Bowriders & wake boats

Shipping a Bowrider or Wake Boat Overseas: Cost and Prep

What a 24′ bowrider or wake boat costs to ship by container, RoRo or flat rack, priced by region from our cost model, with the tower and ballast prep, the EU's CE rule for U.S.-built boats, and the duty in six markets.

By the Seaway Export logistics team Updated October 2026 7 min read

from ⁦$3,600⁩

Bowrider, 40′ to Mexico

from ⁦$4,000⁩

Wake boat, RoRo to Mexico

8′6″ (2.6 m)

Beam

Size, weight and the methods that fit

A Sea Ray SDX 240 and a MasterCraft X24 are both about 7.4 m long with the 8′6″ trailerable beam, and both go into a 40′ tilted on a cradle once the windshield, bimini and tower are dealt with. The wake boat weighs 2,500 kg dry against the bowrider's 2,300, before ballast.

The tower is the deciding part. A folding tower lowers flat and the boat tilts like any runabout; a fixed tower has to be unbolted, or the boat stays upright on its trailer by RoRo or goes on a flat rack, where its height costs nothing extra.

Bowrider: windshield and bimini off, then tilted into a 40′ or upright by RoRo.
Wake boat: tower folded or removed, ballast drained, then the same choices.
Inboard drives sit low, so there is no outboard to tilt and less to protect at the transom.

Class	Reference model	L × W × H (m)	m³	Weight (kg)	Methods
24′ bowrider	Sea Ray SDX 240 OB¹	7.4 × 2.6 × 2.2	42.3	2,300	40′ high cube · RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailer · 40′ flat rack
23′ wake / ski boat	MasterCraft X24¹	7.3 × 2.6 × 2.1	39.9	2,500	40′ high cube · RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailer · 40′ flat rack

Sources^1,2

Price by region

Both boats sit in the same price band in every region; the wake boat runs a little higher in a container because of its weight and tower hardware. Europe is close to Central America for these sizes, with Italy and Spain both on direct RoRo and container services.

Each cell is the lowest-priced method for that reference boat to the region's featured destinations, from a U.S. East or Gulf Coast port: the range runs from the published "from" price to the typical high. Port-to-port; the importer's side is separate.^{3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11}

Reference boat	Mexico & Central America	Caribbean	Mediterranean Europe	UAE & Gulf
24′ bowriderSea Ray SDX 240 OB	⁦$3,600–5,800⁩40′ high cubeLowest in MexicoModel estimate	⁦$3,700–5,800⁩40′ high cubeLowest in BahamasModel estimate	⁦$4,200–6,600⁩40′ high cubeLowest in ItalyModel estimate	⁦$4,800–8,500⁩40′ high cubeModel estimate
23′ wake / ski boatMasterCraft X24	⁦$4,000–6,200⁩RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerLowest in MexicoModel estimate	⁦$4,200–7,000⁩40′ high cubeLowest in BahamasModel estimate	⁦$4,700–7,800⁩40′ high cubeLowest in ItalyModel estimate	⁦$5,300–9,700⁩40′ high cubeModel estimate

Every destination's boat price, in one table

Every method on one lane

To Spain the tilted 40′ is cheapest for both, from ⁦$4,200⁩; RoRo starts at ⁦$5,400⁩ for the wake boat, and the flat rack is the fallback for a fixed tower.

Spain: port-to-port price by method^{3,4,5,6,7,8,9}

Reference boat	40′ high cube	40′ flat rack	RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailer
24′ bowriderSea Ray SDX 240 OB	⁦$4,200–6,600⁩lowest	⁦$7,700–13,900⁩	⁦$5,300–8,700⁩
23′ wake / ski boatMasterCraft X24	⁦$4,700–7,800⁩lowest	⁦$7,700–13,900⁩	⁦$5,400–8,900⁩

Preparing it for the ship

1
Fold or remove the tower
Lower a folding tower and pin it; a fixed tower unbolts at its four feet and rides padded in the cockpit, with speakers and lights disconnected.
2
Empty the ballast
Run the ballast pumps until the tanks and bags are dry; water left in them adds weight to every lift and can freeze in a northern port.
3
Windshield and bimini off
On a bowrider the walk-through windshield is the tallest point when tilted; it comes off and packs flat with the bimini.
4
Winterize the engine
Drain the raw-water cooling or fill it with antifreeze, run the fuel low and disconnect the batteries.

Where they ship and what it costs

Wake sports have grown on Mexican lakes, Spanish and Italian reservoirs, Dutch lakes and Australian rivers, and Dubai's marinas buy premium bowriders. In the EU, a U.S.-built boat without a CE mark needs a post-construction assessment under the Recreational Craft Directive before it can be registered.

23′ wake / ski boat: lowest-priced method by destination

Mexico^{4,5,6,3,7,12,13,14,15}⁦$4,000–6,200⁩by RoRo on its trailer or a roll trailerDuty 15% · 0% U.S.-built (USMCA)Country guide Price this route
Spain^{4,5,6,3,7,8,9,16,17,18}⁦$4,700–7,800⁩by 40′ high cubeDuty 1.7% · 0% U.S.-built (Regulation (EU) 2026/1455)Country guide Price this route
Italy^{4,5,6,3,7,8,9,16,19,18}⁦$4,700–7,800⁩by 40′ high cubeDuty 1.7% · 0% U.S.-built (Regulation (EU) 2026/1455)Country guide Price this route
Netherlands^{4,5,6,3,8,7,16,20,18}⁦$4,500–7,600⁩by 40′ high cubeDuty 1.7% · 0% U.S.-built (Regulation (EU) 2026/1455)Country guide Price this route
United Arab Emirates^{4,5,6,3,10,11,21}⁦$5,300–9,700⁩by 40′ high cubeDuty 5%Country guide Price this route
Australia^{4,5,6,3,7,22,23,13,24,25}⁦$6,800–12,000⁩by 40′ high cubeDuty 5% · 0% U.S.-built (AUSFTA)Country guide Price this route

Sources²⁶

Duty and import taxes

On a ⁦$90,000⁩ CIF boat, Italy charges ⁦$21,667⁩ and the Netherlands ⁦$20,751⁩, mostly VAT; the EU's retaliatory tariff on U.S.-built boats stays suspended. The UAE is ⁦$9,225⁩, and Australia ⁦$9,000⁩ for a U.S.-built boat under AUSFTA.

