calif require that if the trailer axels have a capability of over 10,000 lbs you need a cdl even if it is your own boat. call me and I will try to help walk you through it. 909-*********

When you run an oversize boat after dark you are really looking for problems. Most highway patrol know that an oversize can not run after sunset and if they want, they can make life bad. Arizona will let you ride after dark only if your load is 10ft wide or less

Florida DOT cars are white with a blue stripe and be carefull of them. They are more on the ball then most states. If you get stopped with a boat they will ask you about it. If you tell them you do poker runs DON'T tell them you can win money. Once you say you can win money you automaticlly become for hire. same as a race boat. Never admit the boat can get money. Tell them a poker run is for ego's only.

The last time I tried moving a big cat, I was told that any and all wide load/oversize load pulls had to be done by a CDL holder and that they had to have the appropriate permits. To get the permits, we had to show proof of commercial liability insurance at a minimum of $1mil.

Was a few years back.

texas requires a 10,000 bond be put up plus proof of insurance. Every state is different, best thing is to use a permit service that knows all the state requirements. Florida is actually pretty easy to get but the last two lines on every fla permit say. If the trailer wheighs more than 15,000lbs then the truck must have a gvw exceeding 26,001. The last line will say that the truck must have a regestered capability to carry both truck and boat. So if you are using a normal one ton that has a capibility of say 17,000 total and your truck alone is 8,000 then you can only pull a boat and trailer no more then 9,000lbs unless the truck is over 26,001. They do this so that they can have a class a driver in the truck. Luckily most FHP don;t stop you and check.

Same way in Texas...Almost learned this the hard way with a buddy of mines drag car. What should have been a 5 minute stop for speeding/burned out clearance light.... turned into a 45 minute lecture on how the officer could get the DOT involved

Late at night on weekend like 12-4am never a problem, and I don't know chit.:evilb:

Is there a difference between, say a 10'6" beam vs a 12' beam cat or does this apply to anything over 8'6"?

anything over 8.6 is considered oversize. As you go larger you encounter more restrictions as to the roads that you may travel. I find that if the boat is under 11ft I permit for 10ft since you get more leeway staying below 10. In Florida if you are 10 or less you can run all day on the weekends whereas if you permit for 11 or 12 ft wide you have to park at 12 noon sat and sun. If I am pulling a 12ft wide skater I file as 12 since it gets hard not to be noticed going down the highway, you just can;t blend into traffic

Thanks for the info.