Yacht transport

So, you have had enough of the stunning scenery, superb food and wine, and temperate climate of the Cote d’Azure. You need to push the boundaries and find new cruising ground. Maybe island hop around the Caribbean for a few months then cruise off the Great Barrier Reef. It can all be feasible with the current methods of Yacht transport whatever the size - by sea, by air, by road. Yacht transport becomes an alternative to sailing when the destination is more important than the passage.

To move a Yacht by road, size is a big limitation. To safely transport your boat to any destination in Europe or beyond, vessels of up to around 55ft long and 32 tons can be safely handled. All gear is stored and well secured, fuel and water tanks drained to a third and batteries disconnected. The carrier will shrink wrap boats supported on its own cradle. So this method suits the smaller Yacht to reach its next cruising ground.

Yachts can be transported as deck cargo on a vessel or container ship. Yachts are loaded from the water by ship or shore cranes in cradles. ‘Lift On/Lift Off’ transportation, is the chief mode of transport for small to medium Yachts up to 80 feet, aboard ocean-going cargo and container vessels.

A very impressive transport alternative is the semi submersible ships which provide ‘Float On/Float Off’ transportation for larger Yachts up to 200 feet. These Yacht carriers take vessels to destinations worldwide. As well as being able to accommodate larger Yachts, the significant advantage with this method is that the vessel can save wear and tear and fuel cost by transporting the vessel on a dedicated ship used to transport Yachts.

So how does the feat of engineering and organisational skills work? In port, the Yacht carrier submerges the hull into a 'floating marina' to a draft required for loading the waiting Yachts. The Yachts motor under their own power into the flooded cargo hold to their allotted position. Divers then weld hull supports and cradles in place to the deck of the carrier. When all Yachts are secured in their reserved position on the carrier, the ship deballasts and is ready to set sail. En route the crew accompanying the trip have the perfect opportunity for light maintenance work to be carried out on their Yacht.

The process of the semi submersible is reversed when the ship arrives at its destination to be greeted by its delighted owner ready to cruise the tempting new sailing grounds of his choice.

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