Why Freight Shipping a Specialty Kayak can be Expensive

HOW KAYAK FREIGHT RATES ARE DETERMINED

Shipping a quality kayak that is not imported or mass produced requires more protection (e.g. class 500 shipping classification) and is less profitable to sell (especially for kayaks that have already been shipped to the seller or distribution center before being rerouted to the end customer), therefore limiting how much of the shipping cost can be subsidized by the seller/shipper to reduce the rate the buyer pays.

The kayak’s handling requirements and excess length (over 96” triggers a surcharge) accounts for approximately 55-60% of the total freight charge, based on FedEx Freight pricing and other common carriers. The balance is mostly made of up distance and fuel charges for transport between the shipping location (origin) and the recipient’s location (destination), often involving transfer hubs.

Details

Kayaks are often shipped via Class 500 freight—the highest, most expensive category—primarily because they are extremely low-density, bulky, and difficult to stow. Their long, rigid shape consumes significant trailer space relative to their weight, making them inefficient to transport and risky for carriers due to potential damage during transit. 

Here is why some kayaks fall into Class 500:

• Extremely Low Density: Class 500 is reserved for items weighing less than 1 pound per cubic foot. Kayaks are lightweight, hollow, and occupy massive amounts of cubic space in a trailer, which triggers a high freight class. For instance, a trucking company can make far more revenue filling the footprint the kayak occupies with floor-to-ceiling high density durable products such as boxes of automotive parts.
• Poor Stowability: Due to their length and shape, kayaks cannot be stacked easily with other, denser freight. They often take up an entire row or require specialized, inefficient loading, wasting valuable space in a Less Than Truckload (LTL) trailer.
• High Liability/Damage Risk: Because they are awkward to handle, prone to damage, and often considered high-value, carriers assign them a higher class to offset potential damage claims. 

Feel free to investigate this designation yourself using common internet search tools.

For those wondering how some retailers or manufacturers can ship 1 kayak for less money (be sure you are comparing “apples to apples”) it is primarily because of one or a combination of the following factors: 

• The kayak is below 96 inches in length.
• The kayak is able to have items stacked on top of it because it has fewer damageable components or the shipper isn’t concerned with damage.
• The shipper has a higher markup price over the cost they paid, thus being able to subsidize the shipping cost thus reducing the price a consumer pays. This is typical with quality kayaks that sell at a price above ~$1,600 or with low quality kayaks that were made very inexpensively overseas and sold for a high percentage over their imported cost.
• The shipping location is relatively close to the recipient thus reducing mileage cost inputs and labor inputs associated with transferring the kayak between shipping hubs over the course of a long distance. The greater the distance between the kayak’s origin and destination, the higher the cost and therefore amount that the seller and consumer pays.

At NES, we do everything we can to reduce the freight costs for ourselves and therefore our the price our customers pay—we never markup the shipping fees.

And we do not collect sales tax on your behalf unless unavoidable due to our tax software’s collection requirements for some jurisdictions.

We cover the full cost of packaging and handling and put extra time into the preparation of your package to ensure sure all parties are clear of the risks, added carrier-imposed costs that could arise if instructions aren’t followed, and how to mitigate them.

Rest assured, the rates for the specific products and distances we provide kayak shipping services for utilize the largest and most competitive 3PL brokerage in the country.

Alternatively, consider our in-house White Glove Courier Service which delivers to meetup locations and home addresses within 200 miles for a flat rate for up to 4 kayaks. A cost that can be shared between friends or family...

Please call or write with any questions.