hatteras kusler
Kusler Yachts has been selling new and pre-owned yachts all over the world for many years. One of the best parts of our job is the ability to help design, build and deliver a new yacht to a customer. The new build process can be overwhelming but in the end should be one of the most rewarding aspects of a boaters lifetime. A typical new build process can take upwards of 3-12 months (depending on size) with multiple visits to the factory for oversight and design decisions depending on client needs.
Scott Veach of Kusler Yachts offloads GT 59 La Paz Mexico
Kusler Yachts is fortunate enough to represent 4 North Carolina (NC) boat builders with Albermarle boats, Cabo Yachts, Hatteras Yachts and Regulator Marine Center Consoles. Once a new boat project is completed the task we are left with is getting the new yacht from NC to the West Coast either by a transport ship or on its own bottom via Panama Canal. All of the new Hatteras Yachts as an example need to be driven on their own bottom from the factory in New Bern, NC to either Palm Beach, FL or For Lauderdale, FL (Port Everglades) at a minimum. Thankfully almost everyone on our sales staff are not only marine industry professionals but USCG Captains as well (Michael Kusler, Peter Giacalone and Scott Veach).
THE TRIP
On the water again, Captain Michael Kusler and Peter Giacalone
The trip from New Bern NC to Morehead City on the coast is an easy 40+ mile run where you can “lay up”, fuel up and get a good nights rest. Your choices motoring south leave you with heading offshore (if the sea allows or running south on the inter-coastal). We choose running at speed offshore for both deliveries in order to meet the schedule of the ship load. The next leg of the trip we ran from Morehead City to Charleston, SC (~230NM). We moored at Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina and was a very nice spot with fuel, showers, restaurants etc. On a side note if you have not been to downtown Charleston it is an absolute must offering exceptional food and hospitality (minutes away from the marina). From Charleston SC we picked up and ran ~185 NM to St Augustine and stayed at the Conch House marina which again was an exceptional spot with great dock hands, restaurant and facility (don’t forget to get your free 6 pack of beer with a full up!). Our final leg on the trip was St Augustine to For Lauderdale at approximately 245 miles. In Lauderdale we stayed at Pier 66 Hotel and Marina and was only a few miles from where we loaded aboard Sevenstar Yacht transport.
Hatteras 45 Loading Fort Lauderdale
Once you have decided on your desired shipping company, loading, insurance and logistics are pretty straight forward. As far as pricing is concerned, pre-recession, one-thousand per foot was pretty standard for the east to west coast, thankfully now a days its about half that price. Things to note or remember is to make sure your insurance is in place, take photos and video of the boat during and after loading for your records. In addition hire a licensed captain or knowledgable marine professional to be able to prep boat for the journey through the Panama Canal (disconnect all batteries, flush holding tank, shrink wrap and cover all goods, hide a spare key etc). The voyage once loaded typically takes 2-3 weeks depending on the offload destination. Typical offload ports are Panama, La Paz (GT59 Offload) and Ensenada (GT45 Offload). Please remember it is critical to have all the correct paperwork filled out and completed for customs prior arranging shipping and offload for Mexican importation Permits etc. Qualified Maritime Attorneys can help with this like Wenthur Law Group in San Diego and Fito Espinoza at Hotel Coral in Ensenada Mexico is very helpful.
Delivery day at the Hatteras factory, New Bern NC (Left to Right Peter Giacalone, Jason Dye, Scott Veach)
The moral of the story is that if you ever get the opportunity to not only build your own boat take the opportunity to do the delivery as well. The 700+ nautical mile run from NC to FL is a great way to break in the boat and get well deserved days offshore. Hopefully the brief write up gives you some information that you can use in the future. The staff at Kusler Yachts is here to help every step of the way. We don’t just want to sell you the boat, we want to be apart of the build process, delivery process and every step of the way to make the boating fun for the whole family. Isn’t that what it is all about?
Kusler Yachts is the California dealer for Albermarle, Cabo, Hatteras Yachts and Regulator Marine. If you need any help regarding this article or help with new boat pricing or delivery contact the Kusler Yachts San Diego California office at (619) 831-8330 or [email protected].
One of the many sunsets on the run south along eastern seaboard
Kusler Yachts San Diego California yacht brokers have been in business since 2010 and is one of the most successful yacht brokerage’s in Southern California. Kusler Yachts is the West Coast premier yacht brokerage specializing in new boat sales for Albermarle Boats, Cabo Yachts, Hatteras Yachts and Regulator Center Consoles. Kusler Yachts San Diego Yacht Brokers have over 50 years of on-the-water experience. Contact us today.