Discussion
Gah, you make me sound so unprofessional. Anybody with a modicum of navigational sense knows it takes at least 4 bottles of gin to motor a boat to Italy. 
Anyway to the OPs problem. There's no reason you couldn't trailer it yourself but whether that fits with your own plans or not is up for grabs.
If you don't want the aggravation yourself or haven't appropriate trailers / tow vehicles, you'd probably find the cheapest option would be to find a delivery company with their own trailer etc.
Such as http://www.tonytugboats.com/
Or try the online quote places and you may well find someone going back empty that will take it cheap but bear in mind you will need craneage each end etc.
http://www.deliveryquotecompare.com/boat-transport...
PS I know neither of the above links so you takes your chances.

Anyway to the OPs problem. There's no reason you couldn't trailer it yourself but whether that fits with your own plans or not is up for grabs.
If you don't want the aggravation yourself or haven't appropriate trailers / tow vehicles, you'd probably find the cheapest option would be to find a delivery company with their own trailer etc.
Such as http://www.tonytugboats.com/
Or try the online quote places and you may well find someone going back empty that will take it cheap but bear in mind you will need craneage each end etc.
http://www.deliveryquotecompare.com/boat-transport...
PS I know neither of the above links so you takes your chances.
Hi Juggers. I can confirm I have a licence to drink gin on the open seas. 
But getting back to your problem. Yes a 4X4 as a minimum really but you need to read up a little on trailering laws.
I have trailered my own boats across Europe many times, largest being the Revenger at 29' so similar to this task.
I have been stopped twice with two different boats on leaving this country of all things by an over eager customs official that did not understand the laws themselves.
Boat trailers of this length are actually built to bend the regs somewhat. If you read up on acceptable trailer lengths and overall train lengths you would think that it is only possible to trailer something like an 18' boat legally.
Trailer manufacturers get around this by designing the trailer with long drawbar arrangements rather than the A frame coming all the way forward and also allowing the load to overhang considerably. Maximum trailer widths again are dealt with by allowing the load to overhang.
Trailers on towing vehicles upto 3500kg
Maximum length: 7m Excluding drawbar
Maximum Width: 2.55m
Trailers on towing vehicles over 3500kg
Maximum length: 12m Excluding drawbar
Maximum Width: 2.55m
Maximum Overall length: 18m for trailer + Towing vehicle
Other than that you need to think about what vehicle you use to tow, both legally and real world capability.
I would guess at your vessel being around 2 to 3 tonne depending on how she is rigged and the trailer will come in around a third of a tonne. So you may be on the limits with an existing vehicle.
Daft bit of trivia is that the handbook of an old Range Rover Classic allows a higher trailer load than a new one that weighs nearly a tonne more.
Then licenses, if you are a young pup then you get caught up in the 1997 legislation.
Being an old fart that gained his licence from grandfather rights earned in the first world war this certainly doesn't apply to me.
http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/

But getting back to your problem. Yes a 4X4 as a minimum really but you need to read up a little on trailering laws.
I have trailered my own boats across Europe many times, largest being the Revenger at 29' so similar to this task.
I have been stopped twice with two different boats on leaving this country of all things by an over eager customs official that did not understand the laws themselves.
Boat trailers of this length are actually built to bend the regs somewhat. If you read up on acceptable trailer lengths and overall train lengths you would think that it is only possible to trailer something like an 18' boat legally.
Trailer manufacturers get around this by designing the trailer with long drawbar arrangements rather than the A frame coming all the way forward and also allowing the load to overhang considerably. Maximum trailer widths again are dealt with by allowing the load to overhang.
Trailers on towing vehicles upto 3500kg
Maximum length: 7m Excluding drawbar
Maximum Width: 2.55m
Trailers on towing vehicles over 3500kg
Maximum length: 12m Excluding drawbar
Maximum Width: 2.55m
Maximum Overall length: 18m for trailer + Towing vehicle
Other than that you need to think about what vehicle you use to tow, both legally and real world capability.
I would guess at your vessel being around 2 to 3 tonne depending on how she is rigged and the trailer will come in around a third of a tonne. So you may be on the limits with an existing vehicle.
Daft bit of trivia is that the handbook of an old Range Rover Classic allows a higher trailer load than a new one that weighs nearly a tonne more.
Then licenses, if you are a young pup then you get caught up in the 1997 legislation.
Being an old fart that gained his licence from grandfather rights earned in the first world war this certainly doesn't apply to me.

