driver and read the bill of Lading carefully. Later on, when you’ll be asked to sign off the bill of lading again while receiving your car, ensure there haven’t been any damages that have arisen to the car during the journey.
3. Reputation and Experience
The reputation of any business matters a lot. In case you’re wondering how you’ll come to know the reputation of a company, Well, in this day and age, it’s very simple. Search the company online and you’ll find reviews regarding the company on Google, TrustPilot, and Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Prioritize boat shipping companies with good ratings. However, look for negative reviews as well because companies with no bad reviews probably mean that the company is controlling their reviews online. A few negative reviews are fine, but try to look at how the company has responded to them. Too many bad reviews show that the company is not worth considering.
Finalizing one boat shipping company
Now that you have shortlisted companies for your boat shipping needs, reach out to them regarding your desired service and see what the company can offer. Most companies have quotation calculators on the main page of their website. Enter your details and they will either send you a quotation via email or call you to get a better understanding of your needs.
Once you have quotations from all the companies you’ve shortlisted, it’s up to you which one you want to go with. Usually, people go for the company that offers the lowest rate however we believe that the lowest rates are mostly a lowballing technique by the companies to attract customers. So, we suggest customers go with companies that are offering competitive rates.
Conclusion
We hope this guide is enough for you to find the right boat shipping company. Just keep in mind that whatever experience you go through is worth sharing online. Leave reviews about the company whether good or bad, because this will help others in deciding to go with the company or not. It will also improve the boat shipping industry overall, and you may get a better service next time.
