Boat transportation shouldn’t be too difficult if you plan in advance. Make sure that all loose gear, like plates, galley utensils, personal items such as cash and valuables, clothing, sporting goods and any other items that are not part of the vessel, are stowed and secured or removed from the vessel. You should also empty all water and holding tanks, as boats should not be transported with fuel or water in these tanks. Another thing to do is remove any drain plugs from the hull as there should not be any water in the bilge while it is being transported.

Wooden boats can be expected to dry out and a coat of linseed oil can help this problem. You should disconnect battery cables or turn off the battery switch and fully secure the batteries. Anchors should also be removed from the deck. When dealing with center board sailboats, make sure that the board is secured and will stay upright during transit. Sailboats are slightly more complicated because the sails and boom need to be stowed and the mast stepped to fit height requirements.

If you are moving a boat during the winter months, then you should winterize the engine, toilets, the water systems or any other weather sensitive devices on the vessel. Finally, boat windscreens should be removed to avoid any wind damage during transport.