Triumphrat

The_Duck

Having just travelled from Newcastle to IJmuiden with DFDS I was wondering if anyone has experienced similar loading/tie down issues:
DFDS dont strap down your bike for you, which is fine as long as you've used ratchet straps previously and are comfortable applying some logic to this process.
But not all are. I had to help out the guy next to me who was amazed that the ferry company didn't insist on doing this themselves.
I also witnessed the woman in front of me drop her bike going up the wet slick ramp (I'd guess at >10% gradient, really!) to get to the long narrow bike parking corridor used on the 'King of Scandinavia'.
My question is (and I've asked DFDS, but no reply yet), who pays for damage caused to bikes by poor tie downs or drops onto slick deck surfaces?
Any thoughts?

winger

You do!! because if you don't tie it down properly or don't have the ability to ride up a wet ramp thats your problem,because their(Ferry Companies) fed up with claim or is that blame society we live in.

This year my(our) cross channel crossings went into three figures,over a space of 33 years,and in that time it's gone from doing it yourself,to them doing it and back again,always makes me smile on a ferry,all the rufty tuffy bikers who couldn't fill a thimble with mechanical knowledge,watching e'm struggle with a £5 tie down!!!!.

TigerLilly

I've been on DFDS (Christinsand/Newcastle) and yep you tied your own bike but not with ratchets, with rope onto wires, this has the benefit of using as much rope as you wish in many directions.

Then Stena from Dublin tied my husbands bike down using ratchets across the centre of the bike, but it went over in high seas - £2000 damage mostly to plastic. Its looks like Stena will pay however their processing was slow to the point of absurdity. Like our solicitor sends claim number, details of everything including pics, tickets, photocopy of their form etc and they say they can't find anything on their records and could we tell them what this was about. Well did they read the forms they were sent or what? Ort were they just stalling.

This summer we went Bergen/Newcastle on Fjordline. They are more expensive than DFDS and I must admit I prefered their tie down which was to railings with rope but loads of it, loads of time to get the job done and then they beef up the tie down where they see the need. We were lucky with the railings however because they suited the side stand. If we'd been slightly earlier or later then it would have been the other side of the bike against the railings beacuse we would have gone on the right side ramp.

I for one always feel glad to get the bike off a slippery deck.


Lil

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sleeper88

My wife and I recently went touring in France she was on her T100 I was on the Tiger using Sea France and their system was great

you ride down a channel into a V that centers the front wheel

the channel stops the wheels going sideways they then use 2 ratchet straps to the rear foot pegs to compress the rear suspension you get off and the bike stays up, no center stand no side stand.

they also chock the rear wheel to stop it moving back

Its quick and looks like it could stand a fair blow

The_Duck

Winger, thanks for the input, but perhaps missing the point? I (and I suspect you'd feel the same) dont want the hassle of claiming against someones whose bike fell against mine during the crossing.

As the ferry companies are taking our money, I think they should apply some thought to the loading and tie down of bikes.

The system described by Sleeper88 on SeaFrance sounds like a move in the right direction.
And epoxy bonded grit coating has been standard industrial practice for years for use on traffic'ed steel surfaces, so they could make use of it.

TigerLilly, I hope Stena come up with the goods for your husbands bike.

Are we caught in a dilemma? If we let the ferries control the stowage of our bikes then we run the risk of some loons making a mess of it. Similarly, can we trust the biker beside us to do a good job? (I'll try make sure Winger's parked beside me :wink: )

winger

Blimey were do i start!!!!

Used Sea France last year and encountered the same system as already discribed!!! it's the first and last time thats for sure,most Dover/Calais crossings have always been P+0,hence my suprise when i encountered the Heath Robinson setup on SeaFrance!!!.

I stood gobsmacked when two muppets turned up after i'd wedged my front wheel(£700 Dymag) in the Vee!!!, who wanted to strap the bike down with the shock on full compression,after a brief conversation!!! i told the pair of them to P-i-s-s off!!!,and i strapped it down myself never again!!.

I've used the same system(on P+O) for years,park bike,leave on side stand not center stand,in gear,couple of elastic bands over the front brake lever and handle bar,(It'll bleed your brakes overnight as well)and throw the rachet strap over the seat with either a foam pad or my gloves protecting the seat,some times they put wedges either end but it doesn't matter.

As for parking next me,your right because normally end doing his as well.

Duck i'd respectfully suggest you spend more time thinking about your holiday and worry about the situation if it happens,as i said my cross channel crossings are into 3 figures,never mind going to Ireland etc and not had the remotest problem,or ever seen one for that matter,as for wet decks??? just part of the motorcyclings learning curve!!!

Bonnylad

DFDS, P&O, Norfolk line, Brittany ferries have always been the same to me. Tuck the bike inbetween the bulkheads, place a cusheon over the seat , wedge the wheels with chocks and then tie ropes to every solid fixing nearby. Then step back and feel a bit of a sea swell, Look back at the bike and see all your ropes sagging loose ( should have paid more attention in the scouts)
It amuses me to watch the adjacent car owners looking at my ropes and calculating the damage toppling over will do.
However in 25 crossings it never has fallen over. I now keep the bike on the side stand in gear. Chock the rear wheel in both directions and tie the front and rear wheels to the bulkheads. I no longer tie to the frame or pass ropes over the seat or handle bars.

Pansmiker

I have used the simple rule that to fall over the bike whilst on the centre stand or the side stand must go forward first. Therefore I tie the rear wheel to a point behind it and a ratchet strap over the seat.

The bike can now neither go forward or back and if it does I'm swimming

nehpetsthegrey

A group of us went from Portsmouth to Le Harve this year with the Italian owned ferry company that has taken over from P/O.
Never again. They didnt have a clue. No tie down rachets at first, then they tied bikes down with rope and then more rope then rachets then string. Those whose bikes were properly tied down had others tied to them and it all went to hell. Out of our group of 12 bikes 3 went over, and all told we heard of 20 bikes that were damaged.
One of ours had another bike tied to its wing mirror. the bike had gone over and ripped the mirror off and the crew had tried to stick it back on with gaffer tape (on an R1) all done while we were at sea.
So you might tie your bike down properly, but that doesn't mean some one won't tie others to it that could cause you damage.
On the return journey they tried to disown all responsibility by making people tie their own bike down, but couldn't supply tie down rachets or anchor points. Thank goodness that was a very smooth crossing. :evil:

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nehpetsthegrey.
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winger

You get what you pay for in this life as i found out with Sea France last year,I(we) go to Le-Mans 24 hour bike race every year,went to the first one in 74!!! have always gone via Le-Havre untill this year when P+O dropped out,and TT befoer that,took one look at the website of the monkeys who have taken over and booked Brittainy,so your story comes as no suprise!!!!,decided to pay the extra,looks like it was a good move!!!!

[ This message was edited by: winger on 2006-09-24 09:43 ]