Last year on Stena
Never been a problem on BF either
Just give them a Gallic shrug and say your side stand is non functional
They don’t mind and when they come back to check, they agree it’s a good way of doing it
For ALL posts on getting onto and off a ferry and securing the bike for the passage
- Thread starter The Other PaulG
- Start date
Last year on Stena
Never been a problem on BF either
Just give them a Gallic shrug and say your side stand is non functional
They don’t mind and when they come back to check, they agree it’s a good way of doing it
Reply from Stena Line;
“Hello there,
Many thanks for your email.
Our staff onboard will secure your motorbike and the lashings will be provided.
If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us back”
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I used to work for Stena. Way back when.
Our policy back in the day. We carried 1000 people 5 complained. 995 were happy everything is great.
How do we secure bikes? It varies. Depends on route, Sheltered or Open Ocean.
Different Ferry Co. Slightly more customer care than Stena. (Partly due to American habit of filing laws suites). But generally similar policies.
Most routes. There are no securing spots. Just pull up and park. Our deck crew will give you advice but we don't secure cars or bikes except for the end of a lane or commercial vehicles. Which we just block.
As Recommended.
Bikes parked at an angle. In line longitudinal or across the ship.
In Gear.
Always on side stand. With either one of our special extra tall MC blocks wedged under right side. Or two regular blocks one reversed above the other if we run out of MC blocks.
Parked this way never had a problem. .
Left on Center Stand It may fall over. If ship rolls a bit or arrives with a bump.
If you don't have a side stand. We probably just refuse passage. Occasionally we will carry a vehicle with a problem if pre arranged and there is no repair facility on Island ect.
Same for cars with no hand or parking brake.
Sorry, non roadworth, goodbye, go get it fixed, have a nice day. To put it simply, we really don't need the paperwork involved if your vehicle damages another. Even though it would be a claim against you not us.
More exposed routes, rougher weather, longer,
We secure commercial vehicles, drop trailers, with chains.
We don't park MC, We will ask you to park between Pad Eyes. Side stand and block, Same as above.
Never on center stand.
Our Deck crew secure a ratchet strap across the seat, we may strap more than one bike together.
Again always on side stand and blocked on other side.
We dont crank the strap to hard, just enough to compress suspension slightly.
We use our securing chains and straps which are all certified and load tested. Inspected annually.
All pad eyes a certified tested and inspected.
We don't use your straps. Not certified or approved.
We don't use a pad. Other companies do.
If our securing arrangement went wrong. I think we would probably pay a claim. It's not up to me. We got a whole team of people who deal with claims.
We always have deck crew. inspecting securing chains or straps during voyage adjusting tightening if required.
40 years never had a secured bike move.
A couple of times somebody took every thing off an started their bike bit of early and dropped it just as we were arriving.
Never had a her drop her bike.
One new officer had a cunning plan. He thought he would use some empty space. Parked half a dozen bikes on the end of the articulating ramp.
Unfortunately he didn't tell the deck hand who lowers the ramp.
Company paid to repair or replace those bikes.
Our policy back in the day. We carried 1000 people 5 complained. 995 were happy everything is great.
How do we secure bikes? It varies. Depends on route, Sheltered or Open Ocean.
Different Ferry Co. Slightly more customer care than Stena. (Partly due to American habit of filing laws suites). But generally similar policies.
Most routes. There are no securing spots. Just pull up and park. Our deck crew will give you advice but we don't secure cars or bikes except for the end of a lane or commercial vehicles. Which we just block.
As Recommended.
Bikes parked at an angle. In line longitudinal or across the ship.
In Gear.
Always on side stand. With either one of our special extra tall MC blocks wedged under right side. Or two regular blocks one reversed above the other if we run out of MC blocks.
Parked this way never had a problem. .
Left on Center Stand It may fall over. If ship rolls a bit or arrives with a bump.
If you don't have a side stand. We probably just refuse passage. Occasionally we will carry a vehicle with a problem if pre arranged and there is no repair facility on Island ect.
Same for cars with no hand or parking brake.
Sorry, non roadworth, goodbye, go get it fixed, have a nice day. To put it simply, we really don't need the paperwork involved if your vehicle damages another. Even though it would be a claim against you not us.
More exposed routes, rougher weather, longer,
We secure commercial vehicles, drop trailers, with chains.
We don't park MC, We will ask you to park between Pad Eyes. Side stand and block, Same as above.
Never on center stand.
Our Deck crew secure a ratchet strap across the seat, we may strap more than one bike together.
Again always on side stand and blocked on other side.
We dont crank the strap to hard, just enough to compress suspension slightly.
We use our securing chains and straps which are all certified and load tested. Inspected annually.
All pad eyes a certified tested and inspected.
We don't use your straps. Not certified or approved.
We don't use a pad. Other companies do.
If our securing arrangement went wrong. I think we would probably pay a claim. It's not up to me. We got a whole team of people who deal with claims.
We always have deck crew. inspecting securing chains or straps during voyage adjusting tightening if required.
40 years never had a secured bike move.
A couple of times somebody took every thing off an started their bike bit of early and dropped it just as we were arriving.
Never had a her drop her bike.
One new officer had a cunning plan. He thought he would use some empty space. Parked half a dozen bikes on the end of the articulating ramp.
Unfortunately he didn't tell the deck hand who lowers the ramp.
Company paid to repair or replace those bikes.
I think it would be a struggle to argue a bike without a side stand is unroadworthy. It’s not part of C&U as far as I’m aware, and not an MOT issue.
And it would be a struggle to convince an older Moto Guzzi with the suicide side stand to stay upright in anything other than millpond conditions. I wouldn’t trust it on a concrete carpark.
And it would be a struggle to convince an older Moto Guzzi with the suicide side stand to stay upright in anything other than millpond conditions. I wouldn’t trust it on a concrete carpark.
In the 80s I loaded my S2a SWB Landy onto the Lake Kariba ferry. During the night a serious storm blew up, with very big swells. From down below we could hear cars mashing into each other as they moved forwards and backwards.
Sorry to say the Landy was probably the worst offender, it’s transmission brake allowed a bit of to and fro when parked anyway, and it had done some real damage to the front of a, as then quite new, Sierra…
There were no repercussion , I think people were genuinely just very glad to get off alive.
Sorry to say the Landy was probably the worst offender, it’s transmission brake allowed a bit of to and fro when parked anyway, and it had done some real damage to the front of a, as then quite new, Sierra…
There were no repercussion , I think people were genuinely just very glad to get off alive.
Generally, I would also agree, but not with a Guzzi sidestand, which is a stupid affair.
I try to use an old towel or small cushion across the saddle between strap and saddle just to prevent the strap chaffing and marking my saddle. Not so much for ruining the electrics in the heated seat.
Has worked fine in the past....
Have used all 3 ferries. Stena to Harwich, P&O to Hull and the DFDS to Newcastle. P&O was the most difficult although best for securing. Problem was that the idea was put 2 bikes side by side and tie them to the upright railings. Ethos that have used this ferry will know what I mean. Getting on and off especially with bigger bikes and panniers was tricky.
Has worked fine in the past....
Have used all 3 ferries. Stena to Harwich, P&O to Hull and the DFDS to Newcastle. P&O was the most difficult although best for securing. Problem was that the idea was put 2 bikes side by side and tie them to the upright railings. Ethos that have used this ferry will know what I mean. Getting on and off especially with bigger bikes and panniers was tricky.
P&O Ferry a couple of years ago arrival Hull. With bike parking & said railings.
