Question:
Recently shipped my sailboat from Florida to Racine Wisconsin using American Boat Transport. When boat arrived, mast on deck had shifted foward about 2 feet, although it was secured well in three places. Driver says he noticed shift while driving down the highway. More like he had to do a panic stop. Everything inside the boat was tossed about. Hanging nets came down, etc. Only after the driver left Racine did I notice the outboard bracket was cracked, and luckily the engine did not fall off the boat. American Boat refuses to accept responsibility for this, or pay for a new bracket. There are many reputable boat transporters. I just picked a bad one.
Answer:
-It begs the question: why wasn't the o/b removed and stowed prior to
shipment? I would think that would be mandatory and should have been noticed
by the shipper.
-I guess if the truck had slammed into another vehicle you would be happier.
At least you would have gotten a chunk of change from the insurance company.
Sounds like the boat was not well prepared for transport. Sudden stops are a
part of life when on the road. Have to wonder how well prepared it is for
sailing?
- The boat was in fact very well prepared for transport. What was I to do with a
100 outboard engine, put it in the cockpit or on the deck? That sound like a formula
for disaster. Amazing how everyone jumped to the defense of this poor trucker.
Am I supposed to be grateful that they didn't total my boat. Some of these trucking
companies go under the assumption that you have to expect some damage. I don't
buy that. If I were a large company shipping my 500000 dollar yacht, you can be sure they would
have taken care of any damage. This cowboy trucker was probably
driving too close to the vehicle ahead, or fell asleep at the wheel. They are only supposed to
drive 8 hours a day, but he made the trip in just over 1 1/2 days, as the
only driver. Well, if nobody complains, these companies will continue their bad
practices. Seems like nobody cares, and thank goodness, I don't plan any future
transports.
-When you had mentioned a mast, I just thought that (as I have
one) it was a normal sized sailboat. As it appears now to be an extra large
sailboat housing a 100 hp outboard motor (can't say that I have seen one of
those) I guess I jumped the gun. Perhaps lessons learned here - choose your
transport company well (get recommendations/endorsements), be there to
ensure it is loaded properly, take pictures, and document (and have the
driver sign) any observed anomalies. And, not that we can all do this, but
if possible, travel behind the transport vehicle keeping your camera at the
ready. Is hiring a lawyer to fight your claim out of the question? It has
been a wakeup call for me (and perhaps other readers) who plans on having
his 5500 pound sailboat transported next year. Thanks for posting. Good
luck.
