Dorset’s boating centres on Poole Harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the world, alongside Weymouth and Portland, Christchurch Harbour, and Lyme Regis further west. Marine equipment transport here usually means moving a boat between a mooring or marina and home storage, delivering after a dealer purchase, or collecting a boat bought at auction or from a private seller. We move boats on our own trailer or the boat’s own trailer, behind a VW Touareg rated to tow up to 3,500 kg braked, with one driver taking it door to door and no subcontracting along the way.
Boat and marine equipment transport across Dorset
Poole Harbour alone supports a huge range of craft, from small dinghies and kayaks on the mudflats to RIBs and cruisers based at the bigger marinas, and Weymouth and Portland add serious sailing pedigree — the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on Portland Harbour hosted Olympic sailing and still runs a busy racing and training programme. We move RIBs, day boats, dinghies, kayaks, jet skis and trailer sailers across the county, along with gear that needs to travel with the boat such as outboards and cradles.
Where we collect and deliver in Dorset
Typical collection and delivery points across the county include:
- Poole Harbour — Poole Quay Boat Haven, Salterns Marina and the Sandbanks area
- Weymouth and Portland — Weymouth Marina and Portland Harbour, home of the national sailing academy
- Christchurch Harbour and Mudeford, including the quay
- Lyme Regis and the Cobb harbour
- Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck
- Wareham and the upper reaches of Poole Harbour
We also collect from private moorings, garden storage, and boatyards handling winter lift-outs anywhere in the county. See areas we cover for coverage beyond Dorset.
What we move
RIBs and day boats
RIBs and day boats up to around 7-8 m, on their own road trailer or ours, correctly bunked and winched for the hull.
Racing dinghies and training boats
Dinghies and small sailing boats for clubs and sailing schools around Portland and Poole, often several in one run.
Jet skis and kayaks
Jet skis, kayaks and canoes on their own trailer or ours, secured and photographed at both ends.
Trailer sailers and small cruisers
Small yachts and cruisers within our towing limit, from a marina hard-standing or private mooring.
For non-boat trailer moves — plant onto site, a hot tub into a garden, a classic car to a show — see plant and machinery transport, hot tub transport and classic car transport.
How much does boat transport in Dorset cost?
Local moves within Dorset typically start from around £150; longer runs, for example along the coast to Hampshire and the Solent or further afield, are quoted per mile. Price depends on distance, the boat’s length and weight, whether it already has a road-legal trailer, and access at each end. Quotes are all-in — fuel, tolls and loading included, so there is nothing extra on the day.
Dorset-specific factors: whether the Sandbanks chain ferry is part of the sensible route or adds a wait worth avoiding, whether a lift-out is booked at a Poole or Weymouth marina, and how busy the roads around Poole and Bournemouth get in peak summer season.
Access, roads and timing in Dorset
The A31 and A35 carry most of the through traffic and are generally fine for towing, but Poole and Bournemouth both see heavy congestion in summer, particularly around the harbour and Sandbanks. The Sandbanks chain ferry is a useful shortcut for some routes but can involve a queue, so we weigh it against the longer road route around via Wareham on a case-by-case basis. Weymouth’s town centre and the roads down to Portland can be slow at peak times too. We schedule collections around marina lift-outs and around these known pinch points so the boat and trailer are ready together.
Do you cover the whole of Dorset, including Poole Harbour and Portland?
Yes, we collect and deliver anywhere in Dorset, including Poole Harbour, Weymouth and Portland, Christchurch and Lyme Regis.
Can you collect from a marina lift-out in Poole or Weymouth?
Yes, we regularly time road collections around lift-out and crane bookings at marinas around Poole Harbour and Weymouth.
Do you use the Sandbanks chain ferry?
Where it is the sensible route for a job we do, but we weigh it against the road route via Wareham depending on queue times and the size of the load.
Can you move a boat with no road-legal trailer of its own?
Yes, we carry a boat trailer with bunks and a winch for hulls that need one.
Get a boat transport quote for Dorset
Tell us the pickup and drop-off points, the make and length of the boat, and whether it has its own road-legal trailer, and we will come back with an all-in price — no separate charges for fuel, tolls or loading. Use the form here or head to contact and quote to reach us directly. We can usually collect within a few days, and we will always work around a marina hoist or crane booking rather than the other way round.
Quote: boat transport Dorset
Tell us what needs moving and where. We reply personally, usually within a couple of hours.
Ready to move it?
Send a few details and we’ll come straight back with a clear, all-in price. No call centres — you deal with the driver.