Taking your own yacht on a long-distance cruise sounds like a sailing dream come true. However, many people don’t realize that transporting it on their own trailer requires knowledge of and compliance with regulations and very careful driving. Here are the most important rules and tips to help you organize the proper transportation of your yacht in Poland and abroad.
When is it necessary to transport a yacht on a trailer?
Transporting a yacht on a trailer is necessary in several situations:
- wintering the boat — after the summer season is over, some people decide to transport the yacht to the hall;
- yacht renovations and modernizations — it happens that in order to use the services of the best professionals, it is necessary to transport the yacht to a distant boatbuilding facility;
- buying a new yacht — after buying a boat in another region or country, it is necessary to transport it to the place where it will be moored;
- holiday trip — if your yacht is permanently docked in Poland and you dream of cruising along the Italian or Croatian coast, you will have to rely on transporting the boat on land.
Transporting a yacht — legal requirements
In Poland, transporting a yacht is subject to the same regulations as transporting other loads on trailers. According to the law:
- The loaded trailer and the vehicle pulling it together must not exceed a weight of 3.5 metric tons. The load includes the boat on the trailer and the car;
- The width of the load on the trailer must not be greater than 3 m.
Thus, boats can be transported by drivers with a category B license. If the weight of the vehicle combination will be greater, you will need to obtain additional licenses. Conclusion? Sometimes a smaller yacht is a better choice — if you don’t want to invest in an additional driver’s license and a larger trailer, and you intend to take the boat on overseas sea trips. What’s more, yachts that are shorter and weigh less can be slipped in the port — you won’t need to hire a crane to pull them out. This therefore involves less expense.
Ways to transport a yacht
If you intend to transport a boat, you have two options to choose from. You can transport the yacht yourself or have a company that specializes in doing so. Which is a better choice?
When you decide to transport your yacht yourself, you will not pay a company to handle the transportation. However, you will then need to invest in a suitable trailer (if you don’t have one) and all the accessories needed to safely load and unload the boat. If you know that you’ll be frequently transporting your yacht from one end of Europe to another, for example, such an investment is the right choice.
How to transport a yacht in Poland and other EU countries?
If you plan to sail your yacht (which is permanently located in Poland) along the Croatian coast, for example, this means that you will be transporting it through Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and part of Croatia itself, among others. Remember that each country has different traffic laws. You always need to find out how a trailer should be marked in any given country and at what at speed you can travel.
In Poland, you can drive a car with a trailer with a yacht on it at most:
- 50 km/h in city limits,
- 70 km/h outside city limits on single carriageway roads,
- 80 km/h on dual carriageways, expressways and highways.
In contrast, for example, in Austria (through which the road to, say, Croatia or Italy runs), the maximum speed limit for passenger cars with trailers is 100 km/h outside city limits, on expressways and highways. The condition is that the trailer weighs less than 750 kg.
How to prepare to transporting a boat on a trailer?
Before transporting your boat, remove those things that will fit in the trunk of the car from the boat. This is important, because the weight of the boat should be distributed as evenly as possible on the trailer (then it is easier to steer the car). The equipment in the yacht can make it difficult to maintain balance.
Remember to close all windows and doors on the boat. Secure them from opening during transport. When transporting a sailing yacht, it is always necessary to remove the sails and roll them up.
When taking your boat abroad, it is mandatory to make sure that you carry a set of documents confirming its registration and up-to-date insurance before leaving the country. When driving a car, do not drive aggressively. Stick to the country’s maximum speed limit for the vehicle combination. Also adjust your driving style to the road conditions. Don’t forget that you are hauling a large and heavy load!
Transporting a yacht requires careful preparation and knowledge of basic traffic regulations. The choice between transporting yourself or using a transportation company depends primarily on your experience and the budget you have. However, if you want to take your boat on vacation to the Adriatic coast, the Mediterranean or foreign lakes, consider investing in your own trailer. When transporting a boat, calculate whether the vehicle combination exceeds the weight specified by law and drive at the appropriate speed and be as careful as possible.
