Couriering a sea kayak

[Mark R]

I know that there have been a lot of 'how do I post my kayak' threads, but I've skimmed through them and haven't really got a clear answer.

I want to ship my sea kayak up to the far north of Scotland in July - obviously, I want it to arrive intact and in the right place at the right time (Jonh O'Groats).

I made some enquiries and a few calls about something similar last year, but got no joy. Any thoughts? Anyone have experience of this? I'm not concerned about the price (really) I just want it to work.

Thanks,

[chris-uk]

There was a guy who bought a 3.5m surf boat from me a while back and I remember that he used a company called Citylink. I'm afraid I don't have a link or anything, but he lived in Scotland and the boat arrived just fine.

Chris

[Dan@Tiderace]

I would have serious reservations about sending a composite kayak with a general courier unless it was VERY well packed. It's also going to be pretty expensive.

[ol]

How did you get it back from J-O-G before?
There may be some mileage in approaching retailers, particularly those who have chains. I have had boats come down to me from up north (not that far north) before now via retailers and the inter-shuffling of stock they do. They may well be able to help out.

Otherwise one option, though it may be pretty pricey is to use one of those Man and Van type services. Most of them will do long distance work but I reckon it'll cost you.

In all seriousness, via this forum, I am sure there would be a way to 'relay' the boat way up there with various willing and generous folk with roofbars, though it would take a bit of military organising I suppose.

At the end of the day, kayaks find their way to shops all over the country. Can't understand why why there never seems to be a definitive answer on here really.
Good luck.
OL

[Mark R]

My boat has returned from Scotland by exactly the means you describe - generous hosting and carriage by a range of individuals, shops and businesses. I'm very happy about the way this worked out, and extremely grateful and indebted to those concerned.

However ... I left my boat at JoG at the end of August 2008. It arrived back in Dorset ... yesterday. To ensure it arrives up there exactly when I need it, I'd best shell out. Man and van doesn't sound like a bad idea - it certainly won't cost as much as a flight to India, which was Option #B for the same day.

[soundoftheseagull]

Looks like an opportunity for some up and coming entrepreneur, just need a set of J bars and charge by the mile.
If I lived on the motorway corridor I would certainly consider such.

[geyrfugl]

It used to be the case that if you were searching for kayaks on ebay, you'd find a lot of people advertising to shift kayaks up and down the country - quite possibly by strapping it to the roof of their employer's van... It probably cost them very little, so if you trust them, it probably works. John O'Groats might be a bit of a challenge though ...

However, proper couriering must be possible if you have the right contacts. I bought a double sea kayak (length 6.3m, weight 33kg without any packing) from a factory in Helsinki, and they charged me about £50 delivery to my door. They waited for quite specific conditions in the container it was sent in (through Germany, I think) so that it didn't risk being squished by other cargo, and it was delivered in a van from Immingham Docks (to County Durham), by a man who cheerfully unloaded it on his own without dropping it. Arrived in perfect condition.

How you find the people who can arrange this is another question entirely ... but it clearly _is_ possible :-) Kayak manufacturers probably know, but will they tell you ?

Andy

[ken_nic]

I wouldn't mind a fuel paid for trip to Scotland:)

Nothing else to do in early June.

Nick

[naefearjustbeer]

However ... I left my boat at JoG at the end of August 2008. It arrived back in Dorset ... yesterday.

Quicker than some courier firms! You would of been just as well leaving it up here in the far North. If you are able to work out some way of getting it up here you are more than welcome to have it delivered to me and I can keep it until you arrive.

[fiona]

There's a chance I might be able to take it to Caithness (Thurso/Scrabster area or close by as I'm heading home to Orkney) in June if you can get it to Ayr or close to Ayr by then - maybe to Karitek? Or even to Richard Cree? Not sure yet what date I'm heading up - definitely after 6th June, possibly around 14th or so. Let me know if you think I can help.

