Advice needed on properly shipping a boat

I'm planning on shipping a boat across most of the country from California almost to Minnesota in the next week or two and don't want to have any rock chips or scratches etc. What do you guys recommend to protect the boat and trailer? It's an all black boat and trailer and I want keep it perfect. I'd like to wrap the boat, trailer frame and fenders in something. Not sure where to look or what products would work best for the front and underneath of the hull too. Ideally, I'd like to apply something that is a peel and stick which comes off easily and provides protection from road debris. I know mud flaps help but, aren't a guarantee against everything. I've also considered shrink wrapping the whole boat and I want to protect at least the first 6-8 feet of under the hull too. Thanks in advance from anyone with experience in this and who is as anal as I am about chips in paint and gel coat. The boat will be trailered behind a pick-up truck the whole way.

Is the boat being towed or is it sitting on a truck?

Make sure its winterized.
One trick I see often is to apply a thick coat of paste wax and leave it on for the trip. Double shrink warp the front section.
Aint nuth'n gonna stop stones from doing what they do.

You could take the axle off the trailer and stuff the whole thing in a container like when shipping it over ocean. That would be the only real way to insure against road debris damage.

It's being towed.

Have it shrink wrapped. When they do it have them do the trailer fenders and rails. Professionally it will probably cost you $400. If you can't do that then grab a big roll of shrink wrap and wrap the trialer real well and then tape over the shrink wrap. It will be hard to keep it on the fenders so the key is wrap it good and then lots of tape. Just make the tape go over the shrinked surfaces or you will be dealing with getting the glue off the trailer from the tape...

Since you're towing I would shrink wrap as far down the hull as they will let you.

Then wrap the trailer with couple rolls of Saran Wrap and use some tape, or u can use shrink wrap too. While shrink wrapping the trailer and boat all in one is great for protection, I think towing at speeds will pull it off the trailer. Wrapping the trailer separate I think will help the protection last the longest. This is how I used to deliver my boats when I sold em across the states. Worked like a charm.

You getting one of those closeouts Malibus from Etco?

Hmm. Saran wrap on the trailer. Never thought of that. Sounds cheap and easy. I've heard that traveling with it shrink wrapped can possibly chafe the hull and do more harm than good but, isn't that how they come from the factory? What I'd really like is a peel and stick film that's thick enough to absorb rock chips and will peel back off without leaving a sticky residue that I could apply to the face of the trailer frame, fenders and the front of the boat.

Originally Posted by wakereviews

You getting one of those closeouts Malibus from Etco?

Nope. My Nauti goggles are way too thick to see anything else.

Originally Posted by markj

Hmm. Saran wrap on the trailer. Never thought of that. Sounds cheap and easy. I've heard that traveling with it shrink wrapped can possibly chafe the hull and do more harm than good but, isn't that how they come from the factory? What I'd really like is a peel and stick film that's thick enough to absorb rock chips and will peel back off without leaving a sticky residue that I could apply to the face of the trailer frame, fenders and the front of the boat.

3m makes a film. But it's not cheap. Lot of people use it on their transoms. Sticks and peels off no problem with a little heat gun.

On long trips when I used to tow with my cover on due to weather I used to also Saran Wrap the boat around the rub rail section to prevent the factory cover from scuffing the gel. For the $$ you can't beat it. Cheap, easy, and simple. You could easily cover every beam on the entire trailer. Wrap it like a hockey stick overlapping sections so it gets 3 levels of coverage pulling it tight. Place clear shipping tape every so often.

Very carefully

I did this in march from boise to green bay and one lesson learned is wrap trailer a TON from the salt on the roads and once you get it to mn, wash the trailer.

there might not be any salt now, but never know by the time it reaches you and don't know about the rest of the roads.

otherwise, a good quality re-usable wrap cost me $300 for my tige and I have used it for the last 3 years in storage as a basic cover. boat made it just fine, it was the trailer that is now a pos...

oh ya, and the wrap I used on the boat had a somewhat fabric-like feel on the inside so it didn't chafe the boat at all. was tied off with string and heat-wrapped to fit. I would stay away from regular shrinkwrap as for the few extra $$ this cost, it was reusable.

Originally Posted by sandm01

I did this in march from boise to green bay and one lesson learned is wrap trailer a TON from the salt on the roads and once you get it to mn, wash the trailer.

there might not be any salt now, but never know by the time it reaches you and don't know about the rest of the roads.

otherwise, a good quality re-usable wrap cost me $300 for my tige and I have used it for the last 3 years in storage as a basic cover. boat made it just fine, it was the trailer that is now a pos...

Yeah! Salt is a major concern of mine.Almost as important as rocks. I agree that it should be washed down on arrival.

Originally Posted by xstarrider

3m makes a film. But it's not cheap. Lot of people use it on their transoms. Sticks and peels off no problem with a little heat gun.

On long trips when I used to tow with my cover on due to weather I used to also Saran Wrap the boat around the rub rail section to prevent the factory cover from scuffing the gel. For the $$ you can't beat it. Cheap, easy, and simple. You could easily cover every beam on the entire trailer. Wrap it like a hockey stick overlapping sections so it gets 3 levels of coverage pulling it tight. Place clear shipping tape every so often.

So far, that sounds pretty logical. Thanks!

Originally Posted by sandm01

I did this in march from boise to green bay and one lesson learned is wrap trailer a TON from the salt on the roads and once you get it to mn, wash the trailer.

there might not be any salt now, but never know by the time it reaches you and don't know about the rest of the roads.

otherwise, a good quality re-usable wrap cost me $300 for my tige and I have used it for the last 3 years in storage as a basic cover. boat made it just fine, it was the trailer that is now a pos...

Thanks for the heads up on salt.

What's the price difference to put it on a flatbed?

^^^Not sure. What I'm doing is a trade. The dealer is supposed to be driving to me with the new one and taking my trade back with him. It'll be a dealer employee doing the driving.

Some other forum member named JJ highly recommends texas auto liquidators for shipping from what I hear




Just kidding...