i’m a bit of a lightweight i suppose,as i only do the IOW ferry! but i’m usually on the Sun Deck 
whatever the weather…apart from last Thursday morning,when i felt i was in danger of being blown overboard 
the nodding donkey:
Serious hat on…Are you actually allowed below decks during te crossing? I thought that after the “Herald” disaster, sleeping in vehicles, and being below decks in general, was prohibited. Or is that just some companies?
Im sure its banned on all ferries. “Back in the day” it wasnt enforced too strongly but it is today. Even Med boats are stricter about it. Brittany boats the crew will out get you out o the cab if youre seen. If youre seen during crossing (unlikely) or getting out of bed when docking you will be warned and name etc noted.
Apparently a 2nd offence gets a ban for you. (No ferry means no job for some). Ive know drivers warned, but dont know of any caught a second time.
4 to a cabin is horrible agreed, and if the boats busy there may week be no cabins available, Having spoken to shore staff at Brittany I know some of them are “on our side” and have spoken to their management about our moans, but I aint holding my breath. I dont stay in cab during crossings. In he past I have though.
Upper ,open decks are ok. On lower freight decks its stuffy and noisy. Anyone else see the dead horses on the dock last year? Apparently heat stress. If there is a fire, or chem leak, or whatever, you are locked into an airtight, waterproof, steel coffin. There shouldnt be anyone there, so in the event, however unlikely, of an incident no one is coming to get you out. The whole idea of watertight doors is to keep them closed if theres an incident, no one is gonna risk the majority to check if a driver is asleep on the freight deck. Accidents, fires, chem leaks, and sinkings happen. Theyre rare, but they do happen.
Ill put up with a less than comfortable cabin. Anyone else can take their own chances, but on lower, enclosed, decks I think its plain daft.
Franglais:
the nodding donkey:
Serious hat on…Are you actually allowed below decks during te crossing? I thought that after the “Herald” disaster, sleeping in vehicles, and being below decks in general, was prohibited. Or is that just some companies?
I
m sure its banned on all ferries. “Back in the day” it wasnt enforced too strongly but it is today. Even Med boats are stricter about it. Brittany boats the crew will out get you out othe cab if youre seen. If youre seen during crossing (unlikely) or getting out of bed when docking you will be warned and name etc noted.
Apparently a 2nd offence gets a ban for you. (No ferry means no job for some). Ive know drivers warned, but dont know of any caught a second time.
4 to a cabin is horrible agreed, and if the boats busy there may week be no cabins available, Having spoken to shore staff at Brittany I know some of them are “on our side” and have spoken to their management about our moans, but I aint holding my breath. I dont stay in cab during crossings. In he past I have though.
Upper ,open decks are ok. On lower freight decks its stuffy and noisy. Anyone else see the dead horses on the dock last year? Apparently heat stress. If there is a fire, or chem leak, or whatever, you are locked into an airtight, waterproof, steel coffin. There shouldnt be anyone there, so in the event, however unlikely, of an incident no one is coming to get you out. The whole idea of watertight doors is to keep them closed if theres an incident, no one is gonna risk the majority to check if a driver is asleep on the freight deck. Accidents, fires, chem leaks, and sinkings happen. Theyre rare, but they do happen.
Ill put up with a less than comfortable cabin. Anyone else can take their own chances, but on lower, enclosed, decks I think its plain daft.
You can’t get “down below” when boat sails as doors are locked but you can get up.
How you think the engine crew get up above in cases of emergency!!!
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Through the ladder ways with the coded door entry systems.
Do you think that a escape route from below for the crew will pass through a watertight compartment?
Big Truck:
Franglais:
the nodding donkey:
Serious hat on…Are you actually allowed below decks during te crossing? I thought that after the “Herald” disaster, sleeping in vehicles, and being below decks in general, was prohibited. Or is that just some companies?
I
m sure its banned on all ferries. “Back in the day” it wasnt enforced too strongly but it is today. Even Med boats are stricter about it. Brittany boats the crew will out get you out othe cab if youre seen. If youre seen during crossing (unlikely) or getting out of bed when docking you will be warned and name etc noted.
Apparently a 2nd offence gets a ban for you. (No ferry means no job for some). Ive know drivers warned, but dont know of any caught a second time.
4 to a cabin is horrible agreed, and if the boats busy there may week be no cabins available, Having spoken to shore staff at Brittany I know some of them are “on our side” and have spoken to their management about our moans, but I aint holding my breath. I dont stay in cab during crossings. In he past I have though.
