Moving to Queensland, Ted and Ronnie chose to transport their beloved boat and caravan rather than make multiple trips back and forth from Melbourne to their new Sunshine Coast property. What unfolded was a costly and stressful outcome for the couple as their boat arrived chipped and damaged, and their caravan required extensive and costly repairs.

“Honestly, we didn’t realise that boat and caravan transport was a ‘specialist’ service. We simply booked a bloke who gave us a good quote on the timeline we needed. It was a massive mistake,” said Ted.

Caravans, boats and other “oversized” cargo attract a higher transport fee than smaller, simpler interstate car transport. Loading a boat or caravan is a manual task. Unlike a car, they cannot be “driven into place”. Securing oversized items is also more complex and not all car carriers are equipped to do it correctly.

“When you load a caravan onto a transporter, car transport companies make the mistake of leaving all the weight on the jockey wheel. This puts a lot of unnecessary and possibly costly strain on the van. Standard car carriers aren’t well equipped for oversized vehicle transport. The carrier needs excellent suspension, securing plates and protection against road debris, that covers a larger and more cumbersome load” said Breen from Specialist Interstate Vehicle Transport Company, All Vehicle Freight.

For Ted and Ronnie, the mistake has been costly. Their boat arrived heavily chipped and marred by road debris, the caravan required extensive work to repair damaged suspension, as well as some interior cabinetry.

“I believe that services like this have a duty to disclose if they’re capable of transporting larger items like vans and boats – not just take them and hope for the best.” Said Ronnie.