Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I am towing my 10'6" MTI from Chicago to Miami. I have pulled permits for Ill, Ind, TN, KY and FL. Georgia was such a pain with ins on record I am not bothering. Towing on weekends and nights is a forbidden in almost all states. Since this is a boat used on weekends, will I get stopped? How is Georgia for my trip through the state in the next few days? I see racers towing on weekends all the time. What is the reality of towing wide loads?

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

They haven't stopped me nights or weekends in Ga. or any other state, but I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky!!! At least so far :( If towing after dark, I would remove the oversize signs.

Just travel with a 12' wide Nor-Tech or Skater, and your boat will look skinny :drink:

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Brad,,, Any Cop any where can give ya the ticket ,, its just a matter of you pissem off,,, be the nice guy ,,, act dumb and tell them that you called the state and they said you did not need a permit with the pleasure boat ,,,, no ,, you dont know how wide it is "" about the same as the big trucks , I think""
then quit,,,, the cop will tell you at that Point :D

RHC


Serious ,,, may friend pulled a 33 Elimator that way for 3 yrs and only got stopped twice ,, they let him go both times !

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

So maybe do not travel with the flags, lights and banners? A trucker friend who pulls wide loads for a living said the paperwork is nightmare for the cops to pull you over. Private owners they tend to forgive according to him. He also said plead ignorance. But this advice from boat owners is exactly what I am looking for on OSO.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Evrything you said is true. There is a service you can call that for a small fee will coorindate all the permits. I do not have the info on this computer but somebody has to have it.

Do not tow on weekends or holidays.

We have only got the permits once becasue the driver was nervous and still have not been stopped.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I Think It Is Transciever Network Or Something

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I've hauled several Searays (10 ft 6 beams) from Ft Lauderdale to VA and another from Cleveland to VA. (We bypassed the expressway through PA though). Haven't been stopped yet, but these were widest at the rub rail that was 8-9 ft off the ground.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I pull wide loads all the time. If you are pulling with a pickup truck you will look like a personal boat. Just go and don't stop at the scales. I drive by them all of the time and have never been stopped. The only time you will have a problem on the weekend is if a DOT cop sees you cause they know the rules. As far as night time keep your sign up. The last thing you need is someone hitting you because you don't have a sign up. I tow 46' skaters that are 12.2 wide nights and weekends and have no problem. just drive smart

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I use Jet Permit Service.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Wow, this forum never ceases to amaze me with the wealth of knowledge. I did pull my permits from a service. I will make the run with less fear. Thank you.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

A permit service Comdata Tranciever 1-800-749-7166. They charge about $ 15.00 per permit plus the state cost - If you tow with a truck over 26,000 gvw you are obligated to stop on the scales with or without a wide load. If you tow with a pick up truck and look small have won a lottery ticket and get laid all the time luck is on your side.

The big deal is liability - get in a small fender bender or worse - you are screwed - if you get busted for wide load they will pull you over and not let you move until you get a permit, generally requires 24-48 hours to get a permit.

Couple of notes -
1.Georgia will want a cert of insurance naming the state as additional
insured
2. Blanket permits are availible for cheap if you haul in the same area often
3. Many permits can be gotten on line
4. If you pull permits make sure to write direction "north" "south" etc.. or
the permit can be rejected.
5. Most permits are good for 5-7 days
6. You can never pull a wide load before or after a holiday or withing big
city limits during rush hours -

Lots of guys pull without permits.........it's really about liabilities -

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I don't want to start anything but . . . what if something happens and you're not in compliance? Will ins cover you? :rolleyes:

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Insurance should cover, the problem is with the police or dot writing some really big tickets for not having them

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Brad.... you may want to call Mark Smith (Chi-Town Hustler), we went through all of this when we brought his boat to the New York poker run last year. 708-207-6555.

I think I can remember that there is a difference between having a "wide load" banner across the back, and a "oversize load".
The wide load I believe requires you to have a vehicle follow the trailer, where the oversize load does'nt. And I also think that with the wide load, you can't tow after dark. I don't know if that applies to the oversize load.

We were pulled over by a state trooper in Penn. about 9:30 PM. This guy came unglued that we had the rig still on the road after dark. He followed us to the next rest area and told us to stay put till morning or he would be sending $2K worth of tickets and fines!!!

Had we used oversize load banners instead of the wide load ones, I don't think he would've bothered us. I think that those "wide load" banners just draw way too much attention.

Can anyone here tell the difference in the 2 about requirements?

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

wide or oversize they are the same

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Frank, Bgchuby01 is correct, they are the same. I think that Penn. required us to have a tag vechicle.

Brad, I use Jet Permit in Wisc. 800/788-0603. When are you going to Fl???

Mark

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

PM 42MTI, he and I just got back from Wentzville with his 42PR and we had a long discussion about this and he uses a service to get his permits. Good Luck!

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

The use of wide or oversized load permits are restricted to daylight hours, no holiday weekends and avoid large city rush hours.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

I am leaving Sunday am. I know....no Sundays. I will probably travel without the banners and lights on Sunday and plead ignorance if stopped. I will keep the night travel to a minimum. Monday will travel legal with the permits in hand and waving the flags etc. I am really getting excited about this boat. It is going to be hot. BIG power and sixes. Rigged by Extreme Marine Miami. Paint design by Grafik Effects Design. One off custom interior. One very cool feature, it will have a removeable hardtop. Race version or in five minutes it is a pleasure version.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

Come on Brad the Chain isnt frozen over yet

I just made the same drive hauling the Bullet a couple weeks ago.

I need to be brought up to date are you pulling the motors out of the MTI and putting them in the new boat and what is the hull of the new one

This will be cool you can spank Freddy again

If you need a spot to crash for a while give me a call and you can use my place on Duck Key if no one is in it

And send us pic as soon as you get them

Man this will be cool

Klaw
815-236-5547

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

The MTI race boat was completely unrigged by me. I have sold a lot the parts from that boat. Starting with a bare hull. I am pulling the engines/Number Sixes from the Motion and installing them in the MTI. As for Fred Neilsen he has a 36 Skater with big power being rigged. It will be interesting if we line up.

Re: Hauling wide load boat, permit issues?
 

The "Wide Load" Vs "oversized load" can be an issue - I never rememeber which state requires what sign, but I run the I-95 with "oversized" - got busted one time in Ga when it said "wide load" -

Be careful of overall lenght - 75'-0" max - any longer and you will need front and back escorts .....suxs.......

Next palce to get busted while they are writing tickets is GVW.......yup that includes the trailer -