Shipping a yacht from Atlantic to Pacific

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When you buy a yacht it isn’t always in the same city or state you’re in..it may not even be in the same country.
In this case the owner was in Hollywood, California and found his 60ft Monte Carlo in Florida.
So how do you get your boat to the Pacific ocean when you’re in the Atlantic?
Before the Panama Canal opened in 1914 you would have to go cruising around the Cape Horn.
But most millionaires don’t have the time to go on lengthy trips through the Panama Canal either.

Time is money – but even money can’t buy time away from a business you have to run, so your broker suggests the following:
Option A) Hire a captain and crew to do the trip for you OR
Option B) Load it onto a bigger boat and transport it there.
Now option A may be the more romantic one, what with the Belize and the San Blas islands along the way, but do you really want to add all those engine and generator hours onto that beautiful new purchase?

So you take Option B.
And you fly in to check it all out.
Which is what the new owner of this 60 Monte Carlo did. It was interesting to talk to Stefan over breakfast and listen to his story. He runs a TV channel for a living but values his family time, part of which he intends to spend making great memories on a 60 Monte Carlo.

Most years over 4000 yacht owners worldwide use shipping companies to relocate their boats, and with good reason: Compared to the expenses of a long cruise with marinas, fuel, crew salaries and the wear and tear of your boat, the price of shipping is very competitive.

In this case shipping was the better option and the owner joined me on the ride to the large cargo carrier ship. Divers come down the rickety rope ladder and make sure the straps are properly set underneath the boat before lifting it nearly 100 feet into the air. Measurements are taken beforehand so that the hull fits into the mounts onboard the carrier. Metal brackets are then welded to the deck so that the yachts can be strapped down in case of heavy seas.
After the ship leaves port the owner will receive intermittent updates on estimated arrival time.
Upon arrival in Mexico they will carefully unload the yacht and the owner will take over again. The boat has arrived safely without any wear and tear and adventures can begin on another ocean.