Purchasing a boat out-of-state can seem easy until you're asked how you will get it home. Your pontoon may be wider than you thought. Your sailboat may need its mast prepared before being driven on roads.

What makes A-1 Auto Transport's boat shipping service attractive is getting to talk with a transport coordinator about your route, vessel type and handling needs. They list moving vessels both domestically and overseas, offering options for several types of vessels.

If you're a new buyer, the biggest selling point is the variety of shipping options.

A-1 Auto Transport Boat Shipping

4.4 / 5

This service may appeal to buyers looking for assistance with the logistics of moving a boat for the first time rather than having to search out a qualified carrier and managing all the details yourself.

Scores are based on the evaluation of service offerings, trip planning, getting a quote, user reviews and pricing transparency. We did not book or witness a boat transport. The score in the headline represents an average of the five categories.

In This Review

• Who Is This Service Best For?
• How Does Boat Shipping Work?
• Equipment and Shipping Methods
• What Do Customers and Independent Sources Show?
• Pros and Cons
• What Does Boat Shipping Cost?
• Final Verdict

Who Is This Service Best For?

A-1 Auto Transport should come to mind if a buyer is buying a boat far away from home. For instance, a yacht picked up at a marina may need lifting gear and a road route that accommodates its transport dimensions.

This company claims to ship fishing boats, pontoons, sailboats, yachts and personal watercraft. Residential, marina and port related transport options are available depending on your shipment.

Why does that matter? According to their Better Business Bureau business profile, A-1 Auto is described as a disclosed agent for shipping companies. Essentially that means they can broker your transport and another carrier can actually do the hauling.

Keep in mind the benefit can also be assistance in identifying an appropriate carrier and transport strategy. It does not always have to be transported on an A-1 Auto Transport-owned truck.

How Does Boat Shipping Work?

The starting point of a new owner is the route and the boat itself. Customer guidance published by A-1 Auto Transport asks you to obtain correct measurements and prepare the vessel for pick up.

For a first-time buyer, the key planning steps are:

1. Describe the boat: What is its length, beam, overall height for transport, weight, and trailer availability.
2. Determine collection and delivery points: The marina, boatyard, home or dock you are coming from or going to may require different access points.
3. Talk about an appropriate method: With the vessel and route decided on, one can discuss whether an ordinary boat trailer will suffice or specialist equipment is needed.
4. Assign Preparation: Determine who will coordinate lifting efforts, secure loose equipment and arrange any necessary mast lowering or removal, if required.
5. Verify final details: Make sure pickup and delivery times, carrier names, insurance details and which fees are included before accepting a shipment.

Equipment and Shipping Methods

Road transport for ordinary and oversized boats

A-1 Auto Transport defines overland transport of boats on trailers. When necessary, the company uses specialized equipment including hydraulic trailers or cradle support systems.

The company's boat page also discusses oversized loads, permits and route planning. Permits and planning are dependent on the actual size and the roads affected. Your oversized boat may need a well-planned route rather than a simple drive down the shortest highway.

That flexibility is important because a routing and trailer that works with a small fishing boat may not work with an over-sized yacht.

International and port-related shipping

To ship abroad for purchase or to reposition a vessel overseas, the company offers international shipping and port delivery arrangements. Methods it lists are roll-on/roll-off shipping, commonly called RoRo. This is when suitable cargo on wheeled equipment can be moved aboard the ship.

Port schedules, handling arrangements and the vessel's shipping configuration affect the plan.

Smaller craft are included

Not all shipments include a yacht. The company's service list also includes pontoons, fishing boats, jet skis and other personal watercraft.

A small boat with an appropriate roadworthy trailer can offer a completely different proposition to a pontoon that requires individual lifting and securement.

What Do Customers and Independent Sources Show?

Their BBB customer-review page has reports of communications and deliveries completed, as well as the complaints and more negative reports. These are reviews of the overall transport business, most about cars instead of boats. They give you a little idea what the customer-facing side of the business is like, but don't show any boat-specific successful delivery rate.

A-1 Auto Transport is separately accredited by the BBB with an A+ business rating. This is a business profile rating, not a guarantee that your specific shipment will be timely or damage-free.

Since the hauling carrier may be a separate business from A-1 Auto Transport, customers can request the carrier's legal name and USDOT number, then visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Company Snapshot tool to review available registration and safety data. They can also confirm cargo coverage and any exclusions for their specific boat; a public listing does not ensure terms of a shipment.

For buyers what matters is the difference between services A-1 Auto Transport advertises and the carrier, insurance and schedule it confirms for their booking.

Pros and Cons

What works

• Broad coverage: Domestic and international arrangements can serve buyers purchasing far from home.
• Various vessel types: Fishing vessels, pontoons, sailboats, yachts and personal watercraft are included in the advertised service range.
• Specialist planning: Equipment, dimensions, access and oversize-route requirements can be considered together.
• Free place to start: Customers can request a quote for free and access an online calculator to help them start budgeting.

What doesn't

• Enclosed transport can cost more than open hauling, where suitable and available: If the option exists and is appropriate, buyers should weigh its added protection against the higher cost.
• Quotes must be shipment specific: What you see in the online calculator is only an estimate of your final charges. Buyers also want to know about lifting, permits, insurance and marina fees.
• Limited independent feedback about specific boats: Reviews about the overall business are public, but do not indicate how consistently its boat shipments perform.

What Does Boat Shipping Cost?

Boat transport is a quote-based service. Published pricing guides reflect factors such as distance, dimensions, weight, seasonality, trailer requirements and whether permits or special handling are needed. A local move of a trailer-ready boat will not be priced similarly to a wide yacht requiring lifting equipment and route restrictions.

One first step to budgeting is the company's boat transport cost calculator. They explain that an online estimate is not a final shipment-specific quote.

Buyers should confirm whether a quoted price includes loading/unloading, applicable permits, any port/marina fees, and effort to make the boat ready for delivery before agreeing to buy something at a distance. Extras like those can make a material difference to the delivered price.

Final Verdict

A-1 Auto Transport is a company to approach for a transport quote, if you find the perfect boat but need assistance coordinating the transport. Their website says they do everything from basic local transfers to yacht and overseas transport, and it looks like they offer help with planning which is handy if you run into issues like marina delivery or oversize loads.

Available published information is most robust for coverage and means of transportation. Third-party public comments provide background on the overall business but are not a proxy for data on an individual particular boat shipment.

If you are a first-time buyer arranging delivery from a distant seller., A-1 Auto Transport should be considered for your quote short list as long as you verify carrier, insurance and total delivered price before committing to a booking.