# Long overhang ... Ferry access



## cloropois (Sep 29, 2011)

Hi all, wasn't sure which section to put this in ... I am going over to France shortly and am worried about driving onto the ferry in our newly acquired Dethleffs. No problems in the car or the old Merc 608 but the Dethleffs has quite a long overhang at the back and I'm worried about demolishing the (plastic) rear end if it grounds out, which seems likely depending on the tide - the angle onto the loading ramp can be quite pronounced. Has anyone ever had this sort of problem?
Any info gratefully received!!


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## Dezi (Sep 29, 2011)

Hi, Not had it myself as we have a hightop, but seen it a couple of times happening to the motorhome in front of us.

The crew simplyshrug & walk away. I am not sure how you could check beforehand the angle going up, or,down in relationship to :-

A - the lengh of your overhang  & B - the distance between your front wheels & your rear end in relation to angle of the ramp from the flat.

Dezi :goodluck:


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## cloropois (Sep 29, 2011)

*overhang*

Thanks Dezi. Yes, that's what I expected: them looking the other way! I just phoned the ferry company and they were very friendly and polite but she said something about the sailing times being whatever and they don't tend to have tides at those times - Wahahahaa!
 Didn't really want to traipse all the way down to the tunnel...


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## Deleted member 967 (Sep 29, 2011)

Our Hymer S700 has a very long rear overhang.  I have not experienced any problem with bottoming on ferries but have bottomed once when leaving a French Supermarket and another time while on a car park at a reservoir in upper Teesdale.

The only ferry problem I have had was not being able to get a grip on the ramp once inside the ferry.  I had just bought the van in Germany and had no load in the boot.  When I could go no further the crew just chocked my wheels and diverted other vehicle around me.


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## robjk (Sep 29, 2011)

Hi I have a sundance 630 with a 2 metre overhang and have never had a problem on ferries. My biggest concern is fuel stations with the swing so i will always look for a pump with easy exit even if I have towait for the right pump.
A problem I found in France was a fuel station if it had height signs ( not all did ) some had 3.2 metre on approach ( I am 3.1m ) but as you approach kiosk          another sign says 3m,backing up through the pumps not fun.

Rob


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## Deleted member 207 (Sep 29, 2011)

If possible try and approach the ramp at an angle, then when one of the rear wheels is on the ramp, straighten up. The same method can be used when crossing streets with deep gutters or just going up a driveway.


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## cloropois (Sep 29, 2011)

*overhang*

Thanks for all the helpful replies. The Globetrotter (91) is basically the same as the Hymer. I had thought of going on to the ramp at an angle - the only option I think - at least the ramp onto LDlines ferries is quite wide.


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## christine (Sep 29, 2011)

We have had this problem but mainly on the smaller ferries such as those crossing to Mull from Lochaline and the Corran ferry. Usually, if we take advice from the marshalls, we are ok. it is when we think we know differently and don't take heed of directions that we crunch.


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## scek (Sep 29, 2011)

We have the same problem with our moorhome but have always found the ferrybguys to be really helpful. Smallervferries are where the prolem lies, but the ferries carry a set of ramps whih they use for coaches. Just tell to watch your back end and they'll get ou onboard safely.


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## Ste (Sep 30, 2011)

I'm ex WVM, driving the Iveco Daily XLWB. Legal maximum overhang on that vehicle was 1.25M from rear axle. So I'm quite bemused at claims of a 2m overhang, which as far as i'm aware is illegal in UK on all vehicles under 7.5t.


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## Deleted member 967 (Sep 30, 2011)

Hymer S700 Specification: 


> Length 7.21m  (23 feet 8 inches) Height 2.81m (9ft 3inches) Width 2.22m (7ft 3½ inches)
> Wheelbase 3.700m



As the front wheel is at almost the front of the vehicle (lenght of vehicle) 7.21m minus (Wheelbase) 3.7m is leaves 3.51m most of which is rear overhang.

If you have a look at the picture in my avatar it is obvious that it is more than 1.5m overhang as the rear wheel is just behind the habitation door and it is perfectly legal at MAM 4600Kg


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## tiderus (Sep 30, 2011)

Greetings all, I have had the same problem with serveral tandem axel vans. Small ferries such as the one at Fowey, cause a scrape both on and off. As luck has it I have always made a tow bar as a first job, and this takes the brunt of the scrape. The ferry operators egg you on by shouting faster, faster, when loading and leaving, Then I found out that the momentum saves getting stuck. No prob's with mainline ferries, hope this helps, Rgds Graham.


