Towing boat down to Florida for Bahamas Crossing

[jasonw]

Team,

I'm guessing one of you has some pretty good knowledge here. Basically, I'm trying to work out the logistics to get my boat down to Lake Worth Inlet so I can make the crossing. But, I don't have a behemoth truck and wondering if I can rent one, or pay someone to tow down for me. Though if I pay someone, they would have to stop at a pump and fill it up down there as well as launch it, and I don't know if there are services like that. My understanding is that I would likely need a 350\3500 dually. Boat is listed as "Ready to Fish" @ 13,500lbs, but I don't know if that includes trailer (I'll ask). I poked around on a few rental sites (united rentals, enterprise trucks, etc) but it's not clear that they have what I need. Who has done this before and what are my options? And what is an "easy" ramp to use down there that has lots of room? Maybe a near by marina where I can spend the night the day before crossing, etc.

I do own a trailer, just not the truck. Boat is at a marina usually.

I would probably only do this 2 times per year, so I don't know that it makes sense to buy a dually.

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

[Saltydog235]

I used a guy out of South GA to tow my Southport 28 up from Biloxi when I bought it. I got his name off THT. Can’t remember it though since I only used him once. Lots of tow companies recommended on there that’ll know where to go and the best places to fuel it. 13,500 won’t include the trailer. Any modern SRW 3/4ton or up will tow that with ease.

[scdiver]

There are transport guys who do this for you.

I'll get a name and send it over.

Do you have enough fuel to go out of the inlet and hang a right?

I've thought that would be an awesome trip to fish down and across.

[willk]

So "my boat" isn't "your boat" yet?

[ctodd]

Check your PM’s

[FishSticker]

Many moons ago, I used to haul my 35 down and back a couple times a year. I had a SRW350 for around town but would rent a dually from Enterprise Truck rental in N CHas...80 bucks/day unlimited miles. But then, I wound up paying for the truck to sit for 10 days while I was over there. Finally decided to start putting her in a high and dry for a couple months at a time. I started using a couple of transport companies once I established a consistent home for the boat down there. I would be flexible in my scheduling and catch them with an open trailer on a return trip and it was very reasonable. That was a different time in life though...nowadays I'd just as soon fly over and rent a boat. Alot easier traveling with the family not having to worry about the return trip or having to leave the boat at the dock over there and come get it 3 weeks later.

Mike @ Bluewater Transport 912-409-8813(my preferred transport guy)

Smittys Hauling 240-298-0588

Enterprise Marine & RV 386-473-2819

Where is your destination? if just Bimini, you can go from anywhere. If you are not going to Bimini, do not clear at West End...head on to Grand, Spanish, or Green Turtle. If you are going around the corner to I'd launch from FP or Canaveral. People forget about Canaveral but it is only about a 4 hour trip at 35 knots to Grand or Walkers.

If trailering down and back yourself, there are a couple options....problem for you is going to be truck/trailer storage for a big rig. Lake Park Marina is a good option. Can also have a marina splash you and then take your truck and trailer offsite. I used to store my trailer at Bluewater Marine right there off of US1, but there are a couple folks down there offering secure, long term parking now depending on your launch port.

[Steelin' Ducks]

These guys haul the Freeman's from the factory.

https://bishopsmarinetransport.com/

[Saltydog235]

Many moons ago, I used to haul my 35 down and back a couple times a year. I had a SRW350 for around town but would rent a dually from Enterprise Truck rental in N CHas...80 bucks/day unlimited miles. But then, I wound up paying for the truck to sit for 10 days while I was over there. Finally decided to start putting her in a high and dry for a couple months at a time. I started using a couple of transport companies once I established a consistent home for the boat down there. I would be flexible in my scheduling and catch them with an open trailer on a return trip and it was very reasonable. That was a different time in life though...nowadays I'd just as soon fly over and rent a boat. Alot easier traveling with the family not having to worry about the return trip or having to leave the boat at the dock over there and come get it 3 weeks later.

Mike @ Bluewater Transport 912-409-8813(my preferred transport guy)

Smittys Hauling 240-298-0588

Enterprise Marine & RV 386-473-2819

Where is your destination? if just Bimini, you can go from anywhere. If you are not going to Bimini, do not clear at West End...head on to Grand, Spanish, or Green Turtle. If you are going around the corner to I'd launch from FP or Canaveral. People forget about Canaveral but it is only about a 4 hour trip at 35 knots to Grand or Walkers.

If trailering down and back yourself, there are a couple options....problem for you is going to be truck/trailer storage for a big rig. Lake Park Marina is a good option. Can also have a marina splash you and then take your truck and trailer offsite. I used to store my trailer at Bluewater Marine right there off of US1, but there are a couple folks down there offering secure, long term parking now depending on your launch port.

Mike was the guy I used.

[FishSticker]

Mike was the guy I used.

Think I might have shared him with you if I'm not mistaken...

My Pursuit was almost 16k on the slings before 400 gallons of fuel and he had no problems with it at all.

[Highstrung]

do you have a private plane? if so, I'll drop a pin on an airport near my house, it's small, easy in easy out.