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/
Ask Lindsey at http://www.andersonsboattransport.com/ if they are doing any round trips soon, they are quite often down this way and will combine loads if it makes sense financially. I just used them to ship a 20' container and a 30' Aquariva from Genoa to Falmouth. Where do you want it in Italy?
Inside a 40' container must be the easiest and cheapest way surely? A container has an internal width of 2.33m, so fits with the tubes deflated perhaps?
I've only shipped part containers using PSP Logistics and amazed and the relative low cost to Canaries and Caribbean.
Try here (no affiliation by me - apart from charity blagging the free use of a truck once!), but sending boats around the world is definately their thing.
http://www.psp-logistics.com/boat_transportation
I've only shipped part containers using PSP Logistics and amazed and the relative low cost to Canaries and Caribbean.
Try here (no affiliation by me - apart from charity blagging the free use of a truck once!), but sending boats around the world is definately their thing.
http://www.psp-logistics.com/boat_transportation
Legmaster said:
Inside a 40' container must be the easiest and cheapest way surely? A container has an internal width of 2.33m, so fits with the tubes deflated perhaps?
I've only shipped part containers using PSP Logistics and amazed and the relative low cost to Canaries and Caribbean.
Try here (no affiliation by me - apart from charity blagging the free use of a truck once!), but sending boats around the world is definately their thing.
http://www.psp-logistics.com/boat_transportation
I doubt a ribcraft would fit width wise even with the tubes down. As well containers only really work if you have a trailer already. If not you need cradles made up and then have the problem of getting it all in and then strapping it together to stop it getting knocked about.I've only shipped part containers using PSP Logistics and amazed and the relative low cost to Canaries and Caribbean.
Try here (no affiliation by me - apart from charity blagging the free use of a truck once!), but sending boats around the world is definately their thing.
http://www.psp-logistics.com/boat_transportation
The alternative they give you is an open container bed so it can be loaded as the top one, but then you have your boat exposed to the elements in shipping.
MOTORVATOR said:
I doubt a ribcraft would fit width wise even with the tubes down. As well containers only really work if you have a trailer already. If not you need cradles made up and then have the problem of getting it all in and then strapping it together to stop it getting knocked about.
The alternative they give you is an open container bed so it can be loaded as the top one, but then you have your boat exposed to the elements in shipping.
Hang on a minute. Don't come on here filling in all the sensible detail I hadn't even thought about when I made the suggestion of "throwing it in a box" The alternative they give you is an open container bed so it can be loaded as the top one, but then you have your boat exposed to the elements in shipping.

OP - ignore me, stick with the blokes that know this sort of stuff

juggers said:
Cheers for the info guys looks like we are going to tow it there Southern Italy is the destination. 
you could turn this into a cracking road trip on the way back if you have the time?
some cracking routes you could take, and visit some interesting places on the way back.
Legmaster said:
Hang on a minute. Don't come on here filling in all the sensible detail I hadn't even thought about when I made the suggestion of "throwing it in a box" 
OP - ignore me, stick with the blokes that know this sort of stuff
It was a highly sensible suggestion just that this chap's rubber dinghy is maybe a little bigger than you imagined. 
OP - ignore me, stick with the blokes that know this sort of stuff


And if it were an Atlantic crossing or not trailerable, he would have no other options which makes things financially viable. In this case if he has a trailer then hook it up and enjoy the roadtrip.
'enjoy' in the sense of finding out the trailer bearings are shagged, the tyres have suffered degradation, the lighting circuits don't like water, all 4x4s are not equal, all customs officials are anal, all French policemen hate rosbiffs and Italian lorry drivers love playing chicken with boat trailers.
You'd be surprised how many convoys of small boats go over together. Loads of dutch barges come back that way. Just a case of picking fine weather.
Although I accept the freeboard might be a bit unnerving on a slipper launch. So back to car and trailer, £200 return on the Hook of Holland / Harwich line.
Although I accept the freeboard might be a bit unnerving on a slipper launch. So back to car and trailer, £200 return on the Hook of Holland / Harwich line.
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