'Lo All:
The issue preventing the truck from leaving Los Angeles with the boat seems to have been resolved. Unfortunately, it would appear that the window of opportunity to leave and get into Rockport before the weekend has closed. Thus, according to the owner/driver, the boat will leave on Sunday with an eye towards getting to Rockport by Wednesday or Thursday. I guess it's all a matter of timing of permits, organizing certified pilot drivers, and certified route surveys. They were already obtained, but because of the delay caused by the truck breaking down, this all has to be redone. From what I understand the issuance of permits depends on the aforementioned and the information submitted in support of the permit request cannot be more than 3 days old. I really don't know, but I will probably look into this myself. On the other hand, I really don't care how the boat gets there as long as it does. While on the subject of transporting a boat by truck, it sort of behooves me to discuss what goes into preparing a boat to travel by truck.
Let me begin with the premise that boats were designed and built to travel over water, not land. Therefore, unlike cars and trucks, they are not built with shock absorbers. The next premise on which this analysis depends is the fact that few vessels were designed to withstand hurricane force winds for several days. Think about it - your boat could be on the back of a trailer moving down the highway at 65 mph for, at least in our case, 1600 miles. With these two things in mind, consider several of these most important things before the boat is ready to leave:
1. Everything that can fly off will fly off. Thus, it is important that the roof of the boat as well as the decks be cleared of anything not permanently attached. This means the vhf antennae, the gps antenna, the radome antenna, the serius radio antenna, the tv antenna, the am/fm antenna, the running lights, the horns, the hailer, the mast, spotlights, and windshield wipers and blades should all be removed. Keep in mind that once removed, they will have to go back up when the boat reaches its destination. So, as I did, I recommend that you remove one thing at a time, protect all connectors and fittings, as well as fasteners, washers, nuts and bolts in carefully labeled containers. This will make your life much easier when it comes time to put all this stuff back on the roof. Take your time and do it right this time.
2. All canvas must come down and any steel supporting it must be carefully strapped or removed. Despite the efforts of the best canvas makers, this stuff was never intended to withstand the force of so much wind over so long a distance for so long a time. It is not just the wind, but also the road dirt, flying road related objects, and weather at high speed that can reek havoc on your canvas. So, take your time taking it down so it, too, goes back up easily.
3. Anchors - these are likely the heaviest objects stored on deck. No doubt about it, when these things move in a manner inconsistent with their intended use, bad things can happen. We carry a minimum of 34 anchors and rode on the bow. Each of these anchors is big and made of steel. They have to be stowed inside the boat for transport. Think carefully. They should be stored in a place where they will not move despite the movement of the boat as it travels down the road. An anchor flying across the cabin in a hard braking situation will not stop when it hits a light weight bulkhead. Take the time to make sure it won't move.
4. When you use your boat on weekends only, paper plates, plastic utensils, and plastic glass ware is not unusual. However, when you live aboard, you want to use real stuff. So, this should be packed carefully when considering how your boat will be bounding down the road for a couple thousand miles. It is not sufficient to simply leave it in the drawer or in the cabinet where it resides under normal circumstances. It is important to move these things either off the boat or to well padded boxes where they will be able to withstand the vibration of road travel. It is a lot easier to unpack it than to pick up pieces of broken dishes and stemware.
5. Make sure you cut off all power - even if you have to disconnect your batteries. You want to preserve your battery power so you can easily start the engine when you unload.
6. Many trucking companies insist you remove all fuel from the boat. I think it is is important to travel with as little as possible. The main reason for this (assuming it is diesel) is that the sloshing of fuel in your tanks can do damage to the tanks. Additionally, whatever lives in your tanks will get well stirred by the time you arrive at your destination. You will want to make sure you have plenty of replacement fuel filters when you get to where you are going to help remove the stirred up junk in your tank (if you have any at all).
7. Dump off all unnecessary fresh water. You won't need it while the boat is moving and removing it will be better for your tanks.
8. Make sure you turn off, defrost and clean out the refrigerator before you go. You don't want to think of the stink you might encounter if you don't.
9. Empty the holding tank. The last thing you want to have to deal with when you arrive is a ruptured holding tank. So, take the time to empty it and flush it out before you load.
10. Last but not least, tape up all hatches, holes, and windows and doors. You do not have to make the boat air tight, but you want to keep out as much road dirt as you can.
Do not panic over delays. They happen. There is no exactitude in the science of transporting a boat over land. Things happen. Remember - you are going cruising. It's not like you are going to be late for an important meeting, or a live saving medical procedure. It helps when you have such great parents as Brenda and I. It's nice to know we have so much care and support from our families.
And for goodness sake, don't take out your frustration on the trucking company. Be nice and offer to help if you can. If their truck ain't running they ain't making any money either. You want that trucker to take good care of your baby.
If you have any questions about any of this, don't hesitate to ask. Be well.
5.
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