Dependable Maine Boat Transport Company

Our boat transport services handle all vessel types. For example, we handle local boat transport between nearby towns and long-distance boat hauling across the country. We also offer state-to-state boat transport for owners who are relocating or selling a vessel to a destination farther away. Beyond that, our cross-country boat transport routes connect Maine to the West Coast. For moves across the ocean, our international boat shipping partners step in with proven overseas boat transport solutions.

Offering door-to-door boat transport when required. Similarly, marina boat transport works well for owners who store a vessel at a dock. Local boat pickup and delivery keep moves short, fast and simple. Meanwhile, driveaway services and power-only transport options help owners who already have a trailer but need a driver. Our boat towing services are ready for road-ready trailers. Over-the-road boat transport keeps larger loads moving safely.

Moving Boats of Every Shape and Size

We proudly offer boat transportation for all types of vessels. Fishing boat shipping is often requested during the spring. Likewise, bass boat transport and center console boat shipping are busy all season. Bowrider hauling, which moves boats between home and storage, helps families protect a boat during the winter. In addition, jet ski shipping gives personal watercraft owners a quick and safe option.

Pontoon boat hauling requires permits and careful planning, so our drivers use extra caution on those moves. Specialized trailers are used for shipping cabin cruisers, and hauling motor yachts also requires route planning. Houseboat shipping takes even more skill, yet our drivers handle it with ease. Yacht transport keeps luxury vessels safe on the road. We even handle tugboat transport for working harbors. At the end of the day, careful transportation of various types of boats is what our specialists do best.

Maine Boat Transport Costs

Maine boat transport costs start at $1.50 to $4.00 per mile. Rates depend on the total distance, weight, beam width, and trailer requirements. Boat shipping rates increase for large loads. Compare our best boat transport quotes with those from other companies. Owners can also get accurate, competitive rates for specific boat transport using our online boat shipping cost calculator.

Permits to Safely Move a Boat in Maine

In Maine drivers can legally transport vessels if the load does not exceed 8 feet 6 inches wide, 13 feet 6 inches tall, measures no longer than 69 feet on specific roads (or 74 feet on interstate routes), and weighs no more than 80,000lbs.

Larger vessels have different requirements. The moment a hull exceeds 8 feet 6 inches, Maine considers it an oversized load and requires a permit. Sailboats with tall keels and wide powerboats exceed the limits, so our professional haulers obtain the permits when required.

The Main Permits for Boat Transport in Maine

• Single-Trip Oversize Permit: Handles one move from the location to the destination. The state issues it through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and it stays valid for seven days, which leaves room for weather delays.
• Annual Oversize Permit: For haulers that regularly move large loads. One yearly fee is better than applying for a single-trip permit every time.
• Overweight Permit: Required when the truck, trailer, and boat exceed 80,000 pounds. Fees increase by an extra 10,000 pounds on the scale.
• Maine Turnpike Permit: A separate document sold right at the toll plaza for about ten dollars. The Turnpike runs its own system and caps loads at 14 feet 6 inches wide and 13 feet 6 inches tall.
• Local City Permit: Is required in a few spots, with Augusta being the main one. Trucks going through downtown need the city’s approval in addition to the state paperwork.
• Out-of-State Trip Permit: For carriers whose trucks are not registered in Maine. It grants 72 hours of legal travel inside the state.

Rules That Come With the Permits

Oversized loads travel during daylight hours, roughly half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, and Maine does not allow weekend moves in July and August to keep summer traffic moving. Holidays are off limits. Every oversized load also needs yellow “Oversize Load” signs, bright orange flags on the corners, and a flashing amber light on the cab.

Anything wider than 12 feet needs an escort vehicle leading the way, and a vessel wider than 16 feet requires a police escort.

Getting a Vessel Ready to Move

Essential preparation for Maine boat transportation protects a boat and speeds up pickup. Before shipping a boat, owners should drain the fuel to a quarter tank, remove loose items, secure the hatches, and disconnect the batteries. Next, take photos of the hull for the records. Our drivers will handle the rest of the process from there.

