The quick answer
For a yacht or motor boat that is seaworthy and already in the water, a skippered delivery is often the simplest and best-value way to move it along the coast. There are no cranes, cradles or mast work, and the boat arrives ready to use.
Road wins for trailerable boats, boats going inland, boats ashore at both ends, and moves that must happen on a fixed date whatever the weather.
Real UK moves by sea
These are real skippered deliveries around the UK in 2025–26. Fees are for skipper and crew, before expenses.
| Route | Boat | Distance and time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton to Southampton | 14m motor yacht | 60nm, 1 day | £650 |
| Portland to Hamble | 9.6m sailing yacht | 53nm, 1 day | £700 |
| Dartmouth to Cowes | 10.9m sailing yacht | 110nm, 2 days | £725 |
| Hamble to Falmouth | 9.1m sailing yacht | 160nm, 2 days | £1,000 |
| Hull to London | 10m sailing yacht | 230nm, 4 days | £1,800 |
| Southampton to Conwy | 15m motor yacht | 410nm, 4 days | £2,600 plus fuel |
| Ardrossan to Hamble | 11.3m sailing yacht | 530nm, 6 days | £2,250 |
| Brighton to Largs | 11.6m sailing yacht | 600nm, 7 days | £2,800 |
Expenses come on top: typically a few hundred pounds for a sailing yacht on a coastal trip, and much more for a motor yacht because of fuel. For the full breakdown see yacht delivery cost.
The same moves by road
By road, every move is quoted individually, and the cost depends more on the boat than on the distance:
- The boat's size and weight, and the vehicle it needs (trailer, low-loader, cradle).
- Beam and height, which decide whether it is a wide or high load.
- Lift out and lift in at each end, and mast unstepping and restepping.
- Distance, and whether the haulier has a return load heading your way.
Yachts wider than 2.9m need police notification, and much wider boats need permits and escorts. See boat transport cost for the rules.
Worked comparisons
Hamble to Brighton, 10m sailing yacht
By sea this is a day's delivery of around 50 to 60 miles, typically £450 to £700 plus a little fuel and travel. By road you would pay for a lift out, the haulage, a lift in, and unstepping and restepping the mast, which together usually come to more. Sea is the natural choice unless the boat isn't fit to go to sea.
South coast to the Clyde, 11 to 12m sailing yacht
By sea, around 530 to 600 miles and roughly a week, for a fee of about £2,250 to £2,800 plus expenses. By road, the haulage is quoted for your boat, with lifts and mast work on top, but it is just a day or two on the road once booked. Get quotes for both: the answer comes down to price, timing, the boat's condition and whether you mind the sea miles.
Trailer boat, Midlands to the coast
A trailer boat has no sea option from inland, and it is the simplest kind of road move. Road wins.
Things to think about for UK coastal moves
- Weather windows. Headlands such as Portland Bill, the Lizard and Land's End, and the Irish Sea, need the right conditions. Flexible dates reduce cost.
- Tides and locks. Many marinas and harbours have tidal access or lock times, which affect arrival and departure.
- Season. Autumn and winter deliveries are possible but need more weather days.
- The boat's condition. A boat that has been ashore for a while may need servicing before a sea delivery. Road avoids that.
On BoatMove you can request quotes by sea or by road, or both, and compare them. See sea, ship and road compared.