transporting a canal boat Importing – Ireland (Rep.) to UK

[shinydunf]

Hi there,

 

I’ve found my dream Cruiser at a price I can afford, however it’s in the Republic of Ireland, and I live in London.
 

Having done some research into how to do this/what’d be required/cost/logistics companies, I’m stumped. Lots of the stuff I’m finding is talking about yachts and Malta and Brexit and the tax implications.

 

Here are the dimensions of the boat I’m looking at bringing over:

 

LOA:	10.29m / 33’9”
Beam:	3.61m / 11’10”

Can anyone recommend any logistics companies, and are there any other aspects I’d need to consider? (I read via another post on this forum that a police escort would potentially be required for boats wider that 3.5m: 

 

… Also, presumably I’d need to pay 20% VAT on the purchase price…?
 

Here’s what I’m thinking I’d need, transport-wise:

LORRY: Longford > Dún Laoghaire

FERRY: Dún Laoghaire > Holyhead 

LORRY: Holyhead > London

So that’s be 1.5hrs by road in Ireland, then ferry, then 5.5hrs by road in the UK – unless I get the boat dropped at a waterway via which I can reach London on my newly acquired boat?! I have time (not £££) on my side at the moment.

Any advice/pointers very much appreciated!

 

(P.S. I plan to be a continuous cruiser when I finally get on the water, and have been researching for three years… So with this – and the facts that I’ve spoken with lots of (ex-) boat-dwelling friends and acquaintances AND have a good boat-builder/several carpenter friends, I’m confident I’m now in a good position and know what it’ll take to make the move onto water.)

Edited February 23, 2023 by shinydunf
Additional info – the P.S.!

[BEngo]

If you plan to CC the canal system round Lunnon, what is the draft?  Anything over about 900mm  is likely to be difficult at best.  CC on the Thames PLA or EA is very difficult because of the scarcity of casual moorings.

 

 Logs wise, look for Alan de Enfields posts on here about moving his fairly similar sized boat to Menai.

 

AB Tuckey have moved a lot of boats.  

Dont forget that, unless you are lucky with a back load you will also need to pay for the  truck' dead leg: London  to Longford or empty  to Longford in the first place.

 

There are complicated rules, and concessions,  about boats and VAT.  You should talk to a VAT expert, or HMRC.

 

N

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Yes you will need to add VAT to your purchase price.

 

Do not think that you can simply add together the actual 'driving hours' to get the total hours.

 

The Police will stipulate the route you can take, and, MAY limit the hours you can travel (eg when we moved mine the truck could only be on the road after 09:30 and must stop by 16:00.

Check the overall height of the boat on the truck - I had to hire a truck that had a hydraulic trailer that could lower the trailer bed to 100mm to get under bridges.

You will probably not need an escort vehicle as you would not be very wide.

 

More details about the size and type of vessel (pictures / make / model)  would be helpful.

You may find that it will not be easy to fit on a ferry (height on the trailer) and it would be far better, cheaper and easier to sail her over  (it used to take us about 3 hours Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead)

Depending on the boat it could be quite possible to sail it all the way into London (If you are not qualified I can put you in touch with a delivery skipper)

 

As a very rough estimate I reckon delivery by road would be around £4-£5,000 and you'd need to find a boat yard with a crane / hoist capable of lifting her in.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[shinydunf]

@BEngo Thanks for your reply – I've dropped AB Tuckey an enquiry  I'll also contact HMRC tomorrow, good suggestion.

In answer to your questions...

 

On 23/02/2023 at 21:03, BEngo said:

If you plan to CC the canal system round Lunnon, 1. what is the draft?  Anything over about 900mm is likely to be difficult at best. CC on the Thames PLA or EA is very difficult because of the scarcity of casual moorings.

 

 Logs wise, look for Alan de Enfields posts on here about moving his fairly similar sized boat to Menai.

 

AB Tuckey have moved a lot of boats.  

Dont forget that, unless you are lucky with a back load you will also need to pay for the  truck' dead leg: London  to Longford or empty  to Longford in the first place.

 

There are complicated rules, and concessions,  about boats and VAT.  You should talk to a VAT expert, or HMRC.

 

N

 

 

1. DRAFT
Here are all the dimensions – so it should be OK on the Thames, right?:
 

 

2. LOGISTICS 

Thank you for chipping in also, @Alan de Enfield! The boat is a Bermuda 34 (built by F.B. Wilds – take a look @ this page for pics: http://fbwilds.horning.org.uk/page3.html)

Edited March 1, 2023 by shinydunf
Realised Alan de Enfields had already replied with info

[Tony Brooks]

Now we know what the boat is, there is no way it would be sensible to try to sail it to Ireland. Underpowered for sea work, probably has a hydraulic drive, and a huge front well deck to flood. I would also doubt it is suitable for the large lakes.

[matty40s]

26 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Now we know what the boat is, there is no way it would be sensible to try to sail it to Ireland. Underpowered for sea work, probably has a hydraulic drive, and a huge front well deck to flood. I would also doubt it is suitable for the large lakes.

It's going the other way....still not a good idea though.

[John Brightley]

9 hours ago, shinydunf said:

@BEngo

2. LOGISTICS 

Thank you for chipping in also, @Alan de Enfield! The boat is a Bermuda 34 (built by F.B. Wilds – take a look @ this page for pics: http://fbwilds.horning.org.uk/page3.html)

Why bother bringing a Bermuda 34 from Ireland when there are lots of them in England?

