Boating season on the Maritime coast runs short. The calendar around it is fixed: you haul out before freeze-up, launch in late spring, move between marinas, or sometimes deal with a breakdown at the ramp — and when a boat needs to move over land, a flat-deck trailer and a driver who knows how to load one are what make it happen.

Here's how boat towing and transport work in New Brunswick and PEI, what makes them different from a car tow, and what to have ready when you call.

Why a boat needs a flat deck

A boat on its own trailer can seem like a simple move — the trailer is already there, after all. But three situations regularly need a professional tow truck rather than a truck-and-hitch combination:

  • Your tow vehicle broke down. If the vehicle pulling your boat is the one that stopped moving, you need a truck that can handle both, or at minimum a flat deck for the vessel while the tow vehicle is handled separately.
  • It's a longer haul. Backing a loaded boat trailer down a highway on-ramp, navigating weight limits, or covering 150+ kilometres between Moncton and Charlottetown is a different proposition than driving to the local ramp.
  • The boat came off its trailer. A vessel that has slipped at a ramp or is sitting beached needs to be rigged and loaded — recovery work, not a straightforward tow.

What the load-out looks like

A flat deck is the right equipment for most boat transport. The deck can take a vessel on its own trailer, or for larger boats, rigged on cradles. The driver secures the hull with straps, confirms nothing can shift in transit, and checks clearances — beam width and height both matter, especially if your boat has a tall arch, a canvas top, or an outboard motor tilted up.

Beam width is the most common question. Boats up to roughly 2.6 metres wide travel on a standard flat deck without a permit. Wider hulls need a permit from Service New Brunswick — or the PEI Department of Transportation for moves on the Island — before the truck can roll. Confirm this before the driver arrives at the ramp, not once the boat is already strapped down.

Haul-out season in NB and PEI

Most boats come out in September and October as the weather closes in. Launches happen in May and early June. The busiest haul-out weekends in the Maritimes cluster in mid-to-late September — if you're planning a seasonal transport, calling ahead rather than expecting same-day availability is always the smarter move.

We cover all of New Brunswick, all of Prince Edward Island, and the Halifax–New Brunswick corridor on request. Whether your storage yard is in Shediac, Summerside, Stratford, or Riverview, it's the same call to the same dispatcher, 24 hours a day.

What to tell us when you call

The clearer the picture when you call, the faster we can confirm the right equipment and a realistic window:

  • Boat length and beam. Overall length and the widest point of the hull.
  • Does it have a trailer? If so, is the trailer roadworthy? Single axle or tandem?
  • Current location and destination. Marina names, slip numbers, ramp addresses, storage yard location — anything that pins the pickup and drop precisely.
  • Is it in the water or on land? If it's still afloat, let us know the ramp setup.
  • What motor? Outboard, inboard, or stern-drive can affect load height and tie-down points.

Pricing

Like any tow, the cost depends on the load, the distance, and the conditions. A trailered runabout moving a few kilometres from a Moncton marina to a nearby storage yard is not the same job as a permit-required wide load from Miramichi to Charlottetown. We quote before anything is loaded, not after. For general context on how towing is priced in the province, read our towing cost guide for New Brunswick.

If you're moving heavy equipment with a similar flat-deck setup — a skid-steer, a tractor, or industrial machinery that won't climb a standard ramp — our Landoll and heavy towing guide covers that end of the spectrum.

Who you're calling

Dynamic Towing has run Moncton's roads since 1990 — 24 hours a day, every day, in English and French, backed by CAA, Canadian Tire, and a 4.5-star reputation across hundreds of reviews. Whether it's haul-out season, a marina move, or a ramp breakdown, visit the towing service page to see the full fleet, or get in touch and we'll confirm the right deck before anything rolls.