Freight Shipping a Surfboard from Hood River

Sauve · Since 19 Mar 2009 97 Posts Hood River

Trying to ship a 9ft long board(10ft in the box) to Chicago. From what I've found UPS, USPS, and FedEx won't touch anything of that length. Looking into freight shipping but not coming up with much in Hood River. I know the local shops are probably shipping SUPs and windsurfing boards, so theres got to be a reasonable way. Wondering if anyone knows any good local resources, thanks!

Ho-Toe · Tue Nov 01, 16 6:12 pm **long haul**

Sorry for the bad pun...

Have you tried a regular freight carrier, such as Oak Harbor Freight Lines? I ship big, odd-dimensioned things using them and similar carriers frequently for work, and they never give me any guff about dimensions.

Good luck.

Pepi · Wed Nov 02, 16 11:17 pm

Contact Portland office for any of these freight carriers for rate comparisons:
DHL/Danzas - We use them whenever we have to ship freight (likely same deal with other shops in town)
Roadway, Pilot and Yellow - All major shippers, but better double box your board and mark "Top Load Only" and "Fragile" in big letters on box (these guys have all busted up a few SUP deliveries for us)

Locally, you can contact :
Gorge Freight - they handle the local transit to larger freight companies.

For Airport to Airport shipping (less handling, cheaper cost and way faster):
ForwardAir

Clyde S. Dale · Since 23 Jul 2016 55 Posts

Might check here,ups does ship freight - https://hoodriver-or-5043.theupsstorelocal.com/

Pepi · Thu Nov 03, 16 5:59 pm

west · Since 09 Oct 2008 136 Posts Lake Michigan Stoked

Hey Pepi, Thanks for the info on shipping, greatly appreciated. We were having difficulty gettin a Hammersurf longboard shipped back to Chicago. Quotes were $300-450. Followed your suggestion for airport to airport with Forwardair, it was much cheaper. Triple boxed it, labeled Top Load and Sean sent em out....

Gary Swanson made my 7' 11" Cascade sailboards back in the '80s. I reached out to him to shape me a longboard for surfing Lake Michigan. Now I can paddle out after the wind backs off on kiting days, and bring Mr. Soul to the Great Lakes!

Thanks again, and remember to support your local shapers. Don't let a production board limit your progression, get a board custom made for YOU. Gary is a true master of the art, and does it all; shaping to polishing, with passion and purpose!