Upper ,open decks are ok. On lower freight decks its stuffy and noisy. Anyone else see the dead horses on the dock last year? Apparently heat stress. If there is a fire, or chem leak, or whatever, you are locked into an airtight, waterproof, steel coffin. There shouldnt be anyone there, so in the event, however unlikely, of an incident no one is coming to get you out. The whole idea of watertight doors is to keep them closed if theres an incident, no one is gonna risk the majority to check if a driver is asleep on the freight deck. Accidents, fires, chem leaks, and sinkings happen. Theyre rare, but they do happen.
Ill put up with a less than comfortable cabin. Anyone else can take their own chances, but on lower, enclosed, decks I think its plain daft.You can’t get “down below” when boat sails as doors are locked but you can get up.
How you think the engine crew get up above in cases of emergency!!!Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk
Why would they need to pass through the closed, watertight, freight space in case of emergency?
on the basis that you seldom hear of a ferry having a “near miss” then id rather drown like a rat in a trap,than die of hypothermia within 5 mins in the sea.
if your in your cabin and the thing goes on its side,then your still going to drown pronto.
ive been on the top deck of the birkenhead boat when the outside trailer next to me got blown over the side and it woke me up with the noise and the movement as it was me that was exposed to the wind now.
i was on the p&o when it blew backwards onto the rocks in the middle of the handbrake turn in front of cairnryan pier,so once it dawned on me that something was wrong,then there was a good few drivers going up the stairs at the same time.
theres never a lock on the deck door from the deck side so if need be,you can always bale out no matter what happens.
i might not be here typing this now if i hadnt been gassed in a belgian baghouse resulting in me missing the old herald though. 
dieseldog999:
on the basis that you seldom hear of a ferry having a “near miss” then id rather drown like a rat in a trap,than die of hypothermia within 5 mins in the sea.
if your in your cabin and the thing goes on its side,then your still going to drown pronto.
ive been on the top deck of the birkenhead boat when the outside trailer next to me got blown over the side and it woke me up with the noise and the movement as it was me that was exposed to the wind now.
i was on the p&o when it blew backwards onto the rocks in the middle of the handbrake turn in front of cairnryan pier,so once it dawned on me that something was wrong,then there was a good few drivers going up the stairs at the same time.
theres never a lock on the deck door from the deck side so if need be,you can always bale out no matter what happens.
i might not be here typing this now if i hadnt been gassed in a belgian baghouse resulting in me missing the old herald though.
Youve thought about it and come up with your own choice. Ive thought about it and come up with a different choice.
If it goes on its side my choice is to have access to the outside and the boats. Id rather have a chance in a cold boat than be trapped in my cab with another truck pushing it against the side.
Fire? More risky to be in an enclosed non ventilated space like a freight deck than elsewhere I reckon.
Rough and blowy. Having the truck next to me washed over would be a bit of a pointer to the safest course for future crossings.
I aint telling you what to do, and youre allowed to think me odd of course. But I do definately think you`re crazy! 
dieseldog999:
on the basis that you seldom hear of a ferry having a “near miss” then id rather drown like a rat in a trap,than die of hypothermia within 5 mins in the sea.
if your in your cabin and the thing goes on its side,then your still going to drown pronto.
ive been on the top deck of the birkenhead boat when the outside trailer next to me got blown over the side and it woke me up with the noise and the movement as it was me that was exposed to the wind now.
i was on the p&o when it blew backwards onto the rocks in the middle of the handbrake turn in front of cairnryan pier,so once it dawned on me that something was wrong,then there was a good few drivers going up the stairs at the same time.
theres never a lock on the deck door from the deck side so if need be,you can always bale out no matter what happens.
i might not be here typing this now if i hadnt been gassed in a belgian baghouse resulting in me missing the old herald though.
Seldom hear of near misses?
You`ve been in 3 your own self!
On the ferry from Patras to Ancona they have power points for the camper vans on the upper frieght deck .
You also have students trying to share cabins with you if you have spare bunks .
They are 20+ hr crossings .
True story , my cousin was an officer on the Herald but was taken off the boat just before it left Dover to go and collect a boat from re-fit .
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Yes regular stayed in truck for sleep on early calais ferry crossing as I carnt cope with all the stinking flip flops laid all over the place snoring there heads off so used to stay in truck for some nice sleep
Franglais:
Through the ladder ways with the coded door entry systems.
Do you think that a escape route from below for the crew will pass through a watertight compartment?
Yes but the “ladder ways” on the boats I’m on lead up into car decks.
(Big yellow square hatch with screw locking wheel??)
