I wanted to get a status report on your experience shipping a board across the country. I have already checked the archives and got some great leads but I wanted to see if anyone had some recent advice/experience.
The details:
The board would go from CA to MA
It is under 8’ in length
Removable fins
Any packing tips would be helpful. I like the idea of using the extra foam from the rail cutout but I don’t think that is feasible here.
I checked with Greyhound and they told me it was too long (must be under 7’)
I have read some really bad things about the big guys and some spotty compliments on little guys such as Pilot Air Freight
Who would you use and why? Are there any tricks that would reduce my grey hair potential?
If not you a re looking at freight transport that will run anywhere between $100-$200 not including the box.
Here’s a tip, go to Clark or walker and buy a few blnaks nad have them ship the board with the blanks. Wll cost the same but at least you get blanks out of it.
Oh yeah, if you ship it to a commercial address it tends to run a little cheaper.
Packing tip…get foam rubber plumbing insulation from Home Depot There are two kinds…get the kind that sorta feels like neoprene). A 10’ piece that is .75" thick is only $4- $5. Wrap the rails with it and then duct tape horozontally from rail to rail for the length of the board.
Fed Ex will do it. You just have to ask the right person. They have a width x length x thickness formula. I shipped an 8’ from hawaii to east coast for under $80.
A combination of the two. If you call one of their 800 numbers you’ll probably be told it has to ship as freight which is $$$. Go to your local fedex shipping office and ask in person. If they don’t know you just tell them you did it beore and there is a formula they use. I think it was a total of 154 inches and my 8’0 made it just under with lots of extra padding.
UPS will also ship boards. I just received one from the west coast and it cost about $100 - mine was a 5’10 but with the box and padding, it probably measured closer to 7’. They did a great job - the box didn’t even have a scratch on it.
After you wrap the rails then wrap the board in bubble wrap a couple times at least before it is boxed. Probably the best packing job I have seen was a board I received from Steve Brom shipped to me on the East Coast that had the rails well protected, bubble wrapped and then enclosed in carpet remnant before it was boxed and shipped. Also, some of the better boxes I have seen for shipping boards are the Clark blank boxes - they are very strong. On the other end of the spectrum, I once received a board from an idiot on the West Coast that arrived only partially covered in bubble wrap the rest either exposed or covered with clear tape.
Once again, I want to thank you guys. A lot of mucho helpful stuff here.
After calling around, I decided to go with a company called Pilot Air (Thanks Shipman!). They had a good rate and their offices are located near us on both ends. I am not sure how this will turn out as they don’t have the board yet. I will post when the board is here.
I never did reach a helpful person at FedEx (tried 4 times) and UPS quoted me several prices including one for $7K!!! She laughed at that one as I could probably get the shaper to shape one in my living room for that much!..
I will post the results, please offer your prayers, incense, animal sacrifices or whatever for me!!!
I chose the economy option which included insurance. It took them about a week from Northern CA to Boston and the price was $99.
I was amazed at how well they handled the box. It looked like someone drove it out here in the back seat of their car. I’ll go with them again in a second.
“that $99, how many boards would they ship for the same price, for example four in the box, or did they charge you a flat fee per board.”
Not sure, I didn’t ask about multiple boards. The price seemed to be related to a formula of weight per cubic volume.
“Also, where did they deliver? Straight to your home?”
I had to go to the freight terminal at the airport. For me it was only a 15 minute ride so it was no biggie. I think they would deliver to a business but not a residence.
“Lastly, was it COD or did you pre-pay”
It was COD for me
Their website was mildly helpful - www.pilotair.com but their people we very helpful.
Hello all, I am new here, and never wish to start by spreading a negative vibe, but…be careful with FedEx. This past christmas a shipped a board that I shaped and had glassed using fedex from FL to CT as a christmas present. Fully insured, and they broke it in half. It was packed in roughly 75 sq. ft. of bubble wrap. While I waited for them to settle the claim, I shaped up another, shipped it out, same packaging. Again, cracked in half. When all was said and done they refunded me 45 dollars per board because I didn’t have purchase receipts stating the boards value was the $35o I insured it for. I sent them material lists, replacement cost quotes, they told me too bad. Just be careful, and good luck.
I use DHL, and have shipped over 100 boards to all coasts and hawaii. no problems!! socal to e. coast about $80 for a 6’8" $95 for a 7’4". thats 2 day air and door to door too! Check 'em out at www.dhl.com and punch in your box dimensions in the rates section. But i am always looking for a cheaper shipper. any word on Forward Air??