Long overhang ... Ferry access

cloropois

Guest
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!!
 
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:
 
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...
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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. :)
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Hymer S700 Specification:
Length 7.21m (23 feet 8 inches) Height 2.81m (9ft 3inches) Width 2.22m (7ft 3½ inches)
Wheelbase 3.700m
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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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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.
 
I catch mine every time but I have a towbar fitted so it dosn't do any damage sounds bad though:hammer:
 
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!
 
Thanks for that, I meant the discount available, couldn't think of its title :)
 
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.
Click to expand...

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

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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