Importing Pro Line from the states QLD - Towing Boat with 3.2m beam

[mustang5]

Hi all,

I know this has been done to death in parts, and I have searched. However, I am posting to find the LATEST on the legislation for oversized loads? I know there was a permit introduced for loads up to 2.9m, however the pro line 2950 which has a 10ft 6 beam is on its way from the states at the moment and arrives in 32 days.

I am basically looking to see what, if any permits or conditions are available to me with regards to towing this?

[tunaticer]

We move big tanks around that are 3.35m diameter and 14 metres long regularly, yet to need a permit for them at that size in Qld, they just flag the loads and not be on the road between 7 and 9am or 3 and 6pm.
I would suspect that a boat would travel under the same rules.
Over 3.5m needs a permit and depending on the load an escort.
Over 4m is escort definitely territory.
Over 4.5m is police escort and escorts.
NSW has tighter and tougher transport laws for oversized vessels.

[lucee81]

Hey Owen

im assuming you have actually purchased this...
How did it all go.. who did you use etc.
Pm me the details if you dont wish to share some info on here.

Lucas

[The Mad Cat]

Some basic rules are you can't do oversize at Xmas and Easter.
Can't go over 3.1 at night and 4.6 is the max height with out permits etc.
Also lots of restrictions in S E Qld.
Try this link http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/3ed57636-203f-4581-b619-5d30b4a2f58c/form4_excess_dimension_dec2010.pdf

Good luck,
TMC

[fishfeeder]

Can I ask what your planing on towing it with as it must be up there in weight ???

Cheers
Brett.

[lucee81]

He may as well use a Suzuki Sierra as its got as much hope of towing it as anything else thats practical.
my guestimate is its between 4.5t and 5t fully loaded.

Lucas

[mustang5]

F250 4x4 through work. Rated to 4.5t.

I am only towing to the marina from Port, reason for getting a trailer is the transport costs and lower fees for storage, the trailer pays for itself in 14 months.

I am also speaking with suspension specialists as to what can be done to a 200 series to possibly increase capacity, and have it certified.

Width is the only issue, the weight is nothing given the amount of access to light trucks through work (Thank you construction)

[lucee81]

I dont think it is just a suspenision issue with the 200 series as they are certified to 3.5t
There is the issue of the gearbox handling the extra weight, brakes, all round power, between the F250 and the cruiser i dont think there is a lot of difference in power however the F250 is a 7.3lt motor (americans make things big not powerful).
I would be looking at the light trucks and staying away from domestic vehicles as the overall costing will be significant to change a 200 series to legally tow a boat that big.. All IMO of course.

[Muddy Toes]

What the hell are you buying Owen???:o:o:oBit different to the stuff you were describing to me.;).I hope it all goes well mate, i'd love to see it on a trailer when it gets here.I'm probably stating the obvious here again mate but is the trailer under 2.5mtrs wide?Who did ya buy it off?
Just a bit of a thought too mate, i reakon the suspension will be the least of your worries but stopping the bloody thing might be high on the list for a 200 series.

[cormorant]

Is it coming as deck cargo? RORO ? Skel?

I have seen boats come in and be cleared to be craned into the water at the port. Saves the whole towing hassle. Have seen them with ramp trailers ( no suspension and solid forklift wheels) or lifting frames still strapped to em lifted in towed and then lifted out at marina to be serviced prepared. Seen one that wasn't watertight start sinking as well. :o Having any form of trailer that is also registerable rather than just a ramp trailer for a rig that big will be a big expensive job. Better off using the pro boat transporters or low loader for a 1 off move?

Ramp trailer at the dock can just be loaded on a tilt tray , forklift one side on a angle and chock it so it is under 2.5m and move it cheap and easy.

Not sure how far you have to travel.

We had trouble with our full cabin cat in NSW as it was overheight - used a special low low loader they used for busses/ coaches in the end so we could keep it on the trailer for the move without removing radars etc even though the route we were going on had no low bridges or wires. Penalties are huge if you get caught down here the slightest bit over. Over 2.8 it gets really tight on the road and obvious to police etc.

[fisho8]

Very nice boat there Mustang should serve you well that is for sure.

[testlab]

Nice boat. I was looking at 3250s and settled on a Sea Ray 330DA as it better fitted the family. The PL was definitely better for fishing though.

We brought ours out as deck cargo into Port Kembla on a steel cradle. Lifted straight onto a float since it was 3.5 wide and then went through Sydney under wide load rules. The biggest problem was the height and we had to remove radome and antennae to get below 4.5m.

There were six boats (I think) on that ship, four of them on trailers and a cat that was lifted straight into the water. Two of the trailer boats were held back, one because of drug traces all over the rear bench seats and the other had a trailer permit that did not match the trailer. I was on the docks with the customs and quarantine inspector for quite some time as we had to wait for the stevedores to have their breaks and then free up a stuck latch.

