Ferry crossings in rough weather. Are you insured?

Wee Bold Davy

Wee Bold Davy

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Nine years in theory, a newby in practice!!!
I'm only a newbie to motorhoming and not had our 'van on a ferry yet.
Just being looking at videos on Youtube and came across this one of a ferry crossing the Cook Strait between New Zealands north and south islands in a hellish gale.
After watching it I read some of the comments about vehicle insurance as a result of your vehicle being badly damaged or even written off as a result of the weather.:Eeek:

Has anyone had experience of this?

 
Yes. I worked for a ferry company for many years. If your vehicle is damaged on the ferry, and it's not your fault, or the fault of another passenger, the ferry company is held responsible and your insurance company should pursue the claim against them. We once had a passenger claim we stole his car, work that one out. And if a passenger damages the ferry, we claim on his insurance, i have personal experience in this, it does happen.
 
Not personally, but I've heard of MHs damaged on crossings due to storms and the ferry company claim "Act of God" or something similiar - so not their problem.

If you are planning on using one of the short crossings I wouldn't worry about it but the economy BF service from Portsmouth to Bilbao has an open deck I believe and some MHs have been damaged on it when waves broke into the deck.
 
Northernraider said:
Sod that I'd have been throwing up everywhere.
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I was on an Isle of Man Steam Packet ship from Ardrossan to Douglas way back in 1969 in a storm not quite as bad as the video. The journey took 9 hours instead of 5 and I think I was the only one on the boat that didn't throw up.
I may have felt better if I did. Not a nice feeling!

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I like my ferry crossings like I like my sex. 1 or 2 times a year and rougher the better.




Yes I've had a few beers, sue me.
 
Wee Bold Davy said:
I was on an Isle of Man Steam Packet ship from Ardrossan to Douglas way back in 1969 in a storm not quite as bad as the video. The journey took 9 hours instead of 5 and I think I was the only one on the boat that didn't throw up.
I may have felt better if I did. Not a nice feeling!
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I was ill on the crossing from Portsmouth to Santander. ..and it was apparently a smooth crossing.

Made a right mess of my room and the hallway ...very embarrassing
 
Northernraider said:
I was ill on the crossing from Portsmouth to Santander. ..and it was apparently a smooth crossing.

Made a right mess of my room and the hallway ...very embarrassing
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Being a cleaner on these crossings must be the worst job on the planet
 
I always pick a ferry crossing which will be calm, as a Brittany Ferry Voyage Club member there is a box to tick if you prefer a calm crossing.
Next Sunday’s Plymouth to Santander is going to be a good one as I ticked the box.

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Mikeco said:
I always pick a ferry crossing which will be calm, as a Brittany Ferry Voyage Club member there is a box to tick if you prefer a calm crossing.
Next Sunday’s Plymouth to Santander is going to be a good one as I ticked the box.
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How does that work then? How far ahead can they tell if there is going to be a bit of chop or not?

I personally like it, I think it's comfy as hell lying in bed when the ship is pitching and rolling.
 
Mikeco said:
I always pick a ferry crossing which will be calm, as a Brittany Ferry Voyage Club member there is a box to tick if you prefer a calm crossing.
Next Sunday’s Plymouth to Santander is going to be a good one as I ticked the box.
Click to expand...
How's the Oban to Barra crossing going to be on May 22nd next year? (y):LOL:
 
That's quite a video Davie. :eek:

I once crossed the North Sea to Esbjerg Denmark in a force 9 gusting to force 10 that blew for a good 10 hours & I was extremely grateful that I didn't have a car with me. (y)

This is an interesting thread mate. :)

Robert.

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Wee Bold Davy said:
I was on an Isle of Man Steam Packet ship from Ardrossan to Douglas way back in 1969 in a storm not quite as bad as the video. The journey took 9 hours instead of 5 and I think I was the only one on the boat that didn't throw up.
I may have felt better if I did. Not a nice feeling!
Click to expand...

I had a similar experience heading from Brodick to Ardrossan but, we got stuck outside the harbour near the end of the crossing.
We were there all night but, the bar staff were wonderful & kept the bar open the whole time.
I was in my early 20s then & enjoyed that night immensely lol.
 
