Moving to a new city with my boyfriend???

I have 2 boys ages 7 and 3, their dad is a big part of their life, however, he works on a tug boat and is only in for 10 days at a time. I have always let him have the boys and never tried to keep them from him, or their paternal grandparents. Their dad just recently re-married and their step-mother and I have a great relationship. My boyfriend and I have been dating for a while now, and he had to accept a job offer in another city, it is 5 hours away. He has asked us to come with him and he wants to look for a place to live that will be comfortable for us and the boys. If I moved there, I would have the opportunity to get a better paying job and he would help me with bills and things. I am wanting to move because I want to be with him, but I am also taking into consideration that this would be in the best interest of my children as far as providing for them. I am afraid that when I discuss it with their dad that he is going to go crazy and try to take me back to court. Right now we have joint custody, I am the custodial parent, but my question is, can he legally take my children away from me if I make this decision? Their dad's brother lives an hour from where we would be moving, and it would also be closer to their paternal grandparents. I would never keep the kids from him, but I know he is going to freak out. WHAT CAN I DO!!!!

[tbyte]

Please stop saying you would never keep the children from him when that is exactly what you are planning to do.
Let's face facts; you are placing your own love interest above your children's relationship with their father.
Phrases such as "I have always let him have the boys" clearly show that you feel he has no rights as a parent himself.
Hopefully there is a court order in place granting him these rights, so that he does not enjoy them merely at your discretion.
Moral issues aside, whether you can legally do this depends upon the wording of your court order. Were you to move away, he may be able to take you back to court to get extended visitation. Given his work schedule, he would not be able to get custody.

not everyone is as bitter as the last poster. how often is he back for those 10 days? howlong have you been with this other man? if you 2 can't commit to get married and you break up after the move, what then? what kind of support system would you have there? are the paternal grandparents close enough to have maybe monthly time during times when the dad isn't around? are you, as the moving parent willing to arrange and provide for transportation to get them to their dad when he is around? get everything figured out. if this is something you want to do,you want to spend your life with this other man and you have a plan worked out for father time, then approach the father.

if you have been with t this boyfriend under a year, I would highly advise against this type of move.