Advice for Shipping a Windsurfer

wahoo42 · Joined: 23 Jul 2014 Posts: 1

I bought a windsurfer when I was on vacation at my in-laws home in Michigan. I want to ship the board, mast & sail to Texas. I checked with the local FedEx but the combined cost of packing materials and shipping exceeded the value of the board. I'm looking for advice on methods to pack it myself and where to purchase the materials. Also looking for recommendations for shipping once I get it packed.

Thanks in advance for any helpful ideas and advice.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

It's been said Amtrack, station to station, is the cheapest, just under a C note.
You surround the board with cardboard or packing foam, stick it in an appropriate sized cardboard box you get from a windsurf shop....or make your own with cardboard.
Trucking company, if you have a comercial account, is around 140.
If you're private, good luck, it's gonna cost you over 4 bills.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

A dealer airmailed a board to me overnight. No hurry, but why not? It cost him/me about $40. If I had done it myself, even by truck rather than air, there's the $400+. (Tip: have it shipped to a business address.)

Hmmmmm ... does your FIL or a friend of his have a business which could ship it to the business of a friend of yours at home? Might be quite cheap.

I'm guessing you flew to MI. Now cancel your return flight, rent a car one way (prices can vary fivefold in one-way rentals; call around) and transport it yourself. I saved a bundle that way once and I enjoy driving. I rented a full sized sedan with pass-through rear seats, folded down the rear seat, and carried it inside.

d0uglass · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:23 am Post subject:

In my experience, shipping windsurf gear is an enormous pain in the butt that is almost never worth the time, money, and stress.

FedEx or UPS can work if you ship from a business terminal to a business terminal, but you're still looking at more than $100- possibly much more.

Amtrak only works if there's the right kind of station near both the shipping and the receiving end.

Whatever you do, you need about 50 cardboard boxes and 10 rolls of packing tape to mummify your gear in enough layers of protection for it not to get busted in shipping.

spennie · Joined: 13 Oct 1995 Posts: 975 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

As has been said, shipping a board is a royal P.I.T.A. I recently shipped a Kona One across the country, and got quotes of $176., $249., $1100., and $1800. Stay away from UPS Freight, that was the $1800.

Wrap it in bubblewrap, then cardboard. You might be able to get a shop to help you, but if not try Freightquote.com or Unishippers.com Even with staying by my computer all day and delivering it to the shipping company's depot, it took two days of frustration & confusion to seal the deal. ISO's suggestion to drive it down actually makes some sense, if you have the time.

U2U2U2 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:55 pm Post subject:

Not so bad as the above make out.

if the board is large, you may be in trouble, kinda, limits your options.

easiest is use an existing board box the appropriate size, local dealer..?

you can purchase boxes , but will then will need to be cut to fit.

NEW boards are delivered in a box, the rails and nose/tail are all wrapped in cardboard, nose and tail have Styrofoam to protect further , they are wrapped in plastic, taped & cross taped, bubble wrap is not used that I have seen, but would be a plus for padding. Extra care needs to be taken on the nose/tail.

FEDEX is a good option, having an account will get a discount. costs have risen and its not so cheap anymore, you can calculate shipping ones you have the size and weight, size in this case LENGTH is what kills you on $.
FEDEX is better than good with careful handling.

options other are the railroad, they only ship from certain terminals to certain terminals. very cost effective.

you can use over the road truck freight, if very large this may be the only option. I shipped boards twice using fright, neither were damaged, but they will be moved from truck to truck alot..word to the wise there.

if you drop off at the terminal, and pick up at the other end it will be cheaper than delivery to your address, easier, cause they normally give a 4hour window to deliver.

a business with an account with say FEDEX would have a discount rate and arrange it to be picked up.

if you have someone pack the box//make it , cost is like you said , more than the board.

possibility of having someone transport for you.. in the area with room.. ?

last I checked Southwest , with a traveler is still a good deal.. cant be too long