[spdiesel]

DieselStoppers:

The family is thinking about purchasing a boat that is slightly over 8.5foot beam here in MD and have some questions about the laws pertaining to over-highway trailering a boat that is in the 9 to 9.5 foot range in beam. Do you know what permits are necessary or available? Is this even adviseable or should I just kick back and look for one that is in the 8.5 foot beam region?

Any insight you guys and gals have would be awesome.

 

[firesoutmatt]

Anything over 8.5' needs a permit .

Now that is what it takes to be legal and I tow stuff around 10' with no permit.

Is it going to be in- state ?

The coppers around here don't look to hard untill your over 12' then it becomes obvious that your doing something.

The permit is pretty cheap if its a one time deal. I would check with your local DOT and make sure. There is oversize load and wide load permits . Oversize is height also.

I would do it with out a permit but thats me . If its over 10' I would get a permit. 8.5 is no biggie .

 

[spdiesel]

mainly in state, say here to ocean city maryland and such...but the wife does have family near the jersey shore so that is a possibility also...

 

[boatpuller]

Some states allow you to get a annual permit for slightly over-wide trailers, which yours should be. Don't know about your state. You probably won't have a problem if you don't get the permit, but that is your choice. I would at least investigate it though. It's getting hard to find a boat under 8.5 wide and over 25' long, inless you look at performance offshore boats. What kind of boat are you considering?

 

[larry_minn]

Contact your local DOT or State Patrol and get info. Personally if close to 96" I would drive. (instate/local) but make dang sure trailer/lights/etc are perfect.
Also NEVER let anyone else drive this combo. I.E. the owner can get a lot more (leeway) then another driver who could be (considered) as PAID.... Rules change (at least in MN) At least have your stories strait.
Today a neighbor asked me to haul some hay for him. This was NOT for pay (he does give me eggs from time to time but that is NOT conditional)
IF something happens and they go with "Pickup is Larry's, the hayrack and hay is Jim's so Larry must be hired to haul it" Lots of paperwork/bother. Last time I hauled hay for him was 2 yrs ago. Both times his pickup was broke down. Legally its ok but to make it simple its MY hay/trailer/truck till I unhook it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[olddieseldude]

[ QUOTE ]
Anything over 8' needs a permit ...

[/ QUOTE ]

My trailer is 8.5' wide outside of fender to outside of fender.

I checked and it's over 8.5' in Indiana...
Indiana Dept of Rev see page 3

 

[spdiesel]

I don't think the trailer would be over 8.5 but the boat would be. Considering a walk around sport fisher but it looks like most of the ones that can handle me wife and kid for overnighting ....the specific boat is still up in the air, but I don't think we're gonna get what we need from a boat under 26 feet and 8.5 wide.

I will check the annual overwide permit on monday.

thanks for the help folks...As i understand it Maryland is tricky with the trailering...

 

[jwoops69]

I was also under the impressions that 8.5 was the limit. All the widebody toyhaulers I have been looking at are 102" wide.

 

[jcal]

I have a Hunter 27, 9' wide 11' High. Checked in Miss. $15.00 for oversize permit, Louisiana $10.00, Texas $123.00. Towed it without permit no problem, lucky I guess though lots of folks do it. Have a friend with same boat that towed his across country, shore to shore no problem, North, South, East & West. He just got back from Key West, Fl.
Good Luck

 

[NickKent]

You won't like a boat that long with only an 8.5' beam. Won't feel very stable. If you can afford a boat that size, just figure out what you'll need for wide load permits in the states you'll be towing and go with that. Shouldn't be too big of a deal to get the permits and find out what you need.

 

[fulltimer50]

take a look here see page 77:

http://www.sha.state.md.us/businesswithsha/trucking/oots/MotorCarrierHandbook.pdf

Ps closed monday

 

[txslowpoke]

When you say beam, I am guessing the widest point of the boat close to the nose. I am not boat lingo savvy. That said I hve towed 2 boats 10' wide from N. Carolina to Tx for a customer(owner of co. I haul for). First time I did it legal and it was a pain in the rear. Georgia DOT costed me a day becuase the permit said 10'2 and according to them it was 10' exact, so I had to reorder a Ga. permit. Leave the boat at the scalehouse and get a motel room because this was late PM when I ran thru the scale.
The next boat haul I pulled my commercial stickers off the truck and no problems. I would check on your insurance requirements for the boat to make sure they would cover it if you damaged it in transport with no OD permits. With the boats I pulled the point of OD was high enough it really was not an issue, just had to watch the box trailers,trucks passing you.
That said, most permits run about 30-50$ for each state you travel, plus you have to follow the route they specify. You are better of filing for a permit 3-5 days in advance if possible. Minimum of 2 days especially if crossing multiple states. The permits are time sensitive.
MD is tricky and strict, I actually got a ticket for having a nail a trailer tire, 100.00 fine to be exact and the tire was no where near flat, i had just unloaded at a container yard. I also got a ticket for the same in MI. too. Them yankees are serious about collecting revenue, no offense intended.

 

[Kanman]

Give a call to your local Highway Patrol Station. Thats where you will get the permit. You should be able to get an anual permit. A single use permit here in Ks is $5.00, least thats what it used to be...

 

[MarkEkberg]

We haul boats all over the east coast and never even think about a permit until we get 11' wide. After that if we don't get the permit we run at night.

You can get a yearly which should not be a whole lot of money, but if you are going for a trip permit it takes a few days to get it. If your looking for a place like NY sometimes it takes over a week for a permit which is why we just run them.

Only big thing to remember is toll booths. They can take up to 9 1/2 wide if your paying close attention, but over that and your screwed. So always go to the right most lane. If the overwide lane is closed just stop in front of it and walk in. If they ask why don't you use the regular lane say your new to the boat and not comfortable bringing it through there. (Lots of experience here)

 

[Pbrrat]

[ QUOTE ]
Anything over 8' needs a permit ...

[/ QUOTE ]

My trailer is 8.5' wide outside of fender to outside of fender.

I checked and it's over 8.5' in Indiana...
Indiana Dept of Rev see page 3

The maximum trailer and load width in the US is 8.5 ft, or 102”. Not including safety items (mirrors, tiedowns etc).

 

[Mark Kovalsky]

Yes, but this thread has been dead for almost 14 years.