Full or Empty Water Tanks on ferry

[Martin Stacey]

For those of you who use the Ferry to Spain or France do you travel with full fresh water tank or travel empty and fill up on the other side ?

 

[Zains Pops]

Full. But depends on payload
Just easier first night.
Stop, kettle on, tea brewed...... lovely!!

 

[Barclaybasher]

Full water and diesel, food and drink for a couple of days

I know fuel is cheaper in Spain but I just want to get off the ferry and go

 

[Guigsy]

Full. One less thing to worry about.

Last time we came back, the 'other' tanks were full to the brim... and it was a really rough crossing. I was worried about the mess. It was fine.

 

[Martin Stacey]

Thanks for your replies

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[Blue Knight]

Thanks for your replies

It depends on what van you have as a whole of them don't have enough payload to carry a bottle of water.

 

[Dergrowler]

Only fill up to about 25%. Full tank equals 100 litres whic equates to 100 kg. extra weight I can do with out and use less fuel to transport it.

 

[Basildog]

It depends on what van you have as a whole of them don't have enough payload to carry a bottle of water.

Not a Motorhome in my world if it can’t be used with a full tank , it’s a pile of expensive junk
We travel with a full water tank always and top up at any opportunity even if it’s just a few litres we’ve used .

 

[Stealaway]

It depends where you are going. Going straight to a campsite - Empty. Going home - empty. Going to France - quarter tank. Going wilding for a week - half tank...but never more than that.

 

[Jaws]

I always fill..
As to the weight, would you tell someone they cannot travel with you 'cos they weigh 70 or 80 kg ?

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[WillH]

Water tank 25%, we rarely carry any more than that. Fuel tank should not be brim full on a ferry, conditions of carriage may state that.

 

[Zigisla]

The only time we ever travel without water is if we are going straight to a place where we can fill up. Other than that it is full full full all the time. We are as about as aerodynamic as a brick, so our MPG is shite anyway. At 3660Kg full in "Holiday" mode taking off 120Kg isnt going to make too much of a difference over the known ability to have 4 days of water straight away.

 

[tonyidle]

The only time we ever travel without water is if we are going straight to a place where we can fill up. Other than that it is full full full all the time. We are as about as aerodynamic as a brick, so our MPG is shite anyway. At 3660Kg full in "Holiday" mode taking off 120Kg isnt going to make too much of a difference over the known ability to have 4 days of water straight away.

My thoughts precisely - in my case over 5000Kg and 220Kg.

 

[Stealaway]

Dosnt any body else worry about being overweight?

 

[nicholsong]

What has the ferry got to do with it?

Worried about overloading a 28,000ton ferry?

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[Lenny HB]

Dosnt any body else worry about being overweight?

I don't worry, last time I checked I had 400kg spare on rear axle and 250 kg on front and 400kg spare overall, so why worry.

Always travel with our 160 Lt tank full, never know next when you may be able to fill up.
Our last trip to Spain in Feb/March of the 9 Aires we used in France on the way down & back only 2 had the water turned on.

 

[Basildog]

Seems to be a different breed of Motorhome user these days , it’s all about sites and running around with empty tanks it seems

 

[Spriddler]

Dosnt any body else worry about being overweight?

I travel fully tanked up. I don't worry because I know my weights fully loaded. I'm no scientist but as far as I'm aware the specific gravity of water hasn't changed.

 

[Lenny HB]

Seems to be a different breed of Motorhome user these days , it’s all about sites and running around with empty tanks it seems

There are some strange folk about.

 

[Reallyretired]

Always full water, and fuel usually pretty full too.

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[gus-lopez]

Full & top up whenever I can.

 

[Barclaybasher]

As I said I always have full tanks when I get off a ferry plus 10L fresh water in a container and a spare 5L can of diesel

 

[Camping Gaza]

I never give it a thought.

 

[Podney]

Full.
Has anybody ever calculated or recorded the extra amount of fuel that may be used when one travels full?
Personally,I would rather watch paint dry,but someone may have the answer.

 

[Puddleduck]

Dosnt any body else worry about being overweight?

We weigh the van at the local freight yard on the way to our nearest "A" road - it's about 2 miles from home and our first stop.

With full fresh water and fuel, empty grey and black, kayaks, bikes, and everything required to go with them, larger of the awnings and enough clothes and food for a small army we had 90kg to spare overall and both axles well withing limits.

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[Puddleduck]

Full.
Has anybody ever calculated or recorded the extra amount of fuel that may be used when one travels full?
Personally,I would rather watch paint dry,but someone may have the answer.

I have a notes of fuel consumption on various trips and it makes very little difference, less than one mpg. The thing that does make a difference is having the kayaks on the top when the mpg drops from around 31 to just over 28. Why do I keep the record? Because my Dad used to ask and I still hope that one day he may ask again.

 

[Lenny HB]

Full.
Has anybody ever calculated or recorded the extra amount of fuel that may be used when one travels full?
Personally,I would rather watch paint dry,but someone may have the answer.

I don't see how you could get a meaningful result unless you drove say 500 miles on exactly the same roads with the same traffic conditions at the same speed and same wind conditions., which would be impossible unless you were on a MIRA test track.

Wind has far more effect, our consumption drops from 25/26 to 22 or less with a strong head or side wind.

 

[Reallyretired]

With the lack of aerodynamic styling of motorhomes wind is probably the worst thing for fuel consumption A head wind can have even more effect than pulling a toad

 

[EX51SSS]

It depends where you are going. Going straight to a campsite - Empty. Going home - empty. Going to France - quarter tank. Going wilding for a week - half tank...but never more than that.

Half a tank for a week wild camping?

Why never more than half a tank?
I fill up at every opportunity and empty out of course.

 

[Jaws]

I def do not worry about weight... Last time on a weigh bridge, fully loaded, I had 800kg to play with

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