[Fido]

No matter who you approach nobody is going to certify any vehicle with a greater towing capacity than the manufacturers stated capacity. The only way you can get a higher capacity is by a chassis extension. Been there and done all this investigation before. ie earlier Land Cruiser utes were 2.5 tonnes versus 3.5 tonnes. You cannot get them recertified.

[ashleyhj74]

Sweet lookin boat mate, that'd look awesome behind my F-Series. Man I need to buy another boat, this whole owning a great tow vehicle with nothing to tow is really annoying hmmm

[mustang5]

Thanks Fellas,

It is coming RoRo as it is too wide for a shipping container. This in effect doubles the shipping rates. I have paid for extra shrink wrapping just to be safe, and having it professionally detailed. They will need a knife to poke through it to have a peek.

I have gone a private sale which makes things a little more difficult however it just makes it all that much worthwhile compared to dealers rates over there. I have had it surveyed ($18 per foot lol) and all came back well :)

So far the experience has been pleasant mainly due to the wealth of info on here, and some good help from Muddy Toes. Hardest part is deciding to go with a particular model. With the amount of range and layouts in the US boats, that has meant I have needed about 9 months to figure out which one to go for. Once I stumbled across the prolines, the layout alone is perfect for what I do.

I know there will be issues with me towing it over here, and a lot of other issues with compatibility and what not (eg shore power is 110v), however, where else can you get a 30ft boat with twin optimax's and low hours, fully kitted out with hard top, livewells, kill boxes, toilets, sinks, deck washes, storage galore, shower, trim tabs in built, ZERO wood construction, foam filled, 1000l fuel capacity, 400l water capacity, enclosable clears, electric anchor winch, new aluminium trailer.... for $26k US, shipped for $15k US.

[fishfeeder]

Mate sounds like a top rig.
Should get you a long way offshore with 1000L, Don't want that fuel bill on the first fill.
Would be good to see more pictures of it when you get the big girl.

Cheers
Brett

[MyWay]

congratulation on new rig
when you buy something tow it ,make shore it has big cool room on the back too
looks like this baby will catch lots of fish

cheers

[mustang5]

Cheers fellas.

Yeah the fuel bill will be immense, however, can bring a long a few more mates to pitch in now :p!

Seller says 70LPH at around 4300rpm which I could live with. ANYTHING, to handle the conditions with a bit more comfort!!! 19 degree deadrise on a 30ft boat should help :)

[Muddy Toes]

Looks like a ripper of a rig mate, well done and i hope it all goes nice and smooth for ya.If ya need a hand with anything mate just ask.
70 LPH hey?Wanna hope he didn't mean 70 Gallons per hour;D;D;D;D;D;D:-?:-[

[mustang5]

Hahaha I made sure of that! Either way there is only so much fuel that can travel through a 10mm fuel line at a time lol! I know she will be expensive to take out compared to a 21ft Haines with a 4 stroke, but you pay for comfort and range I suppose.

One thing that has come up is importing the fridge on the boat.. I see there may be a $400 fee involved. Other than that everything is travelling smoothly, however I will save the praise for my shipping agent until it is safe in my arms ;)

Was half tempted to purchase a pair of 4 strokes to fit over here, and somehow have them loaded in the boat for the trip over... Didnt know how that would go down and didnt want to complicate too many things.

[cormorant]

What have you found out or decided about the "towing " from the port?

A couple of fresh motors at great value would fill in the last part of the dream. There is real value over there. Interesting how it will go on fuel use as it is a hell of a lot of boat to move through the water but we may be surprised if it it a good hull design just how effecient it is on the plane in good conditions.

Is the fridge thing a confirmation of what gas it is filled with?

I think you mentioned it before but careful with the shore power and connections . Really needs a sparky who knows what he is doing especially if it has genny or inverters on board.

Reading of a few others having quarantine issues where they have not been properly cleaned. Hope your blokes have done it properly as all expenses add up and delays as well.

Is there any way in the USA to get a insurance history on a boat? . Friend is looking at yachts and there is so much storm damages stuff and it is so hard to tell what repairs have been made or if they have been done properly if it has been sunk?

[mustang5]

I will be getting a tilt or low loader on a backload(Depending on height) for towing from the port through work (Again, thank you construction). From there, I will have it dropped off at the marina and work out towing issues after christmas :D Only thing is it will be hard to organise given you do not know the exact hr of what day your boat will be released. So there "may" be a short tow there with something suitable in the interim.

Survey and mechanic report shows the twin optimax's are in good health, so the only thing I will be missing is a bit of reliability (I could be surprised though), and the quietness of the 4's. However, I have a few mates who want to do a group buy from the US on new outboards, to which we will be sharing the costs of a container after xmas(Depending if the AU heads back up). I will certainly be seeing if there is interest on this site.

On the Opti's, I have read quite a few reports that they have good fuel figures, some claiming to be close to a 4st economy. I will believe it when I see it though, however I am highly doubtful.