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## chass (Sep 30, 2011)

I catch mine every time but I have a towbar fitted so it dosn't do any damage sounds bad though:hammer:


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## cloropois (Sep 30, 2011)

*overhang and LD*

Thanks again for all the info.
I'm still trying to find a cheaper crossing than LD... I agree the LD (and Transmanche) crossings are cheapest for car + 2 especially with the spring/summer/autumn special offers - we have used the Newhaven/Dieppe crossing for the last few years with a car, and a couple of times with a Transit. £78 ret for the car, £150 ret for the Transit, in July. I've just got a couple of quotes for a same date in October: BF, Portsmouth/Caen: £328  -  LD, Portsmouth/LH:£208.50  -  Transmanche, Newhaven/Dieppe: £208.50 - 20% over 60 discount (abt £167) ... all these return.
We'll be looking at one way this time: BF:£219 (with cabin) or if all cabins booked, £190...    LD: £101 (or £141 witha cabin)      T'manche: £87.50(night) or £118.50 (Day) minus 20% old geyser discount...
I hasten to add we've got nothing against BF and used to use them a lot in the past. But over the last 7 years especially we've used LD and T'manche 4 or 5 times a year, at different times of the year and every time we've found them substantially cheaper. I didn't take into account the Property owners club discount in the above - is it about 30%? But on LD & TM we use the 'frequent traveller' thingy which accumulates points on every crossing giving us an occasional free crossing...
On occasion we wouldn't mind doing the P'mouth/St.Malo crossing as we have friends in St.Malo but have found it substantially more than the alternative.
I'm definitely not trying to score points here - just stating our own experience - different things suit different people obviously. Probably living in west Wales for so long we've become 'Cardies': deep pockets and short arms!


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## cloropois (Oct 1, 2011)

Thanks for that, I meant the discount available, couldn't think of its title


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## n brown (Oct 1, 2011)

Ste said:


> I'm ex WVM, driving the Iveco Daily XLWB. Legal maximum overhang on that vehicle was 1.25M from rear axle. So I'm quite bemused at claims of a 2m overhang, which as far as i'm aware is illegal in UK on all vehicles under 7.5t.


 
i was under the impression you could have an overhang 60% of the wheelbase,anyone know for sure?


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## lebesset (Oct 1, 2011)

cloropois said:


> Thanks for that, I meant the discount available, couldn't think of its title


 
correct


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## lebesset (Oct 1, 2011)

n brown said:


> i was under the impression you could have an overhang 60% of the wheelbase,anyone know for sure?


 
correct


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## paganplasma (Oct 12, 2011)

*long rear overhang*

Hi,We use L D lines and have had no probs fiat bessacarr E745 3.8 2000, you could try booking the ferry at high tides this would straiten out the ramp angle.


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## David & Ann (Oct 12, 2011)

paganplasma said:


> Hi,We use L D lines and have had no probs fiat bessacarr E745 3.8 2000, you could try booking the ferry at high tides this would straiten out the ramp angle.


 
I was on the 09:40 Seafrance ferry from Dover to Calais last week on Tuesday. Our ship was delayed by 1/2hour because one of the trucks with trailer could not come down the ramp as it would have ripped out the front spoiler. It had to reverse back to let the rest of the traffic on. It did not come onto our ferry.I wondered why, because no one knew why. I think I do now.


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## Channelcrosser (Oct 16, 2011)

*Long overhang....Ferry access*

Hi everyone

I used to work on the ferries and now at Port Control Dover. The biggest problem we have here is the range of the tides - sometimes over 5 metres from low water to high water. The berth portals which support the approach lanes are moved up and down by the ramp operator and sometimes if they are not watching closely, the ramp is not set to its optimum level. 

When you approach the "fingers" (thats the bit that lowers on to the back end of the ship) try to see if a better angle could be achieved by the ramp operator - if it looks too steep they will try and adjust to suit - generally speaking they are quite friendly! And if you want the loading officer on the ship to guide you over tell the shore staff before you go up the ramp - they are in radio contact with the ship.

I don't know this for sure but the new berths in Dover (8 & 9) are probably the optimum ones to go for and try and get a sailing at half tide if you can - I realise that is not always possible but it just depends how careful you really want to be. At the time of writing P & O are running out of 8 berth and Seafrance are running out of 9 berth.

Hope this is helpful.

Channelcrosser


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