If you can start up your Boat Transport Business CASH....CASH....CASH then maybe. If starting will require loans then I would recommend not to start. If you already have personal debt then I really say no. The fact of being self employed SINCE THE ECONOMY CRASH is "IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY". There is really no way to be profitable in ANY business without first having the money to start the business. THEN you have to be one of THE BEST out there to actually charge enough money to make profit. Every business, especially trucking, has someone undercuting your prices. They are desperate and wont last long. But by the time they go out of business there are 2 more guys starting up, that will undercut, and go out of business also!

Plus thats the wrong truck and trailer to haul boats. You will find you need a fully adjustable trailer that can handle a multitude of boats.

Good luck if you do start up. Where there is a will theres a way.

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All good comments. Owning my own truck now for 7 years. Ive seen guys go and buy a truck, then another, then another, thinking the more trucks they own, the more money they will make. Ultimately, most of them have got out of the business, and walked away empty handed. Ive been happy with my 1 truck. My overhead is not much now that its all paid for. But until it was, it was ok if I was busy, but when it got slow, man did it go to $hit fast money wise.

The problem nowadays, is people haul stuff for next to nothing. Some of these guys are literally losing money and they are too stupid to see it. For example, a guy in my business who owns his own dump tractor trailer. His truck might gross 750.00 for the day. He pays out almost 300 to the driver. another 250.00 worth of fuel. So at first glance, you might say, hey, he's making 200 profit for the day. That's 1000 a week, and 4k a month off that truck. But wait, the truck insurance cost him 400 a month, plates broken down is 300 a month. Now down to 3200 a month. Figure another 1000-1500 a month for the truck payment. Dam, now we are down to 1700-2200. A couple tires, some maintainance, now its 1000 a month, or 12k a year. Hopefully it doenst lose a trans, rear end, or engine, which is very common in the dump/construction part of things. If it does, the truck worked an entire year for free. But the driver made 65k salary. You as the owner are lucky to walk away with small piece. And all that is based on the truck working every single day, which is almost impossible.

i agree with you there. i started hauling some boats this summer for a little extra cash. very first load my tranny went out in south GA and cost me, well... ALOT. luckily my GF's mom drives a dually cummins and i was able to use that truck to get the boat delivered, on time i might add. it all depends on how you do it. i have not been fortunate enough to be able to line up return runs on any of my loads. but i only do it to see my GF because i live in Ny and she in GA. but ive made alot of good contacts, someone actually got my number some how and called me but was way out of the route for me on my run home. but alot of people on uship are well... like everyone else now a days wanting everything for nothing. someone bid like 500 bucks to haul a 40' 10,000lb go fast boat from NY to south FL i was like... at 10mpg your loosing 500 bucks!!? but i guess you cant fix stupid. the way to make money is is by have a goof 38' +/- trailer and know what your doing with boats... if you know what your doing it will be easy to make money and loads easy. just get a dually. it will be more than enough truck for most boats. note alot of this is gambling. you can save money by cutting corners and it can pay dividends but the chance that something happens... it can ruin you as well. aka not having proper insurance, or DOT numbers. i haul but i am not DOT. so any boat i haul looks like it is a personal boat which cops ive delt with are alot more lenient with no permits etc. i just got back from a haul and we drove from syracuse to west palm straight through with a buddy of mine i paid to drive with me, DOT drivers have an 11hr drive day which is insane i think because ATL to syracuse is no big deal for me and thats 16hrs... but the money ATM is for decent sized boats with no trailers. i just dont have a trailer big enough for most boats.. and as sad as it is, most people take the lowest bid for hook em' and pull em jobs cause i mean, you cant really mess that up... i enjoy it because its fun to travel, but i could never imagine doing it full time as a sole income. too much risk because it is true, theres everyone and their mother thinking they can haul now a days ever since shipping wars. but thats where your money is at is having a 40' flat bed goose neck and make a cradle for each boat if you have the knowledge to do that safely. or have your own bunk trailer. for the most part, a standard bunk trailer will accommodate most V hulls

good luck! if you have any questions feel free to message me. but on the other side, the M2 are SWEEEEEET i was looking at one. but the kodiaks are sweet trucks. but just get a dually, lift it 6" throw some air bags in the back, put it on semi wheels and go. the reason i saw lift it is because it just makes the truck feel bigger when pulling bigger loads. my duramax is lifted 6" and quite frank, i wouldnt have pulled some boats i have if it wasnt lifted. it just makes the boat feel not as large. but thats my personal opinion. others will say other wise.

Lots of good advice here. Having owned trucks in the past I agree with much of what is posted. If you want it/like it enough it can be done, if you put in the time and effort AND are smart about it. Starting out with big strokes on equipment will make it very difficult. You will have to drum up enough business to be busy every or most days, and you will have to have a paying load on both ways or you are doomed. In business, money is always going out, the hard part is to keep it coming in at a faster pace.

Ya one time I was filling up in Virginia somewhere and my card cut out because I was charging a ton in fuel and they thought someone stole the card. After an hour on the phone I was on my way. But ya, make sure to tell your card company your traveling lol. And if your not on DOT numbers, just say whatever your hauling is your personal. Even if you have all the proper paperwork, they are going to hassle you to find anything you missed. But if you just say it's personal and your headed to wherever for, whatever reason, they will just let you on their day. I've learned that one... I was sitting on the side of the road for over an hour while he combed through every piece of paper work, ran the HIN, trailer numbers, checked tire condition etc etc etc and made me shut my truck off while my EGT's was screaming... Just save the hassle and say its your boat and be on your way if your not on DOT numbers. I have yet to see what happens with oversize loads but, anything oversize will be a little more than my truck can handle anyways

and people running loads like 315duramax is saying they do is why you most likely won't make any money at this...

How old are you bud? Just curious.

Your post is no different than a subject advertising on Craigslist as a marine mechanic, and installing an S-10 alternator from JCWhitney on grandpa's Bayliner. If the boat blows up at the marina down the road; no big deal because subject made it work and got paid.

Those rules, regulations and laws you mention exist to protect ME and every other driver around me. Those in the industry that play by the rules are stolen from from those who do what you advocate.

I'm not coming down on you; but that kind of post is not going to win you any friends in this forum.

oh well, i make a ton while doing it when i do it. im not the one under cutting profits. nor taking all of your loads. nor taking the expensive loads. theres still alot of money to be had. but, carry on..

WOW!

Can you teach us how to cook meth in our garage, and sell it on the street? Cuz doing that is no less illegal then your described methods to make money hauling.

And poor poor you. You cop held you up cuz you were operating illegally and he was trying to prove it. Where is Obama to come fight for 315duramax's rights??

Yea, you are making money, cuz you don't have the insurance, licenses, required maintenance & inspections that us legal haulers do.

It's one thing to help a buddy or two move a boat from time to time, but lying to the police saying it is your boat cuz you are too much of a scum bag to have DOT & MC numbers, insurance, and all the other requirements to be legal is a whole other level of scum!

Its funny how some "think" they are making money but in actuality are not making PROFIT. Once the equipment wheres out and their credits maxed they will realize they are actually losing money. Not just 315duramax but all yahoos who "do side jobs" or run a business illegal. ESPECIALLY admiting to NEVER even having a back haul=zero profit.....even saving money running illegally 315duramax is losing money.