Duty and import taxes on a $90,000 CIF value

Country	Tariff line	Standard duty	U.S.-built	Taxes after duty	Total, standard	Total, U.S.-built	Status
Mexico^12,13,14,15	8903.93.99 / 8903.33.99	15%	0%USMCA	Customs processing (DTA) 0.8% · IVA 16%	$30,895 (34.3%)	$15,235 (16.9%)	Read on the official tariff
Spain^16,17,18	8903.93 / 8903.3x / 8903.2x	1.7%	0%Regulation (EU) 2026/1455	VAT 21%	$20,751 (23.1%)	$18,900 (21%)	Read on the official tariff
Italy^16,19,18	8903.93 / 8903.3x / 8903.2x	1.7%	0%Regulation (EU) 2026/1455	VAT 22%	$21,667 (24.1%)	$19,800 (22%)	Read on the official tariff
Netherlands^16,20,18	8903.93 / 8903.3x / 8903.2x	1.7%	0%Regulation (EU) 2026/1455	VAT 21%	$20,751 (23.1%)	$18,900 (21%)	Read on the official tariff
United Arab Emirates²¹	8903	5%	no preference	VAT 5%	$9,225 (10.3%)	—	Read on the official tariff
Australia^23,13,24,25	8903	5%	0%AUSFTA	GST 10%	$13,950 (15.5%)	$9,000 (10%)	Read on the official tariff

Prices on this page come from our boat and machinery cost model, reviewed October 26, 2026, the same figures as the rate hubs and the calculator. They are port-to-port and per unit; duty and the importer's side are shown separately.

Sources

1. Manufacturer boat specifications (LOA, beam, weight, bridge clearance), Boat builders' published specifications (Manufacturer), accessed October 26, 2026
2. Special cargo: flat racks, open tops and out-of-gauge acceptance, Hapag-Lloyd (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
3. Seaway Export lane rate card (destination pages), Seaway Export (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
4. RoRo bunker adjustment factor and high & heavy surcharges, Wallenius Wilhelmsen (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
5. RoRo surcharges and high & heavy acceptance, Höegh Autoliners (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
6. Vessel-operating common carriers: published tariffs, Federal Maritime Commission (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
7. Yacht transport sailing schedule and pricing guidance, Sevenstar Yacht Transport (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
8. Yacht and powerboat shipping, Peters & May (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
9. Float-on/float-off yacht transport, DYT Yacht Transport (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
10. Middle East and Red Sea situation: land bridge and booking status, Maersk (Specialist carrier), accessed October 26, 2026
11. Customer Advisory 25-2026: Middle East situation update (UAE), CMA CGM (Tariff), accessed October 26, 2026
12. Tarifa de la LIGIE: fracciones 8903 y 8429, Secretaría de Economía (SNICE) (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
13. U.S. free trade agreements: tariff schedules, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
14. Permiso de importación temporal de embarcaciones: 10 years, $51 + IVA (or $45 online), Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
15. Temporary import of boats: new requirements from January 1, 2025 (RGCE rule 4.2.11), Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
16. TARIC: EU customs tariff, chapter 89, European Commission (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
17. Impuesto especial sobre determinados medios de transporte, Agencia Tributaria (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
18. Guidance on pleasure craft: temporary admission for 18 months (Delegated Regulation 2015/2446, art. 217(e)), European Commission (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
19. Import VAT and pleasure craft (unità da diporto), Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
20. Importing a pleasure craft into the Netherlands, Douane (Netherlands Customs) (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
21. GCC Common Customs Tariff and VAT on imports, UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
22. BICON: used machinery and vessel import conditions, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
23. Working Tariff: chapters 84, 87 and 89, Australian Border Force (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
24. Importing a yacht: 5% duty and 10% GST, Australian Border Force (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
25. Bringing superyachts into Australia: control permits and 12-month temporary importation, Australian Border Force (Official), accessed October 26, 2026
26. Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft: CE marking and post-construction assessment of imported boats, EUR-Lex (Official), accessed October 26, 2026

Download the full model as open data

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a wake boat cost more to ship than a bowrider?

A little. To Mexico in a 40′ the bowrider starts at ⁦$3,600⁩ and the wake boat at ⁦$4,100⁩, the gap being the tower handling and extra weight.

Will my boat need CE certification in Europe?

If it was built for the U.S. market without a CE mark, yes, before it can be registered or used. A notified body carries out a post-construction assessment; some U.S. builders also sell CE-marked versions, which avoids it.

Can the tower stay on for RoRo?

Often yes, but RoRo prices step up with height, and a raised tower can push the rig into a higher band. Folding it down is usually cheaper than paying the band.

How much is it to ship a wake boat to Australia?

⁦$6,800–12,000⁩ in a 40′ or ⁦$7,500–12,800⁩ by RoRo. Ballast tanks must be dry: Australia's biosecurity officers treat standing water as a contamination risk.

Do I ship the trailer?

For RoRo it is required. In a tilted 40′ the boat rides a cradle; many buyers still ship the trailer, either beside it on a separate booking or in the same box if it fits.