Going to Lengths to Deliver
Published: Tuesday, July 14, 2020
By: Jordan Tilton, Owner of JTA Yacht Delivery & Consulting, LLC
Back in February, I was contracted by Executive Yacht of Toronto—Canada’s leading luxury yacht brokerage firm, and the exclusive dealer in Eastern Canada for several prestigious brands—to deliver a 2020 Pershing 62’ from Fort Lauderdale to the U.S. owner in the Lake Erie/Lake St. Clair area.
I was certainly obliged to make this delivery, as I’ve done East Coast to Great Lakes deliveries before—and vice versa—many times, seven different times in 2019, in fact. Although coming from the south, this delivery would fit in nicely among the other three trips I had planned coming from the East Coast this spring. I immediately began quoting the trip for Executive Yacht and the owner, as well as making all the necessary planning arrangements. Everything was coming into play nicely and I intended to leave somewhere around May 10-11. Leaving from Fort Lauderdale at that time would put me at the Erie Canal for its May 15 opening.
Then, COVID-19 happened.
First, I was notified the Erie Canal wasn’t going to be opening on time, if at all in 2020. In response, I immediately began planning to run the Pershing up the West Coast of Florida and through the Tenn-Tom Waterway and rivers to Chicago, then up and around Michigan to get back to the owner. There was significant added cost and some associated risks with heading up the rivers during spring flooding season, but I was looking forward to completing my contract and it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
Upon further planning, I learned that the US Army Corps of Engineers were closing the locks in the Illinois River on July 1 for maintenance until October 29! That changed things, of course. Then came significant rains in the Midwest and the Ohio Valley right before Memorial Day weekend, causing massive flooding in Michigan and Illinois and additional lock closures.
With the avoidance of damage in mind, I posed the question to the owner to consider keeping the boat up in New England for the summer until the Erie Canal fully opened (August 10). I had secured long term dockage in both the Chesapeake and in Long Island and offered to be Captain for them, but there were some additional uncertainties with that plan.
Finally, I looked at shipping the yacht on a commercial vessel to arrive somewhere south of the Welland Canal, which is closed to private yachts until further notice. I made more phone calls, sent more emails, and can now say that I will be loading the Pershing on a ship in Port Everglades on June 8 and it will be discharged in Lake Erie a couple weeks later, at which time I will run it across the border to the owners.
In the end, this particular delivery has taken roughly three times the amount of route planning and coordination—and now shipping—than a normal delivery, and it changed itineraries four times. I still suspect there will be some issue on the receiving end when the yacht disembarks in Canadian waters, but am already making the necessary plans to avert any delays.
Along the way, I’ve had numerous conference calls with Executive Yacht and the owner, and spent a week in Fort Lauderdale as the yacht’s captain to ensure it was detailed properly and outfitted with the owner’s upgrades, all while going through the final punch list of items to be completed by Ferretti Group before delivery.
I am proud to say that JTA Yacht Delivery & Consulting has always worked to exceed owner expectations. Recent events certainly introduced additional challenges, but by taking into account all factors and conditions, one boat owner will receive their new yacht safely and with confidence.
Contact JTA Yacht Delivery & Consulting at 614-306-0539 to arrange your move.
About the Author
Jordan Tilton owns and operates JTA Yacht Delivery & Consulting and holds his 4th issue USCG 200T Near Coastal Master’s License. He specializes in Great Lakes to East Coast—and beyond—yacht deliveries.
This article first appeared in the Summer Issue (Jul/Aug) 2020 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Beyond the Lakes, COVID-19, Hauling
