What do I have to do before Transporting my Yacht?
Clean your yacht
Both the inside and out should be free from any contamination like dirt, leaves, barnacles etc.
Air conditioning / Refrigeration (when shipping to Australia)
Boats with on-board refrigeration or air conditioning will have to be degassed and decommissioned prior to export, with a certificate from the degassing company included with documents. This is very important to avoid expensive pre-charged equipment licenses on arrival.
Inside your yacht
Make sure all items have been battened down securely including hatches, the open sea can have some tremendous forces that do considerable damage if something comes loose.
Any valuable items should be secured in lockable hatches with the keys kept by you, you’ll be required to have the keys available on arrival for customs and quarantine inspection.
Check all drain plugs, there should be no water in the bilge as this becomes a quarantine issue on arrival.
The batteries should be disconnected and the cables tied off to prevent contact.
Drain the fuel and water tanks as much as possible, ensuring the tank is no more than 1/4 full. If your yacht is being shipped during winter months then water should be drained from water systems, pumps and air conditioners.
Outside your yacht
Consider removing anything that will reduce the overall volume of your yacht like swim platforms, radar arches, flybridges, keels and bowspirits. The smaller you can make your yacht the lower the shipping price will normally be.
Hatches should be tightly secured and sealed with tape to prevent damage from wind/sea driven water and prevent the hatch from coming open while in transit.