The Roads That Haul Boats Across Maine

Maine has a road network of funnels that most boat transportation uses. Our drivers like these roads for good reasons: wide lanes, solid bridges, and clearance for a tall sailboat on a lowboy trailer.

Route planning matters even more here than in flatter states. Maine has narrow village streets, low railroad bridges, and weight limits for not being on the main corridors. Using the routes below keeps the transport on schedule and out of trouble.

Main Routes for Boat Transport in Maine

• Interstate 95 and the Maine Turnpike: This highway goes from the New Hampshire line at Kittery to north past Bangor, and most long-distance boat hauls reach this area.
• Interstate 295: Splits off near Portland and goes up the coast through Brunswick before rejoining I-95 at Gardiner. Boats headed to Portland Harbor or the midcoast peninsulas usually ride this route.
• U.S. Route 1: Runs on the shoreline through Bath, Wiscasset, Rockland, and Belfast. Traffic picks up in summer, but no other road directly serves so many harbors and boatyards.
• Route 3: Connects Belfast to Ellsworth and continues onto Mount Desert Island. Any vessel bound for Bar Harbor or Southwest Harbor finishes its move on this road.
• Route 1A: Connects Bangor with Ellsworth and provides Down East deliveries a faster inland option when coastal traffic is backed up.
• Route 27: Drops south off Route 1 at Wiscasset and goes down the peninsula to Boothbay Harbor, one of the busiest boat destinations on the coast.
• Route 90: A shortcut between Warren and Rockport. Local haulers use it to skip the slow traffic through downtown Rockland and Thomaston.
• Route 302: Goes northwest out of Portland toward Sebago Lake, the top spot in southern Maine for lake boats, pontoons, and ski boats.

Get a Maine Boat Transport Quote Today!

Call (877) 330-0051, and a specialist will ask for the vessel’s length, beam, height, weight, and pickup and drop-off locations. You can also complete our online quote form for an estimate. With no pressure and obligation, let We Will Transport It handle the heavy lifting for you.

Maine is in the northeastern corner of the United States and has one of the longest coastlines in the country. Boaters from all over New England trust Maine’s harbors because the state has a history of being around the sea. Fishing crews, shipbuilders, and sailors have worked these waters for many years. Today, that same coastline gives boat owners plenty of safe places to load, unload, and move vessels of all sizes.

Ports for Boat transport work best when they offer deep water, strong docks, and easy access to major roads in the state. Maine delivers on all three. Trucks hauling a boat on a trailer can reach most of these harbors from Interstate 95 or Route 1, which keeps travel times short and costs lower.

Top Ports in Maine for Boat Transport

• Port of Portland – Portland has the busiest harbor in the state. The port handles everything from small sailboats to large yachts, and haulers like it because Interstate 295 is minutes away.
• Port of Searsport – Searsport is the second largest port in Maine. Its deep water and cargo facilities make it a smart choice for moving larger vessels.
• Port of Eastport – Eastport holds the deepest natural harbor on the East Coast. Large boats dock here with no trouble, even at low tide.
• Rockland Harbor – Rockland serves as a hub for the midcoast region. Marinas, boatyards, and travel lifts are on the waterfront, so loading and launching go smoothly.
• Camden Harbor – Camden welcomes sailboats and cruisers all season long. The town’s boatyards know how to prep a vessel for road transport.
• Boothbay Harbor – Boothbay has a long shipbuilding history and still supports a strong marine service industry. Haulers pick up and drop off boats here year round.
• Bar Harbor – Bar Harbor is on Mount Desert Island near Acadia National Park. Many owners ship boats here for summer cruising along the Downeast coast.
• Belfast Harbor – Belfast offers a working waterfront with boatyards that handle repairs, storage, and transport prep.
• Kittery – Kittery is the southern gateway to Maine. Its spot on the New Hampshire border makes it a handy first or last stop for boats moving up or down the coast.

Why Ports Matter for Boat Haulers

A port provides transport companies with the space and proper equipment to safely move a boat. Travel lifts raise boats out of the water,  and wide staging areas give trucks room to load vessels onto trailers. Skilled yard workers shrinkwrap hulls, remove masts, and secure a boat.