First ferry trip

[BusyBuilder]

Can we start a Do's and Don'ts list ?

Can we leave gas on for fridge whilst on the ferry overnight ?

 

[MikeD]

I mentioned switching to leccy for the crossing on post 5 but it didnt get answered. Seems like a sensible solution to me.

Surely a healthy leisure battery or two can cope with a channel crossing? Your not crossing the pacific ocean !

I am not a expert but I thought the fridge would only run on 12v when the engine is running. I don't think they are wired to run off the leisure battery.

 

[DBK]

Our Hymer uses the engine battery when driving but it does not switch off when the ignition is turned off. Our fridge has the switched off or it will flatten the batttery on the ferry.

It shouldn't work like that, there may be a stuck relay somewhere or it has been wired incorrectly.

I mentioned switching to leccy for the crossing on post 5 but it didnt get answered. Seems like a sensible solution to me.

Surely a healthy leisure battery or two can cope with a channel crossing? Your not crossing the pacific ocean !

It just isn't necessary to run it on anything on a ferry journey. Ours copes fine with the 20 hour Plymouth/Santander trip. But as above, unless something is wrong with your wiring you shouldn't be able to run it on 12 volt with the engine turned off.

 

[Spidey]

It shouldn't work like that, there may be a stuck relay somewhere or it has been wired incorrectly.

The dealer on hand over told us that, but I will check it out.

 

[pyro]

The only ferries I have done with the van are the Portsmouth - Santander trips, around 23 hours. No need for any electrics on, just a bit of forward planning with getting the fridge down in temperature well before the trip, around 6 ice packs and everything as cold as possible. Lasts well through the ferry crossing

The rule is LPG must be off. That's the rules http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/f...can-i-take-my-lpg-/-lng-vehicle-on-your-ferry

We carry both Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vehicles onboard all our vessels. The gas cylinder MUST be switched off prior to embarkation

We switch off the hab electrics as well, no need to risk the pump running, and you can't (normally) return to your vehicle unless your alarm is constantly triggering (which is supposed to be turned off anyway).

The cabins on Cap Finistere and Pont Aven have good ensuite facilities, and the latter has an excellent formal restaurant. Both have good dining facilities, though. Both sell ciggies and booze at Spanish prices, although the Cap Finistere (being a smaller ship) has limited choice

As mentioned, take a kettle and stuff to make tea in the cabin (continental adaptor required). And keep all your paperwork with you and accessible on hand in case you are asked.

The three biggest challenges you will have on that route/ships will be: a) parking on board (especially if you are placed in the open, as there are narrow ramps to enjoy), b) Finding your way to/from the docks at Santander (dreadfully signposted) and c) trying to understand the heavily accented and very distorted on board announcements

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[Anthea M]

We take very little with us as choose to buy abroad but all good advice if following a special diet etc.

 

[TJBi]

In addition to DBK's good advice about putting a frozen bottle of milk in the main compartment, it also helps if you fill the freezer compartment completely with frozen food. Do not put in the fancy packaging the stuff comes in. Take it out of that,(keep the instructions if you must) but essentially turn the freezer compartment into one solid block of iced food.

We don't normally have frozen food on board the motorhome, but we do fill the freezer compartment with pre-frozen bottles of water; helps with the initial cooling of the fridge and keeps it cool throughout a long ferry crossing and if we occasionally forget to switch to gas when at a supermarket.

 

[gus-lopez]

in 30 years of ferry travel I've never been on a closed deck.

Only open decks I've seen now are the dfds boats to dunkirk. They use closed posh ones to Calais. I prefer the open deck boats.

I'm interested in not traveling on a 'closed deck', all cross-channel ferries are, all sea-cat style and only CalMac have open decks where I live. It's irrelevant anyway, the regulations prevent even Oxy-acetylene gases being carried in the engine-room, it is considered too dangerous.

As above open deck to dunkirk .

I always add a 5 litre bottle of water that has been frozen for some months into the fridge or any cool box I might use. I got to Essex once with ice still in the one in a cool box.

 

[Chris]

We always hook ours up on the ferry to Spain, both on the Cap Finistere and the other one. The guys doing the loading are pretty helpful and will find somewhere to plug you in. Have your cable ready and your two pin adaptor

 

[WillH]

I think you'll find that the DFDS ferries have a closed deck plus a small amount of open deck (handy for certain slightly dangerous goods), they are old ferries. By open deck I was really referring to ferries like the old Cambridge Ferry I worked on, it had no lower decks and the whole car deck was open to the elements, not even any door, just a safety net across the back.