With the fridge, you hit the nail on the head. Apparently the fridge uses the correct gas grade for AU standards so I am free with that. A/C's are another issue.

I stressed the importance of it, but I suppose that is all you can do. In an ideal world, you would head on over to witness the boat before going on the ship, but its the time factor with that.

Thats something I didnt really look into. I put the trust into a surveyor who picked it to pieces. Spent a good 6hrs on it, and found things the owner didnt even know about (haha yeah right). Getting it surveyed pays for itself as you use the report as ammo when bargaining. You just have to be keen on the boat before you get it surveyed as its a waste of $450 if it doesnt go through.

[Muddy Toes]

However, I have a few mates who want to do a group buy from the US on new outboards, to which we will be sharing the costs of a container after xmas(Depending if the AU heads back up). I will certainly be seeing if there is interest on this site.





I and no doubt many people on here have tried and the responses are not too promising.A lot won't sell to you due to parallel import stuff and the few that will, when taking into consideration shipping and GST it doesn't actually work out that much cheaper then buying one here.By all means do your own homework, my findings are based on a 300hp Yamaha and i've tried many many places in the states and the UK and i think for the couple of grand difference i'm going to buy locally.Just for the record mate its about a 2 grand difference for my motor.

[testlab]

Hey mustang5, I think you will still need a pre-charged equipment permit even if the fridge is using the right gas. I had to get one and it was asked for by the customs agent when cleared and the customs agent on the dock did check the items on the manifest (air conditioner, fridge and ice maker). I had the right gas in everything.

It's $400 plus a few cents for the weight of the gas. Btw, to anybody else reading, a lot of old fridges and air conditioners have the prohibited gas in them. The equipment has to be permanently disabled if it can't be converted.

[mustang5]

Yep, shipping agent sent me exactly that on an email, so thats another $400 which wasnt counted for :P Oh the joys :)

Not a big problem though.

@Muddy, Yeah I see the drama there, suppose getting prices is one thing, going through with the sale with the dealer happy to sell to AU market is another. I have seen a lot of deals so I can PM you if you like? Dunno about the 300hp range though.

[PinHead]

Hey mustang5, I think you will still need a pre-charged equipment permit even if the fridge is using the right gas. I had to get one and it was asked for by the customs agent when cleared and the customs agent on the dock did check the items on the manifest (air conditioner, fridge and ice maker). I had the right gas in everything.

It's $400 plus a few cents for the weight of the gas. Btw, to anybody else reading, a lot of old fridges and air conditioners have the prohibited gas in them. The equipment has to be permanently disabled if it can't be converted.

what a rip off that is and completely ludicrous

[mustang5]

what a rip off that is and completely ludicrous

You are not wrong there.

However, thinking of the bigger picture, the real rip off is in the Australian Boat market for both boats and outboards. A cost (as ridiculous as it is) of $400 is a lot easier to swallow than the $40k saved by importing.

[PinHead]

I have a question..insurance. When I bought a boat built in the States I had to have a letter of complaince from an electrical contractor stating that the wiring complied to Australian standards..and that was a new boat straight from the factory in the USA

[testlab]

Re insurance. Nope, no requirement for any electrical certificates. The boat is unmodified and will remain as 120V since it's on a mooring. I got insurance for when the boat was awaiting shipment and for usage here in Australia. The marine transit policy was separate. So it was under one policy until it was lifted on ship, another while in transit, then under the original once again when it was lifted off the truck onto the hard at the marina (not the dock, see below).

The insurance was expensive. Take note you need to extend your transit insurance to cover movement from the dock to the final destination, otherwise if it falls off the truck, accident, etc it is not covered. The normal comprehensive insurance does not cover transport unless on a normal trailer and towed in full compliance with the road rules. It was explained to me the trailer has to be registered to be covered, so picking up a trailer boat and towing it to have the trailer complianced means the boat is uninsured for on road damage, etc.

I am happy to pass along all the insure/broker details if you send me a private message.

[mustang5]

My transit insurance was 1.35% of boat price plus transport price. Broker dealt with it and I paid it all on one quote/invoice.

[testlab]

Yeah, that's about right. As mine was floating in the marina for a few weeks prior to prep and shipping I had normal insurance on it too. The marine transit doesn't start until it gets lifted off the dock and finishes when it hits the dock this end (unless you have the coverage extended).

Check your policy carefully - you may find it requires a surveyors report to be filed after the boat is on-deck. You may have problems claiming for transit damage without it as there is nothing to prove the damage wasn't there prior to lading. The 'marine surveyor' wanted as much as the bloody policy so with some negotiation and a change of insurer we got them to accept the vessel survey report (and photos of it prior to and after shrink wrapping) as evidence of condition. We had no problems anyway but I'd hate to think a huge scratch down the side would not have been covered.

We love our boat and apart from a few minor mechanical issues from deferred maintenance its been a good buy.

[Mister]

Over 2.9 metres, welcome to the full affects of the Qld excessive dimensions road rules.