Crew hand scared dung outta me one morn when he opened the hatch to climb out when I was getting into yoke!!!
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Big Truck:
Franglais:
Through the ladder ways with the coded door entry systems.
Do you think that a escape route from below for the crew will pass through a watertight compartment?Yes but the “ladder ways” on the boats I’m on lead up into car decks.
(Big yellow square hatch with screw locking wheel??)Crew hand scared dung outta me one morn when he opened the hatch to climb out when I was getting into yoke!!!
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I would guess he was coming from doing some sort of inspection or maintenance? I find it hard to believe he was down below shoveling coal all the way across!
Im not a sailor at all but do you reckon the escape ways, for any crew down below during the crossing, would go through a cargo deck? Why wouldnt they just go up a nice safe direct ladder? Why pass through a potentially hazardous area? Also the whole idea of having watertight doors on cargo areas would be defeated if they were to be a through way. Watertight and air tight areas are there to stop water, of course, but also to stop fire spreading and contain smoke, fumes etc.
It’ll only be a matter of time before some twunt decides to cook eggs and bacon in his cab and somehow start a fire.
ezydriver:
It’ll only be a matter of time before some twunt decides to cook eggs and bacon in his cab and somehow start a fire.
No different from cooking eggs and bacon going down the E30…
Franglais:
Big Truck:
Franglais:
Through the ladder ways with the coded door entry systems.
Do you think that a escape route from below for the crew will pass through a watertight compartment?Yes but the “ladder ways” on the boats I’m on lead up into car decks.
(Big yellow square hatch with screw locking wheel??)Crew hand scared dung outta me one morn when he opened the hatch to climb out when I was getting into yoke!!!
Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk
I would guess he was coming from doing some sort of inspection or maintenance? I find it hard to believe he was down below shoveling coal all the way across!
Im not a sailor at all but do you reckon the escape ways, for any crew down below during the crossing, would go through a cargo deck? Why wouldnt they just go up a nice safe direct ladder? Why pass through a potentially hazardous area? Also the whole idea of having watertight doors on cargo areas would be defeated if they were to be a through way. Watertight and air tight areas are there to stop water, of course, but also to stop fire spreading and contain smoke, fumes etc.
I can only guess this but,
looking at the doors you go through to get to stairs or the lifts on the vehicle decks look ANYTHING but watertight on the TEN boats I would regularly frequent!!![emoji50]
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I used to like the food too much on the Stenna Stranraer to Belfast boat to stay in the cab, then a kip in the lounge.
Are they all Superfasts on that route now from Cairn Ryan?
Last time I did it, it used to run alternately (about 9 yrs ago) from Stranraer ,with an old tub.
robroy:
I used to like the food too much on the Stenna Stranraer to Belfast boat to stay in the cab, then a kip in the lounge.Are they all Superfasts on that route now from Cairn Ryan?
Last time I did it, it used to run alternately (about 9 yrs ago) from Stranraer ,with an old tub.
Aye all the Stena’s have superfast written on the side of them but are no faster than any other ferry. Stranraer is now all finished as a port, Stena built a new terminal from scratch at the north end of Cairnryan
Franglais:
dieseldog999:
on the basis that you seldom hear of a ferry having a “near miss” then id rather drown like a rat in a trap,than die of hypothermia within 5 mins in the sea.
if your in your cabin and the thing goes on its side,then your still going to drown pronto.
ive been on the top deck of the birkenhead boat when the outside trailer next to me got blown over the side and it woke me up with the noise and the movement as it was me that was exposed to the wind now.
i was on the p&o when it blew backwards onto the rocks in the middle of the handbrake turn in front of cairnryan pier,so once it dawned on me that something was wrong,then there was a good few drivers going up the stairs at the same time.
theres never a lock on the deck door from the deck side so if need be,you can always bale out no matter what happens.
i might not be here typing this now if i hadnt been gassed in a belgian baghouse resulting in me missing the old herald though.Seldom hear of near misses?
You`ve been in 3 your own self!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
naaaa
thats not ner misses,thats just a bit of craic to break the monotony of the crossing.
the only near misses would have been the madies next to me and keeping me gassed.bless them…
robroy:
I used to like the food too much on the Stenna Stranraer to Belfast boat to stay in the cab, then a kip in the lounge.Are they all Superfasts on that route now from Cairn Ryan?
Last time I did it, it used to run alternately (about 9 yrs ago) from Stranraer ,with an old tub.
Belfast Stena to Cairnryan about 2hrs 30mins.
Larne to Cairnryan P&O 2hrs dead.
2 boats on both routes.