Yacht Shipping — Planned Yacht Transport by Land and Sea
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Moving a yacht takes a survey, a plan and the right equipment. ShipMyCar US coordinates overland yacht transport and ocean shipping, from the first measurement to the final splash.
Quick Answer
Short answer: Yacht shipping by land or sea for motor yachts, sailing yachts and catamarans. Permits, cradles, cranes and escorts coordinated. It's built for anyone comparing car shipping options who needs to know if this service fits their vehicle and timeline — use the quote form on this page for your exact price.
Last updated: September 11, 2026
A yacht is a specialty move. Unlike a 20-foot runabout that can ride behind a pickup, most yachts are wide, tall and heavy enough to need oversize permits, pilot cars, a hydraulic trailer or a custom cradle, and often a crane or travel lift at each end. Getting it wrong is expensive, so the work starts long before the truck shows up.
ShipMyCar US plans yacht shipping around the vessel. We gather the exact dimensions and weight, choose overland transport, ocean transport or a combination of the two, line up the yard work at each end, and book a licensed marine hauler. You get one coordinator and one quote for the whole move.
Overland or Ocean: Choosing How to Ship a Yacht
The yacht rides on a hydraulic boat trailer or custom cradle behind a heavy-haul truck. This is the usual choice for vessels up to roughly 14–16 feet of beam moving within the continental U.S. Wider loads are possible but need multiple permits, escort vehicles and careful route surveys.
Larger yachts, or yachts going to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or overseas, travel on a cargo ship. Options include roll-on/roll-off (for yachts on a trailer), lift-on/lift-off on a flat-rack container, or float-on/float-off on a semi-submersible yacht carrier.
Many inland-to-coast moves use a truck to reach a port and a ship for the long leg. We coordinate both so the handoff is planned, not improvised.
Yacht Transport Cost — What Drives the Estimate
The wider and taller the load, the more permits, escorts and route restrictions it needs. Beam over 12 feet usually requires pilot cars in most states.
These decide the trailer and truck class. Heavy displacement hulls can need specialized multi-axle trailers.
Per-mile rates for yachts typically start where large-boat rates end, roughly $2.75–$3.75 per mile and up for oversize loads, plus permit and escort fees.
Hauling out, mast unstepping, removal of arches or flybridge components, shrink-wrapping, cradle construction and crane or travel-lift time are billed by the yard.
For ship transport, the port pair, vessel size and sailing schedule set the price, along with port fees and any customs work.
Because every yacht is different, we quote yacht shipping from your exact measurements rather than a calculator. For smaller trailerable boats, our boat shipping cost calculator gives an instant range.
Yachts We Transport
- Motor yachts and express cruisers
- Sailing yachts and sloops (mast unstepped)
- Catamarans and trimarans
- Sportfishing yachts and convertibles
- Trawlers and long-range cruisers
- Commercial and charter vessels
- New yachts from the builder to the dealer or owner
The Yacht Shipping Process
- 1
Survey and Quote
Send the make, model, LOA, beam, draft, dry weight, height from keel to the highest fixed point, and both locations. We confirm the best method and quote the move.
- 2
Transport Plan
We set the route or sailing, line up permits and escorts, and schedule haul-out, decommissioning and loading with the yards at each end.
- 3
Preparation and Loading
Loose items are secured, tanks drained, electronics and canvas protected, and the yacht is lifted onto a padded trailer, cradle or ship with crane or travel lift.
- 4
Transit and Updates
You receive status updates throughout. Oversize road moves follow daylight and weekday travel rules, so timing is planned around them.
- 5
Delivery and Inspection
At the destination the yacht is offloaded, inspected against the pickup condition report and handed over with the delivery paperwork.
Preparing a Yacht for Transport
- Photograph the hull, deck and interior before decommissioning
- Remove valuables, loose gear and personal belongings
- Drain fuel to a minimum, plus fresh water and holding tanks
- Disconnect and secure batteries
- Secure or remove antennas, radar, outriggers, biminis and canvas
- Unstep and secure the mast and rigging on sailing yachts
- Latch and tape hatches, ports and windows; consider shrink-wrap for long road moves
- Have registration, title and, for ocean moves, any customs documents ready
Insurance and Documentation
Confirm the marine hauler's cargo limit is high enough for your yacht's value before booking.
Ask your insurer whether the vessel is covered in transit and whether a rider is needed for the road leg.
Overland moves need proof of ownership. Ocean moves to or from U.S. territories or foreign ports also require the certificate of registry or documentation, a bill of sale or commercial invoice, and customs clearance before loading.