[shinydunf]

There don't seem to be any for sale in the UK right now.

 

Also, the Bermuda I've found in Ireland is in good nick for a price that I could afford – so I want to find out what's involved in getting it over here rather than assuming it'd be too expensive/too much hassle

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, shinydunf said:

There don't seem to be any for sale in the UK right now.

 

Also, the Bermuda I've found in Ireland is in good nick for a price that I could afford – so I want to find out what's involved in getting it over here rather than assuming it'd be too expensive/too much hassle

Someone doing their homework

[shinydunf]

@ditchcrawler Giving it a go... Been doing my homework on boats for two years now!

[John Brightley]

7 minutes ago, shinydunf said:

There don't seem to be any for sale in the UK right now.

 

Also, the Bermuda I've found in Ireland is in good nick for a price that I could afford – so I want to find out what's involved in getting it over here rather than assuming it'd be too expensive/too much hassle

It's likely that one will come up for sale soon, but in the meantime you might like to consider other similar boats like these 2 which are both newer than the Bermuda's would be:

https://www.nya.co.uk/boats-for-sale/alpha-32-8/

https://www.nya.co.uk/boats-for-sale/connoisseur-900-2/

Here are a couple more cheaper ones:

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/bounty-buccaneer-for-sale/722627

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/bounty-37-for-sale/724164

[shinydunf]

Thanks @John Brightley – these look great! However the Bermuda I've found in Ireland is €15k (so £13.3k), so even with the bits of work that need to be done, it *might* be worth transporting it over here, financially.

 

It's a long shot but hey might as well follow the path and see where it leads.... I've learned a huge amount through researching and speaking to people the last couple of years, and even if I don't end up buying something, I know whatever I learn will be helpful, inform the next boat I look at and might open up more possibility 

[John Brightley]

Another similar one, in London:

https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/motor-boats-river-cruiser-for-sale/713056

[shinydunf]

Oo I've just noticed the last two links (to the two cheaper boats) you sent in your previous post, @John Brightley, apols – I've actually already reached out to these people! Great minds 

Edited March 2, 2023 by shinydunf

[GUMPY]

Is this for a live aboard boat?

if so the heat loss and condensation in winter are going to be epic due to the fact that there is minimal insulation in these boats.   

[shinydunf]

@Tony Brooks (and @matty40s) I think you've misread my request – there's no way I'd think about sail this boat (or any, in fact) across the Irish Sea! I was asking for info about a logistics company to transport it over to the UK (from Rep. of Ireland) for me to use as a liveaboard in London.

 

@Loddon There are tons of GRP boats just like the Bermuda used as full-time liveaboards here in London. I'm curious, what exactly makes you say this? In your opinion, can it not be insulated and adapted?

[GUMPY]

There are also a lot of badly insulated narrowboats as well who complain about condensation. What I consider as acceptable (no condensation at all not even on windows) and what others consider acceptable (having to wipe the windows down regularly)  are worlds apart.

Sure it could be adapted but the cost to do it properly would be more than the cost of the boat, 15 years ago I spent over £10k just insulating and fitting a 10ft extension on my barge so god knows what doing a 30ft fiberglass boat would cost today.

 

Living full time on a fibreglass cruiser is one level up from camping.

[Tony Brooks]

34 minutes ago, shinydunf said:

@Tony Brooks (and @matty40s) I think you've misread my request – there's no way I'd think about sail this boat (or any, in fact) across the Irish Sea! I was asking for info about a logistics company to transport it over to the UK (from Rep. of Ireland) for me to use as a liveaboard in London.

 

 

 

May I point out that one reply to you did suggest that you might consider sailing it over. As that member tends to post with authority, I felt it prudent to warn you as soon as the boat type was known.

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

 

May I point out that one reply to you did suggest that you might consider sailing it over. As that member tends to post with authority, I felt it prudent to warn you as soon as the boat type was known.

 

You are quite correct, but, I did suggest :

 

Depending on the boat it could be quite possible to sail it all the way into London (If you are not qualified I can put you in touch with a delivery skipper)

[shinydunf]

@Tony Brooks @Alan de Enfield Apologies, both – I seem to have overlooked that semi-suggestion and kind offer from Alan.
 

Yeah so obvs now that you know the make/model, you know it’s not seaworthy… I’ll definitely bear you in mind if ever I do purchase one though, Alan! ☺️

[Dav and Pen]

Whittens hauliers from Banager are experts in moving boats and regularly move boats from Europe to Ireland and Itelnd to Uk. When they brought my NB back to England it was sent unaccompanied as they had a tractor unit permanently based in Liverpool. 

[shinydunf]

@Dav and Pen Amazing thank you for this intel – I've just emailed Whittens! 

Out of interest – and if you're willing to divulge – where in Ireland did it come from, where in the UK did it get transported to, and how much did the exercise cost you? Were there any issues or things you wish you'd have done/known?

[Dav and Pen]

It was taken to Ireland from Calcutt boats nearby Southam Warwickshire and put into the Grand Canal at Salins near Dublin. 3 years later we brought it back from Shannonharbour to Calcutt to be sold as we were buying a Dutch barge in Antwerp. As this was in 2000 the prices would now seem very good indeed but the company Whittens is still going and have been involved in moving some very big barges recently.

[ditchcrawler]

I had my boat put in at Calcutt, very obliging with there own hoist, trolley .and crane, This meant I didn't have a crane on hire waiting for a lorry to turn up