CigDaze

Chances are that you'll be okay, but if you do get caught, then expect to pay huge $, and maybe even have to ditch the boat in impound. It's a lot of risk to take over one day.

And don't use the family emergency routine, and never swear on someone's life.

When I was in college and on a road trip with a few friends, we get pulled over. The driver tells the officer that his mom is very ill and he has to get us home ASAP (bullsht excuse, there was no emergency and his mom was fine). The cop buys the story and lets us go with only a verbal warning. 6 hours later when we get home to his place, we find an ambulance in the driveway. His mom dropped dead from a stroke.

Shag555

Get the permit... If you don't get the permit and get caught, your boat will be sitting at a roadside rest stop like so many other loads that get stopped. Trouble is, most stuff like that is industrial equipment that's not going to walk off - boat and it's parts are a different story.

In Ohio we're not allowed to transport oversized on Sunday either, unless you're Chesepeake - they have the run of the mill here.

mittens

depends you inches over, or feet? ha.

alabama is a choice, for the way home.

animalhouse

I got pulled over with a permit for being on the road after dark (1 hour) tried playing dumb (whic come natural to me) and the cop pointed to the permit which clearly had all the rules laid out for me, his reply was either your too stupid to read, or you are lying, either way, your spending the night with me.

2500 later, i was on my way when the sun came up. Not worth it. (I was towing a center console 10' wide) not as obvious as a cat. Coincidently I was in Georgia

RT930turbo

How wide are you? In Ohio you can haul 12' wide or less on Sundays... here's the section from the Ops Guide. Not sure what the rules are down there, but they may be similar. You can also get a 365 day blanket permit to move your boat as an individual in Ohio.

Movement of all vehicles/loads in excess of twelve feet in width shall be prohibited from
3:00 p.m. on any Saturday until one-half hour before sunrise on the following Sunday and
from 3:00 p.m. on any Sunday until one-half hour before sunrise on the following Monday.
Furthermore, movement of all vehicles/ loads in excess of twelve feet in width are
prohibited from 3:00 p.m. on any Friday until one-half hour before sunrise the following
Saturday during the months of April 1 through November 30. These time limitations are in
addition to (2) and (3) above.
5) With the exception of limits noted in (1), (2), (3), and (4) above, permit vehicles/loads may
move daylight hours, Sunday through Saturday. Daylight hours are defined as one-half hour
before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions...s/OpsGuide.pdf

BoatShow239

Likely not an issue in this case, but has been the topic of discussion at coffee recently.

The story is: the FSP has been doing recreational trailer inspections, mostly boats and supposedly mostly on the southeast coast and down to the Keys. They are checking weight limits, brakes, tags to trailer registration, lights, hitch categories... everything. The fines are stiff!

Many of us here have multiple boats with multiple trailers... all with one tag. If this keeps up I will need to see if I qualify for a dealer's tag!

For this case another thought to consider is that the snowbirds are gone! Not enough neon haired drivers to keep ticket books full, so the FSP can concentrate on other things!

gofastlvr

I already have applied for all the permits so I will have them. I am 10'6" so its kind of obvious. I am pulling with an f650 so its even more noticeable. I can pull according to Mercury Permits on Sunday in FL just not GA and TN. My annual TN permit says "no Sundays and Holidays" fairly plainly. According to most of my "sources" it isn't a big deal in TN as there isn't many of us here pulling wider loads like say FL so nobody pays any attention. I have a friend who told me he has been pulling for 8-10 yrs and never been stopped.

It just doesn't make sense to me not pulling on Sunday with recreational boats. I had rather be pulling on Sunday rather than any other day... less traffic.

Thanks for all the responses!

gofastlvr

If the boat was set up I would but I think the gas vents have to be on the same side but I guess I could haul it empty!

compedgemarine

when dealing with the DOT there are a few rules
1) ignorance is not excuse, you are responsible for knowing everything
2) DOT is always right no matter what the situation is
3) every other situation falls under number 2

if you are lucky nothing will happen, if you are unlucky and get a DOT officer in a good mood you may just get a few fines, if you are unlucky and the guy is in a bad mood you get to sit in jail with your equipment impounded untill a judge decides to let you go with LOTS of fines.

I have hauled a lot of oversize boats and we have been stopped several times just to measure the boat and make sure we are in our permits. also got told at one scale that there was no way we could find a hotel before dark so turn around and shut down and there will be a note for the morning crew to make sure we come back through the scales or else.

ChrisK

I have a blanket oversize permit for florida to haul my equipment and grinder. I can tell you they WILL stop you in FL. You can not haul after 12 noon on Saturday, NO Sundays, and hour before sunrise, and hour after sunset weekdays. You will also need a banner that says "OVERSIZE LOAD" on the front of the truck and the rear of the trailer, a flashing yellow strobe on the rear of the trailer as well as at least one on the truck visible from the sides and front. You will also need flags on the corners of the boat and front bumper corners of the truck.

Last July FL also changed a little bit when it comes to the DOT, they were taken over by the FHP. Now all DOT officers are also FHP and vice versa, you will also run the chance of getting pulled over by any FHP officer as well. They have all been cracking down on the private guys lately (Im thinking revenue) including lawn care guys, people pulling boats, etc.... You used to be able to kinda fly under the radar, but not anymore in FL.