EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT

As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.

- Adam Fiander

What is yacht transport?

Either way, it involves a certain amount of research, planning and preparation to ensure it all goes smoothly.

Needless to say, a whole industry has grown up around the business of moving boats, so it pays to know what your options are, what you need to consider and how to make an informed choice when you come to move your own boat.

Why might you want to move your boat?

The number one reason for moving a boat is buying and selling.

The chances of finding the exact boat you want in the same place that you intend to keep it are slim to say the least. Even when you buy a new boat, unless it's small enough for the dealer to deliver on a trailer, the likelihood is that it will involve some form of transport by road, delivery skipper or ship.

The same often applies to selling a boat, although in this case, offering to deliver your boat, possibly as part of the deal, is usually in the hope of achieving a higher price or a quicker sale.

The second most popular reason for moving a boat is to explore new horizons, either temporarily or permanently, often with the added benefit of enjoying better weather and longer seasons. Many owners will have considered this at some point.

Other reasons could be for finding cheaper moorings, lower refit costs or simply for a change of scene.

Why don't you just move it yourself?