[naefearjustbeer]

Ah now the penny drops the Caithness Cruise is on in June on the weekend of the longest day. A few paddlers travel north for a paddle around the coast and in the Pentland Firth it it may be possible to get it to someone that is coming north for it to add an extra kayak to the roofrack?. I think the cruise is a SCA event. If you were able to do so I could either store it myself of get some one else to store it until July.

[RG1]

If you go with the collective I might be able to help a wee bit, as I live near Ayr and am down to work in the Lakes quite often. If dates worked out I could potentially collect from Knoydart at Penrith or Carlisle Canoes and drop the boat to Fiona in Ayr or to Geoff at Karitek etc. Brookbank might be able to help get it to Carlisle (or Perth) from Warwickshire which isn't too too far from you up the motorway if I remember right.

[joyjohn]

This may be of interest re the couriring of kayaks:

One of my students down here in sunny Devon has just started a 'van and woman' service using a large bedford van with a luton extension over the cab. I asked her and she is going to check the max inside length.

She is looking for business so I will get contact details and post them if anyone interested.

John

[Jim]

When I moved house we managed to put all the boats in the back of a Luton, but my sea boat fitted diagonally with one end in the over cab extension. I only had 500 yards to go like this, but I don't think I'd want to trust anyone to drive a boat from the south coast to JOG like this, even if it was lashed to the side frames.

We have had some large items delivered at work, but I can't recommend any of the hauliers (even if I could remember the names) because none of them seem to be too careful. We had a server rack delivered, it is big, heavy, made of metal and pretty tough. The local driver had picked the trailer up pre-loaded and didn't check inside until after something (the rack) had moved (it has wheels on and wasn't lashed in any way). He jammed it in place with some spare pallets but by the time it got to us it was relatively dented and twisted. We had also instructed the company to deliver it with a tail lift, they didn't so the driver made a set of steps using pallets and 4 of us lifted it off the truck. I have also helped unload stuff from a truck and noticed that some of the other items (not restrained at all) were new bikes in boxes. The bike company had thoughtfully written a message on the bottom of the boxes that the contents were fragile and that if the message could be read the box was being stored the wrong way up..... I could read it on all the boxes.

The general hauliers attitude seems to be, no matter what the advert says, is that it's covered by their insurance so there is no need to waste time packing properly.

I would be very cautious about sending a boat on a truck unless you can get a recommendation from someone who uses a particularly firm regularly

[Owen]

The general hauliers attitude seems to be, no matter what the advert says, is that it's covered by their insurance so there is no need to waste time packing properly.

Couriers can be carrying around 50 to 60 deliveries per day, that's the only way they can make it pay. What may start out as a well packed load doesn't stay that way for long. It's not that the drivers can't be bothered they just don't have the time. A sea kayak, odd shaped and delicate, John-O-Groats well off the beaten track, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

[maryinoxford]

A sea kayak, odd shaped and delicate, John-O-Groats well off the beaten track, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

This is the kind of problem that can get people interested in folding kayaks...

[Mark R]

She is looking for business so I will get contact details and post them if anyone interested.

John

Yes please!

[Jonathan.]

Wonder if a local museum might help.

A curator I used to know would regularly hire transport for fragile and valuable items needed for new shows. No details, I'm afraid, but I do remember she used a specialist business and charges were reasonable.

[joyjohn]

Hi

Details of a courier you may like to try:-

Diana Hekt
Hektdirekt
01392 679797
07733 113510
hekt@blueyonder.co.uk

No idea of prices but she is looking for new business and willing to change/borrow a suitable vehicle. I have said that roof topping is out as they are likely to be composites.

Please leave feedback if contacted so that others can judge - all I know is that theoretically she should do a good job.

John

[Mark R]

Great - I'm off to Belgium for a few days of Flemish dullness, but will contact her on my return.

[stormkayaker]

Try entering the appropriate details on Helpiammoving.com

Site which will help link you and removals companies going your way!