[Saltydog235]

Think I might have shared him with you if I'm not mistaken...

My Pursuit was almost 16k on the slings before 400 gallons of fuel and he had no problems with it at all.

Yep, you did. Thought it was THT.

[FishSticker]

Yep, you did. Thought it was THT.

Side note, did you ever put a Rhodan on your Southport? Planning to put one on mine and would be interested to see your setup and how you navigated the anchor locker if so...

[Saltydog235]

Side note, did you ever put a Rhodan on your Southport? Planning to put one on mine and would be interested to see your setup and how you navigated the anchor locker if so...

Not yet. The battery is being delivered on the 20th. I’ll pull the boat and install it soon. I won’t know that answer until I can physically lay it out. Battery is going in the console under the sink. I’m using a single 36v Dakota 63ah.

[jasonw]

I’m using a single 36v Dakota 63ah.

That sounds expensive! Interesting. On mine, we did 3x 12v, but hooked in a "Yandina Trollbridge" which will flip from 36v to 12v parallel charge while underway. Only issue is that I can't really tell that it's charging. Next step is to hook up an LED to be on the dash somewhere which will toggle from on\off depending if it's in 12 or 36v mode. Then at least I can tell if it's charging or not.

[jasonw]

Where is your destination? if just Bimini, you can go from anywhere. If you are not going to Bimini, do not clear at West End...head on to Grand, Spanish, or Green Turtle. If you are going around the corner to I'd launch from FP or Canaveral. People forget about Canaveral but it is only about a 4 hour trip at 35 knots to Grand or Walkers.

Likely West End this March, but likely Abacos in the summer. Crossed over to West End many times in my 26 Glacier Bay, but the boat was down there when I lived down there. Towing a larger boat hundreds of miles and launching somewhere is new for me. My GB stayed at a pretty nice marina down in Lantana for the 2 years I was in South Florida.

[Saltydog235]

That sounds expensive! Interesting. On mine, we did 3x 12v, but hooked in a "Yandina Trollbridge" which will flip from 36v to 12v parallel charge while underway. Only issue is that I can't really tell that it's charging. Next step is to hook up an LED to be on the dash somewhere which will toggle from on\off depending if it's in 12 or 36v mode. Then at least I can tell if it's charging or not.

I wanted one single to keep the weight down. I have shore power available at my slip, I'm going to start with the charger it comes with. Supposed to be able to get a full charge in 12hrs with the supplied charger, <5 if I opt for the rapid charger, we'll see. If I decide it isn't working, later I can get a charger that works off the engines. I looked at the 12V 60ah Lithiums and running as you did but cost's the same overall. Gel or Lead both would have been cheaper but 3X the weight, plus their warranties are crap. The Dakota has an 11 year warranty and doesn't lose power as it drains. I thought about the 100ah but the way we fish, if the boat isn't loaded by the time that 63ah battery is drained, we've had a real bad day.

[WNM]

If you don't already have an answer, the Penalty Box Freeman just got towed down to FL for the winter according to their Instagram. Might could reach out to them.

[lil 2 sleepy]

You can rent a truck from United for like $650/week. That is significantly cheaper than any shipper you will come across.

[FishSticker]

Likely West End this March, but likely Abacos in the summer. Crossed over to West End many times in my 26 Glacier Bay, but the boat was down there when I lived down there. Towing a larger boat hundreds of miles and launching somewhere is new for me. My GB stayed at a pretty nice marina down in Lantana for the 2 years I was in South Florida.

Any particular reason/requirement to leave from Lake Worth? Ft P would be where I would leave from coming from here in Chas to go to West End....be a lot easier all the way around.
For your Abacos trip, I'd leave from Canaveral since ranhe isn't a concern.

I'd rent a dually from Enterprise truck and not think twice about it. Throw your hitch in and let it dig. They are diesel, come equipped with trailer brake controllers, 4wd, and most are low mileage Lariats. I most recently rented one to bring my Southport back from OBX....worked as advertised and kept the mileage/wear and tear off my truck.

[jasonw]

Any particular reason/requirement to leave from Lake Worth? Ft P would be where I would leave from coming from here in Chas to go to West End....be a lot easier all the way around.
For your Abacos trip, I'd leave from Canaveral since ranhe isn't a concern.

I'd rent a dually from Enterprise truck and not think twice about it. Throw your hitch in and let it dig. They are diesel, come equipped with trailer brake controllers, 4wd, and most are low mileage Lariats. I most recently rented one to bring my Southport back from OBX....worked as advertised and kept the mileage/wear and tear off my truck.

That's great. When I looked at their site, they didn't show diesel or dually. I guess I'll call them.

Lake Worth just because that's what I know. It's a nice big inlet that is a straight shot across. I'll have kids on board, so less ocean time, the better. I used to run my GB out of Boynton Inlet, but it's not worth the stress. That "inlet" is really a ditch with a ton of current and super sketchy especially for catamarans that want to push sideways into the current.

Also, range isn't a concern per se, but fuel economy is better on the road than on the sea! Ideally I would not want to have to purchase too much fuel in the Bahamas.