Types of Yachts We Ship
Every yacht moves differently, so the first step is matching your vessel to the right method:
Most motor yachts up to about 45–50 feet can travel by road on a hydraulic boat trailer. Larger motor yachts usually move by water, either under their own power with a delivery captain or as deck cargo on a ship.
Sailboats travel with the mast unstepped and secured alongside the hull. The keel sits in a cradle or on keel blocks so the hull isn't stressed. Deep-keel boats often need extra height clearance, which affects the route.
Their wide beam is the main challenge. Many catamarans exceed 8 feet 6 inches in width and need oversize permits, escort vehicles and daytime-only travel.
Tuna towers, outriggers and flybridges add height. These are usually removed or lowered before road transport.
Smaller boats are covered on our boat shipping page and usually ship on standard boat trailers.
Yacht Transport by Land vs. by Water
Road transport is best for yachts that fit within highway size limits or need only modest permits. It's door to door — from a marina, boatyard or storage facility to another — and you get a fixed pickup and delivery plan. It's the most common way to move a yacht between lakes, inland waterways and coasts.
Water transport works for larger yachts. A delivery captain can run the boat to its destination, or the yacht can be loaded as deck cargo on a ship for long ocean legs. Water routes avoid road permits but depend on weather windows.
Combined transport is common for cross-country or international moves: a road leg to the nearest port, then ocean freight. For overseas moves, also see international car shipping and our international boat transport FAQ.
Yacht Transport Cost Estimate: What Moves the Price
A yacht transport cost estimate is built from a few main factors:
- Length, beam and height on the trailer: The biggest driver. Beam over 8 feet 6 inches triggers permits; very wide or tall loads need escorts and route surveys.
- Weight: Determines the trailer and truck needed.
- Distance and route: More states crossed means more permits.
- Preparation: Unstepping masts, removing towers, shrink-wrapping and cradling add labor.
- Marina services: Haul-out, crane or travel-lift fees at each end are usually billed by the marina.
- Season: Spring and fall are busy as owners move boats between northern and southern waters.
For trailerable boats under 8'6" wide, road transport commonly runs about $1.25–$2.00 per mile. Larger yachts are quoted individually after we review the specifications. Use the boat shipping cost calculator for a starting point.
Seasonal Yacht Moves
Many owners move yachts with the seasons — south to Florida, the Gulf Coast or Southern California in the fall, and back north in spring. Booking four to eight weeks ahead of these windows gives time for permits and marina scheduling. If you're also moving your car for the winter, ask about our snowbird auto transport options and routes like New York to Florida.
FAQ
Yacht Shipping — Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about yacht shipping from the ShipMyCar US team.
QHow do you ship a yacht?
Yachts move overland on a hydraulic trailer or cradle behind a heavy-haul truck, or by sea on a cargo ship. The right method depends on the yacht's size and the route; many moves combine the two.
QHow much does yacht transport cost?
Overland yacht transport usually starts around $2.75–$3.75 per mile for oversize loads, plus permits, escorts and yard fees. Ocean shipping is priced by port pair and vessel size. We quote from your exact dimensions.
QWhat size yacht can be shipped by road?
Most yachts up to about 14–16 feet of beam can move by road with permits and escorts. Height on the trailer is just as important; loads over about 13'6" need route surveys and may need parts removed.
QHow long does yacht shipping take?
Domestic road moves often take 1–3 weeks once permits are issued. Ocean shipping depends on sailing schedules and can take several weeks door to door.
QDo I need to be present at pickup and delivery?
You or a representative such as your broker or yard manager should be present to sign the condition report at both ends.
QCan you ship a yacht to Hawaii?
Yes. Yachts to Hawaii travel by sea. We arrange the road leg to the West Coast port and the ocean shipment. For cars going to Hawaii, see our Hawaii car shipping page.
QHow much does it cost to ship a yacht?
It depends on length, beam, weight, distance and preparation. Trailerable boats under 8'6" wide commonly run about $1.25–$2.00 per mile by road. Larger yachts are quoted individually.
QCan a sailboat be shipped with the mast up?
No. The mast is unstepped and secured to the boat or trailer for road transport so it clears bridges and wires.
QDo I need permits to ship a wide yacht?
Yachts wider than 8 feet 6 inches usually need oversize permits, which the carrier obtains for each state. See [oversize vehicle permits](/blog/oversize-vehicle-permits).
QWho handles haul-out and launching?
Usually the marinas at each end. We coordinate dates with them so the truck arrives when the yacht is ready.
Still have questions? Our team is ready to help.
Source: every broker and carrier's operating authority, safety rating, and insurance status is public record — verify any company for free at the FMCSA SAFER System.
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