Anyone travel on a Channel Hovercraft in rough seas? All vehicles wheels were strapped down leaving the vehicles to leap up & down on the suspension. Seeing an air-sprung tour bus doing just that was a sight to behold.

My most memorable experience was a Hoverlloyd crossing in thick fog. As we left Ramsgate the pilot apologised for having to reduce speed to 50 knots. As I said to my travelling companion - I hope the bloody radar works. Visibility was below 50 yards.
 
DBK said:
Not personally, but I've heard of MHs damaged on crossings due to storms and the ferry company claim "Act of God" or something similiar - so not their problem.

If you are planning on using one of the short crossings I wouldn't worry about it but the economy BF service from Portsmouth to Bilbao has an open deck I believe and some MHs have been damaged on it when waves broke into the deck.
Click to expand...
Even the Cap Finistere has an open bit, the Pont Aven is the only one that is completely enclosed. I think that’s your favourite anyway! We were caught out when we came back on the Cap Finistere at the beginning of March this year, remember the beast from the East?
 
I was Sea Sick on the Isle of Wight ferry... :sicker:
 
I get queezy climbing in the bath!!

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Now l know why I am a “Frequent Traveller” on the Shuttle!!
 
Going back many years, we had a lorry on board the Herald of Free Enterprise, that rolled over and sank outside Zeebrugge. It was a proven negligence event. Our driver was killed and was the last one found down in the car deck wreckage. The lorry was of course lost crushed in the bottom deck.
The drivers family got a very small sum for his death. We got absolutely nothing for the lorry or the load.
I think it was the New York convention on maritime loss or some such ruling that covered the loss at sea.they hold very little responsibility for ANY loss and it is not covered normally by you insurers either UNLESS you specifically get cover.
 
The best cure for sea sickness, is to sit under a tree.
~ Spike Milligan

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we did the NZ crossing north to south in a 2 metre swell I think every one was puking , I knew something was up when they closed the cafe and started handing out sick bags. when we went down to collect our camper all the motorbikes were damaged parked in the back corner and some cars which were near.
 
We did the NZ crossing about 10 years ago and we thought the staff were mad handing out sick bags in the first 10 minutes. 40 minutes later even the crew were throwing up! Thankfully our hire car survived unscathed but it took us hours to recover when we landed. The crew told us it happens once every 4 or 6 weeks or so.
 
Back many years ago I think it was 1972 on a Townsend Thorsen ferry from Southampton to Le Havre we had a bad storm, 3 ships went out of Southampton and 2 turned back one was the Renal del Mar and the other was another ferry, our sailed and ended up hove to outside the Isle of Wight. We should have docked in Le Havre at 10pm but didn't arrive until 8am next morning. Three wagons broke the chains they were chained down with and tipped over crushing a brand new car. At midnight they gave us all cabins, my wife and daughter in one myself and my young son in another. They were 2 tier bunks, it was impossible to get in the top one far too rough so shoved him inside and squeezed in, at aprox 2am the ship went right over on her side throwing me out, I honestly thought she wasn't coming back but she did after what seemed an age. It was around the time that Ted Heaths yachts was lost and an officer had told me there were a couple of vessels in trouble and it was blowing a force 10 gusting 11. Quite an experience at the time
 
Funnymunny said:
Back many years ago I think it was 1972 on a Townsend Thorsen ferry from Southampton to Le Havre we had a bad storm, 3 ships went out of Southampton and 2 turned back one was the Renal del Mar and the other was another ferry, our sailed and ended up hove to outside the Isle of Wight. We should have docked in Le Havre at 10pm but didn't arrive until 8am next morning. Three wagons broke the chains they were chained down with and tipped over crushing a brand new car. At midnight they gave us all cabins, my wife and daughter in one myself and my young son in another. They were 2 tier bunks, it was impossible to get in the top one far too rough so shoved him inside and squeezed in, at aprox 2am the ship went right over on her side throwing me out, I honestly thought she wasn't coming back but she did after what seemed an age. It was around the time that Ted Heaths yachts was lost and an officer had told me there were a couple of vessels in trouble and it was blowing a force 10 gusting 11. Quite an experience at the time
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Something you'll never forget. As the saying goes, 'Worse things happen at sea'. (y)

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