Wisconsin local knowledge needed.

[Chris.]

This may seem like a strange request, but me, based in Sydney, MAY need a boat shipped from Sturgeon Bay WI to Sydney Australia.
I am having a deal of difficulty in getting any Sydney-based boat transport companies to give me a quote that is sensible and complete, so i would love to know of any local companies that would be able to load the boat into a 40'container and get it on a ship in either Seattle or SFO.
Can anyone advise me who in Wisconsin to call?
The boat is a yacht L 31', B 6', D 4.5', overall height approx 7.5'. It should fit in a 40'hi-cube with the mast on the diagonal.
I will also post in Resources/Product.
Thanks in advance,
Chris.

[Leon m]

I would start here web page (http://www.1staboard.com/marinas/Wisconsin.htm),they have a link to Sturgeon Bay
Yacht Harbor with phone# and address.

I bet they would know something...Good Luck!

[davef]

Call these folks... they'll have some ideas...

http://www.palmerjohnson.com/

[JAX]

do a google search on "boat hauling" "us" and you will get a lot of hits. You don't need to have a Wisconsin based boat trucker to haul the boat. Any hauler can take it to Seattle or SF or LA.

[Mike Vogdes]

are you certain of the measurements?

Your saying 4.5 ft draft which will only leave you 3 ft above the waterline, no? Is there a cabin?

Keep in mind that someone will need to block the hull up in place and secure everything, not an easy task in such a confining space, will be very difficult at the least, maybe impossible. And how would they actually load the boat in there? Forklift? Not my boat.

Maybe load her on deck, or maybe one of those specialty boxes found on some container ships.

There is also a yacht transport company that floats the boats into the hold of their ship, pump the water out of the hold, and then they weld jackstands to their decks. Very slick and very expensive, don't know if they visit your part of the world.

[Chris.]

Thanks for your replies and suggestions.
The boat is an Int'l 5.5 metre class (so no cabin above the sheerline (just winch drums)). It sits on a yard trailer so is easy to roll into a hicube container. Mast will fit on the diagonal. It can be seen on Yachtworld.com if you search for a 5.5. I tried posting a url but it didn't work (too long I think)
Sturgeon bay 5.5 (http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_full_detail.jsp?slim=quick&boat_id=1143677&units=Feet&currency=USD&a ccess=Public&listing_id=17424&url=)

It is really cheap with an asking price of $3700 but will be had for a lot less. From the pictures you will see that it needs work around the midsection, but all metre boats of middle age let go there. They are fairly lightly constructed, and the floors tend to give way at the mast step, allowing seams to open. Not a small job but no big deal if you have done it before. I have.
The last owner was a big shot in Palmer Johnson who passed away recently. I don't have his name, but have heard him referred to as Mike Snr.

So it has some history, is mahogany on oak and from what i can discover it was one of ten identical 5.5s built in Norway by Bjarne Aase's boatyard at Fredrikstad. They were ordered by a guy called Herman F. Whitton (won gold medal in 1948 and 1952 olympics in the 6-metre class). All boats were owned by a sailing school called Sail Training Facility where Herman Whiton was very much involved.
Why am i interested, all the way over in Sydney?
The 5.5 world titles are on in Sydney in january next year, and the 5.5s are a class where classic boats can compete. there are three classes Classic (up to 1969), Evolution (1970 to 1990, and Modern (post 1990).
There are no boats available in Australia and it is rare that anyone can compete in a World Title in a 40 year old boat and have a chance of some silverware at the end.
My wife sees it as a Quixotic daydream of mine, but if i can get a boat hauler to answer my emails and faxes, it just might end up here.
Thanks for your interest.

[Mike Vogdes]

Chris,
http://www.jouleyacht.com/
Is one of the bigest yacht transporters in the country and they have a location in Green Bay Wis.

I'm sure they have lots of return trips to the west coast that can probably fit into a schedule of a west coast shipper. They may be able to cordinate the entire move for you...

I have seen them move many new boats over the road, and their equipment looks first rate.

[Chris.]

Thanks Mike, I have asked them for a quote. I really hope they are better than the others that i have asked - no replies after 10 days.

Cheers,

[Andreas Jordahl Rhude]

"Mike Sr." probably is Mike Kelsey, Sr. He started at PJS in 1962 and was the eventual owner. His son Mike Jr. was just named president. The firm has gone thru tons of financial problems in the past months. Patrick Haggerty, founder of Texas Instruments, bought Palmer Johnson in 1961. Haggerty is Kelsey, Jr's granddad.