A long haul: N.B. man driving across Canada with precious rowing cargo

A Fredericton man begins hauling all of Team New Brunswick's rowing boats across the country Monday for the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.

"It can get quite stressful, that's why we are leaving a bit early," said Peter Seyffarth, equipment officer for the Fredericton Rowing Club.

"It would be very expensive to transport them any other way but by road."

It will take Seyffarth and another driver four days to haul 17 rowing shells on the trailer. 

Shells can be seven metres long to 13 metres and cost between $10,000 to $30,000 each, depending on the age and size.

Seyffarth is also hauling Team Nova Scotia and Team P.E.I's shells. 

Not an easy rig to drive

Seyffarth said they will have to drive at a slow speed, taking lots of precautions because of how long the shells are.

"The trailer is quite long and has a considerable overhang, so getting in and out of gas stations is a challenge, let alone stopping for food," he said.

The trailers that are used to haul the shells have a "considerable swing," which is tricky for him and other drivers.

"The swing is not the same as driving as and RV and it is not the same as driving a 53-foot transport truck, due to the location of the axle on the trailer," said Seyffarth.

"A lot of people do not look up when they are driving around a gas station or parking lot and there is the chance that they could actually clip a boat at the last minute."

Seyffarth said they will have spare parts and repair kits handy if anything were to happen to the shells, especially given the long period of travel puts stress on the shells.

An expert at long drives

Recently, Seyffarth drove the rowing club's shells to the 1996 Olympics training venue at Richard B. Russell State Park in Georgia. The club has been going down for the last three years for a one-week spring training camp.

The trip is 5,000 kilometres, round trip.

He also travelled to Fort Lauderdale to pick up a trailer for hauling shells.

"It's one of those things they keep asking for more, either because you're doing it right or you're not doing it right because you need more practice. I don't know which one it is," said Seyffarth.

Seyffarth just wants to make sure all the shells arrive safely.

The Canada Games run from July 28 to Aug. 13.