Any tips on shipping an Ariel?

[drm901]

I'm considering shipping my Ariel from the Great Lakes region to Texas. Has anyone shipped an Ariel a pretty long way (1000 miles)? Issues? Tips? Would you do it again?

I have a custom cradle (with primary support provided via the keel), but also 4 stablization pads.

Thanks!

[Tony G]

Last spring I checked with Cross-Country Movers for a bid on moving a 35 pilot here(Minnesota) from North Carolina. The price was just over $3500 if I packed all of equipment and readied the boat for transport. That was a fair price and I assume an Ariel is going to be somewhat less per mile to ship. I don't think a hauler will use your craddle though. Depending on the craddle design you may not to want use it for transport-if that is your intention.
As far as preparing the boat for transport, whether you ship her or move her yourself, it's all common sense stuff. Remove anything that can't be secured. Pad all of the items that may move, vibrate or ocillate and cause road wear. It's nice to stop a few times during the first couple of hundred miles to recheck everything and make any adjustments and some haulers will do this.
Good Old Boat magazine had a several very good articles on 'sailing the asphalt highway' a few years back. If you contact Karen or Jerry there they'll shoot you in the right direction for that info.
We trailered 113 about six hundred miles home and had no problems except for the missing VHF antenna (sorry Milwaukee). As soon as she's done it'll be 100 miles one way to her new slip and a coiuple of journeys to Lake Superior which is several hundred miles away. Around here that's just what you have to do to go sailing.
If you're in Texas and your boat is in the Great Lakes, I'd say you definately need to move one of you to the other! Good luck, Tony G