# Mast Shipping fall 2015-South from Oswego or Chicago



## prior (May 3, 2008)

Ahoy. We are planning to depart the Great Lakes for points south in the fall of 2015 (Aug-Sept). We will be going via either Oswego or possibly Chicago for a great loop experience. We met a couple from Michigan who went from Chicago in their C42 last fall, and had a great time. No crab pots, tides or hurricanes.

We would like to find information on shipping our 60' mast, preferably with other similar minded adventurers.

Anyone with information or wishing to team up to save cost can post or pm me.

Cheers
Paul


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

prior said:


> Ahoy. We are planning to depart the Great Lakes for points south in the fall of 2015 (Aug-Sept). We will be going via either Oswego or possibly Chicago for a great loop experience. We met a couple from Michigan who went form Chicago in their C42 and had a great time. No crab pots, tides or hurricanes.


Yeah, no _sailing,_ either... 



prior said:


> We would like to find information on shipping our 60' mast, preferably with other similar minded adventurers.
> 
> Anyone with information or wishing to team up to save cost can post or pm me.
> 
> ...


Well, I can see shipping a stick from Chicago to Mobile, but why would you do so from Oswego? It's less than 200 miles before you could re-step it again, after all...


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## prior (May 3, 2008)

Thanks, but alas I am seeking information or anyone who wishes to team up vs opinions  
True enough for Oswego, but the thought of 15' hanging out both ends seems like courting disaster. With enough parties involved the price may be attractive as a form of stress management. The couple I just met who went from Chicago told me they paid 300. 
Seems like a deal to me. 
There will be plenty of sailing at the other end.


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## rugosa (Aug 30, 2011)

Try Andrews Trucking Ltd. out of Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. Yacht transport is their specialty for over 40 years. Their website is dated as there are some now defunct builders in their customer list, but they should be able to quote a spar transport with another boat heading south at that time.


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## SVTatia (May 7, 2007)

Rather than putting up with the logistics, expenses, insurance and stress, why not just build a decent cross brace on your deck with enough protection at the ends of the stick? Do you really have a mast 30' longer than LOA?
I have done the Erie Canal with a 42 foot mast on a 30' boat with no problem whatsoever. Domestic shipping from the US down to the Gulf would be simple I assume, but from Canada, not worth it in my opinion. Besides, you need something to hang on to when on deck...


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## prior (May 3, 2008)

And I just may do that, however at this point I am looking for information on shipping the mast. 60' mast 42 LOA, so I guess I would only have 9' hanging out each end. Thanks for pointing that out. Did I mention how much the mast weights? Probably 2.5 times your example.
Thanks


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

prior said:


> And I just may do that, however at this point I am looking for information on shipping the mast. 60' mast 42 LOA, so I guess I would only have 9' hanging out each end. Thanks for pointing that out. Did I mention how much the mast weights? Probably 2.5 times your example.
> Thanks


If you do wind up taking it on deck, I'd suggest positioning it off the centerline as much as practical, to the side opposite the direction your prop wants to walk to...

In my opinion, it makes life a lot easier...


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

something I just experienced, not all yards on the east coast have a crane at the yard to pull a mast and the cost to bring one in can be costly. pick your shipping point carefully.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Is your plan to do the loop or only to get south? If the latter, I would highly recommend taking the Erie over to the Hudson river, putting the stick back on and heading south. If your 60ft mast is keel stepped, you can probably transit most of the ICW, but be able to sail as conditions permit. Why would one want to motor down the Mississippi on a dismasted sailboat?


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## prior (May 3, 2008)

because it is there for the taking


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## svjobeth (Nov 29, 2008)

PM sent -


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

svjobeth said:


> PM sent -


What..... don't you want to share?


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## svjobeth (Nov 29, 2008)

After some consideration, I will. The unpleasantness of my experience is now behind me and it is, for all intents and purposes, a closed case.

My PM was to suggest the OP avoid a company known as Big Dog Marine Trucking/Big Dog Marine Transport, and the individual Daniel Steadley/Dan Steadley. You can find plenty of information as to why via Google. Even though I was aware of negative reports surrounding Big Dog Marine and Daniel or Dan Steadley, I got a recommendation for him from a trustworthy and reliable source. (And for the record, I still consider them a trustworthy company - they have since cut all ties to Big Dog Marine and Mr. Steadley.) The price was right and in my mind, terms set and agreed to. Things did not go as agreed to, however. Not by a long shot. 

I sent the OP a PM as I'm reluctant to post anything negative without a solid foundation. After reconsideration, there is a solid foundation here. Needless to say, my experience with mast transportation did not go well. But, as indicated above, it has been resolved and is water under the proverbial bridge.

I won't go into the details here, but suffice to say Big Dog Marine and Daniel Steadley are best left alone.


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