Hauling a boat through Canada to Alaska

[bjohns]

OK, folks, this year we are doing the Alaska thing. One question we have is about hauling a boat on the trip. Seems like there would be ample opportunity to use one on lakes along the way. The boat is a 20' open bow I/O Cobalt that we haul behind the truck/camper.

Have any of you tried this?

Does anyone know if we will need to get aquatic nuisance stickers everywhere? I know Wyoming and probably Montana will require one.

Any other restrictions anyone know of?

Thanks

[EEWally]

One more point. Hauling a boat would really reduce the "agility" of your truck camper. We had 8 weeks in 2014 and making U-turns, pulling into narrow side roads, etc. for views and photo ops in our Lance was really nice. We met a couple in Whitehorse who left their 5th wheel in Texas and bought a Lance camper just for their trip. The agility of a truck camper offsets the smaller living space for us.

[bjohns]

Thanks, Folks. Good advice. We will make the trip without the boat but will take an inflatable kayak along and that will have to do. I appreciate the feedback.

[DownTheAvenue]

I drove to Alaska last summer, and I can tell you bringing the boat will be problematic. There were many inspection stations where water craft had to stop for inspection. I don't know what would happen if they found a stray banned item on the boat. I assumed that the boat had to be cleaned when taken out of the water at that point. I am also not sure that there will be available boat ramps, open to the public, that often for you to use.

[2gypsies1]

X4 on leaving the boat at home, especially if this is your first trip to Alaska. You're going to be so busy trying to see everything that the few times you will use the boat it's just not worth it. Bring your rods and fish from shore or take a charter or two out. Fishing in Alaska is not cheap.

Get the TourSaver 2/1 coupon book online before your trip and there are probably charter coupons in it. One glacier cruise will pay for the book and you'll want to do at least one.

[Dave_Pete]

I highly recommend your Alaska trip, and leave the boat home. You'll have some opportunity to use it, but there's not all THAT much. Most Alaska boating is salt water and maybe bigger than a 20'. But going trailer-less and foot loose and fancy free? That's huge! You should really include the 100 miles of dirt called Denali Highway. And the 500 mile trip to Dead horse, woo-hoo! Get your new Milepost book.

[GeoBoy]

Butch50 wrote:
Personally I would leave the boat at home. I know, hard to think of but a lot of lakes well have boat rentals and for the problems that you might encounter along the way might not be worth it. It might get you more time on the water with a boat rental and bring it back to the docks and let them take care of it. If you have to have it steamed cleaned after each lake you drop it into that is going to take a lot of time. I know while I lived in MT they had inspections all the time for Flathead Lake and I don't care if you only moved the boat from Whitefish Lake to Flathead Lake (about 20 miles apart) you were supposed to have it cleaned before using it in the other lake. I used mine in Flathead Lake all of the time so I didn't have to jump through any hoops t use it. When they asked what waters I had been in I told them only Flathead and they were ok with that.

Also you have to take into consideration how much it is going to cut your fuel mileage puling a boat for thousands of miles and the wear and tear on the trailer on some of the roads, also the damage that could be caused to the bottom of the boat from all the road construction along the way, which there well be plenty of. You have a very expensive boat and I'm sure you would like to keep it in good shape.

When we went in 2013 there was road construction everywhere and miles of it at one time. Then you always have someone that is going like a bat of He!! going the other way throwing gravel everywhere. I always pulled over as far as I could and lots of time it is n a soft shoulder which wants to pull you into the ditch.

Just a suggestion and I know you would like to have your boat with you, you'll have to decide if it is worth the effort and possible damage to the boat.

X2

[Bionic_Man]

If you have your boat ANS tagged in Colorado, I know that Wymonig will honor it. Can't help you further than that. Still have to stop as you enter the state, but if the tag is in place they just send you through. There is a ANS fee in WY, not sure if they would still make you buy it if you are just passing through.

I hope you post some sort of recap of your trip. That is a bucket list item for me, but that will be after retirement.

[Butch50]

Personally I would leave the boat at home. I know, hard to think of but a lot of lakes well have boat rentals and for the problems that you might encounter along the way might not be worth it. It might get you more time on the water with a boat rental and bring it back to the docks and let them take care of it. If you have to have it steamed cleaned after each lake you drop it into that is going to take a lot of time. I know while I lived in MT they had inspections all the time for Flathead Lake and I don't care if you only moved the boat from Whitefish Lake to Flathead Lake (about 20 miles apart) you were supposed to have it cleaned before using it in the other lake. I used mine in Flathead Lake all of the time so I didn't have to jump through any hoops t use it. When they asked what waters I had been in I told them only Flathead and they were ok with that.

Also you have to take into consideration how much it is going to cut your fuel mileage puling a boat for thousands of miles and the wear and tear on the trailer on some of the roads, also the damage that could be caused to the bottom of the boat from all the road construction along the way, which there well be plenty of. You have a very expensive boat and I'm sure you would like to keep it in good shape.

When we went in 2013 there was road construction everywhere and miles of it at one time. Then you always have someone that is going like a bat of He!! going the other way throwing gravel everywhere. I always pulled over as far as I could and lots of time it is n a soft shoulder which wants to pull you into the ditch.

Just a suggestion and I know you would like to have your boat with you, you'll have to decide if it is worth the effort and possible damage to the boat.

[kohldad]

Alberta Requirement:

The Alberta Government has recently enacted changes to legislation that will help to protect our provincial water bodies from of the infestation of aquatic invasive species. Effective immediately, when highway signage indicates that a watercraft inspection station is open, it is mandatory that all carriers of water-based vessels must report to the onsite inspectors to have their boats, trailers and other water-related equipment checked for invasive species such as the zebra and quagga mussels. It’s the law.

Bypassing an open inspection station while carrying a water-based vessel is in violation of the Fisheries Act and can result in fines to individuals of up to $100,000 or 12 months in prison, in addition to creative sentencing orders that may be issued to convicted persons at the discretion of the courts.

[tonymull]

There are no restrictions on smaller boats. I've taken 8' and 9' pontoons and 10' and 12' boats through BC many times. Not sure if things change according to some size or if it depends on motors. I only row or use an electric.

[noteven]

Alberta will have watercraft inspection stations along some highways - usually located at a truck scale or corner of a shopping plaza.

[Kayteg1]

Few years ago Washington state had state-line check points for mussels.
Don't know if they still do that, but those inspections seem to be seasonal, so you can't really say in advance.
My advise, have the boat steam-cleaned inside and outside to avoid any dilemmas.
Than WA gave me free boat steam-cleaning 😄

[Reddog1]

Moved from the TC forum to RVing in Canada and Alaska.

Wayne
Moderator