Find out how to get your kayak across the country without breaking the bank
By Richard Hartman
May 1, 2003
Other trucking companies such as USF Freightways, Yellow, and BestWay will also take kayaks. Their fees will almost always be higher than Pilot Air or
Forward Air, sometimes two to three times as expensive. I've been quoted over $250 to ship a kayak via truck, so be careful and shop around.
I once received a 50% discount as a "first time customer", so it pays to ask for applicable special deals. Average prices for
standard trucking companies seem to be in the $125 range for single kayaks.
Manufacturers and dealers pay $60 to $90 because they ship so many kayaks so frequently. Some local shops might be willing to ship your kayak
for you for a piece of your savings. I would still package and label the kayak myself.
Southwest's cargo department is happy to ship kayaks. For shipping a hypothetical playboat from Spokane, Wash. to Salt Lake City,
I received a quote of just under $62. That beats the rate I last paid to ForwardAir and USF Freightways. However, Southwest doesn't fly everywhere.
You must confirm that they have service in both the source and destination cities.
NOTE: As of Sept. 17, 2001, airlines are not accepting cargo from "unknown" shippers (like you and me). Hopefully this will change as things settle down.
If you must ship by air, call Pilot Air or FreightQuote - they are "known shippers" that can get your kayak on an airplane.
Most commercial passenger airlines will now ship a kayak as cargo, though it's more expensive than Southwest. I've seen per-pound rates for
"dimensional weight" from $0.66 (Alaska) to $0.72 (Northwest) and some may be even higher.
For the 134 "pound" example given earlier, this translates to $90 to $100. There will be some taxes and other fees too, so the average price will
be around $100 to $110.
Airlines that will ship kayaks as cargo include Southwest (see above), Alaska, Delta, Northwest, and United.
Obtain a quote from each and take your pick.
FedEx Ground would be a great way to ship, but their size restrictions make virtually all kayaks too large. This pushes you into their
"Small Package Service", part of their air division, which despite the name will take an eight foot kayak. The downside is that they'll
charge you more than $150 to do it.
Greyhound's maximum length for cargo is 74 inches - too short.
Amtrak's maximum cargo size is 4x5 feet, also too short, and they require packages that size to be pallet mounted.
UPS has a maximum "Length + Girth" of 108 inches. A 7.5 foot kayak has a L+G measurement of approximately 162 inches, so most kayaks aren't accepted by UPS.
I've had inconsistent results with other potential carriers. Their telephone staff will say "Sure!" on one phone call, and then "No way!" on the next.
Some refuse kayaks, but will take surfboards and other items, which can be larger, or heavier, or more fragile than kayaks. Some people claim to have
shipped kayaks by "misrepresenting" what's inside "all that bubble pack", but I worry about making an insurance claim if something gets damaged along
the way. Lying could be grounds for denying your claim.
No matter which carrier you use, ALWAYS get a tracking number. This is your gold key to interacting with the shipping company once they have your kayak.
Most websites will permit you to track a shipment if you have the tracking number; worst case, you can call their 800-number and have them do it manually.
Providing the tracking number to the other end of your transaction is also a nice gesture since it lets the buyer track it independently.
Editor's Note: Richard is a Software Engineer and a freelance reviewer of whitewater kayaking equipment.
This article first published in Boatertalk.com, where Hartman is an administrator.
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