[philipn]

I have not tried any of these but there are a number of sites which claim to link people with shipping requirements (you) to shippers who have spare space. You could try:

http://www.ukbackloads.co.uk/
http://www.shiply.com/
http://www.uship.com/ (might be USA only)

[ga2.s]

There was a guy who bought a 3.5m surf boat from me a while back and I remember that he used a company called Citylink. I'm afraid I don't have a link or anything, but he lived in Scotland and the boat arrived just fine.

Chris

Hi Mark
I am a warehouse manager and deal with UK carriers/haulers everyday. My first point would be to avoid Citylink (known in the trade a s**tylink) at all costs. I say this from both a business and a personal note. They make very poor attempts at delivery and if you miss them it can be very hard to get your goods back as they return them to there depots as all carriers do but the Citylink depots are few and far between. Second point is basically what everybody else is saying. If you send it commercially wrap it well. I would suggest knocking up a very basic timber frame putting the boat inside the wrapping it in Clingfilm (the industrial stuff, May be able to sling a roll your way if I have any kicking around). This will obviously be another cost but it will still probably be cheaper than a ‘man with van’ service (although this may be a better option in terms of packing).
I use these guys everyday and they are pretty reliable.

http://www.dpd.co.uk/dpd_uk_tariff_guide.pdf

Looks like you could get it there on a two day service and if you get it on as a freight parcel it would be a lot cheaper than a man with van I am guessing.

[Mark R]

Thanks for all the great suggestions I've had here.

I've been working my way through them.

All of the established hauliers mentioned here won't touch it, either due to length or the fact that it's a one-off.

The 'list your item and see' websites are interesting, I've tried them ...
http://www.shiply.com/search.php (and even as I type this, I've received an offer and a private query!)

I've also contacted one or two man-woman-with-van services and am waiting on quotes.


My guess is that when I eventually find someone willing to lug my boat to John O'Groats, it won't be cheap - I can live with this, I would normally have splashed on a plane flight to somewhere with exotic WW at this time of year. To save my hard-earned wealth going to someone random - if there are any paddlers out there needing a petrol-paid trip to the far north, with spending money thrown in? Seriously, make me an offer.

Cheers,

[orkfay]

http://www.mcadie-and-reeve.co.uk/ will transport sea kayaks to our neck of the woods even from the deep south west. Various members have had new kayaks brought home this way with no problem other than cost (~£200 from memory).

[ol]

- if there are any paddlers out there needing a petrol-paid trip to the far north, with spending money thrown in? Seriously, make me an offer,

PM'ed

[Mark R]

I've just swaddled my kayak in a variety of stuff to try and protect it - in the morning it will be collected by a haulier who bidded for the job through www.shiply.com

Only one way to find out if this will work ...

[rockhopper]

Mark,

may be worth checking with the haulier what 'conditions of carriage' they are transporting your goods under (if you are worried about damage, loss/theft). Most hauliers carry goods under RHA (1998) conditions which cover goods for £1,300 per tonne and, assuming your kayak is, at most 30kgs, then they would only be liable to reimburse you slightly less than £40...
If that is a concern then you could ask them to see if they could cover the item on a full value (all risks) basis of say £1,500. They may not be able to do it and if they can it may cost a bit more but might be worth an enquiry !!!

Rog.

[Sgian Dubh]

Last kayak I hauled long distance went lashed out the way onto on a trawlers deck, in fact there were two kayaks. The skipper took them straight to the destination [Wales from the Hebrides] for peanuts, since it was harbour to harbour & en route. Jumped on the train a few days later & they were waiting at the harbour office safe & sound. Have you thought about that as an option Mark? Roads are not the only highways aye. I've taken The Anas etcetera over to Faeroe, even Tromsø, using these trade routes before, with no adverse effects.

When I've travelled with the kayaks we've all gone free & I've worked my passage. If you can make a lasagne on a wee fairground ride force 10, you can make one anywhere. :o)

[Mark R]

I've worked my passage.

Unfortunately I can't cook lasagne, and can't think of anything else I might have to offer seafaring folk ...