Ferry Costs

[Renegade]

Hello people.
Has anyone here got any suggestions of ferry companies with prices?
To the channel islands, Isle of man, Ireland etc?
Booking a trailer seems to be a mine field of questions depending on the company you deal with?
For example has anyone taken a boat from the mainland to say Guernsey or Isle of man (not subsidized by an event) and what was the rig/ cost?
Some of the prices i have seen are mental.
Many thanks
Paul

[Paul E]

To get to the Channel Islands you're unfortunately stuck with Condor. Shite prices and even worse service most of the time

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by Paul E

To get to the Channel Islands you're unfortunately stuck with Condor. Shite prices and even worse service most of the time

Yeah i found that already! They have you by the watchsprings as any trailer over 4m is classed as freight. then car height is chargeable then any rig over 3.5 tonnes. etc etc

IOM costs aint nice either.

[larby]

I can probably get you quite a good price (comparatively) to/from Guernsey, it'll still be a good few hundred quid if it's not for an event though...
Have you considered sending just the boat and then flying over, or even on the ferry as a foot passenger? I could happily pick the boat up and launch you etc, adding the car's length is generally where the costs skyrocket!

James

[Hydrostream]

Like Larby, I can get pretty decent discounts on ferries to here.

Last ferry with a boat behind us was €450, Landcruiser Amazon, Ring 21 on a pretty hefty trailer. So definitely no weight issues as we were probably close to 6 ton, and trailer was 8 or so metres. (I mean 6 )

What is it your looking to do?

[still no worries]

Its only 80ish miles by sea, I've done it in an 18 phantom.
Good fun, we only had two boats and a compass, found Alderney first but got there in the end, not bad for just a compass.

[Renegade]

Its more if i was to go away for a break, take the boat too, but to be honest its just not worth the added costs, i think i'll just got back to the states! lol

I know some people on here who tow their boats too spain and the thought is nice but sheeeeeeez its adds to the holiday.!!

[Hydrostream]

Originally Posted by Renegade

Its more if i was to go away for a break, take the boat too, but to be honest its just not worth the added costs, i think i'll just got back to the states! lol

I know some people on here who tow their boats too spain and the thought is nice but sheeeeeeez its adds to the holiday.!!

Im sure between all the members here, I'm sure you could blag a boat for a day or two wherever you decided to go!

[Renegade]

lol nothing like your own pride and joy though is there!

[OCRDA]

France is the cheapest bet !! Even then its usually best to book 2 returns if going for more than 3 days. Its also worth being economical with dimensions as they rarely check.
Eurotunnel from your end if booked in advance or LD Lines (DFDS) I find are normally most competative.
We did 4 crossings to France this year and planning 4 or 5 next year.

Bob

[Renegade]

cheers Bob, i have always fancied spain, i know a few lads that go to La Manga and it looks superb but the toll roads are so expensive, did anyone still using this forum drive the boats to GIb? can you remember what you laid out? leave out the rya money we got.

thank you very much guys for the responses. I'm very grateful.

[Hydrostream]

Bob, have you had any trailer issues towing in france? I've heard they're fairly keen over there on the laws, lights, reflectors, etc

[OCRDA]

Originally Posted by Renegade

cheers Bob, i have always fancied spain, i know a few lads that go to La Manga and it looks superb but the toll roads are so expensive, did anyone still using this forum drive the boats to GIb? can you remember what you laid out? leave out the rya money we got.

thank you very much guys for the responses. I'm very grateful.

Went to La Manga on one of the trips this year, Tolls are a bit spitefull with 6 wheel camper but not bad in a 4 wheeler. I have got all the prices somewhere.
We have a mate that lives there now more than here (X OCR Navigator) that i could put you in touch with.

[OCRDA]

Originally Posted by Hydrostream

Bob, have you had any trailer issues towing in france? I've heard they're fairly keen over there on the laws, lights, reflectors, etc

I have not had any trailer issues even with the double decker. I dont think they bother with Uk plates.
Double decker is definately the way forward to keep cost down.

Bob

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by OCRDA

Went to La Manga on one of the trips this year, Tolls are a bit spitefull with 6 wheel camper but not bad in a 4 wheeler. I have got all the prices somewhere.
We have a mate that lives there now more than here (X OCR Navigator) that i could put you in touch with.

Thats kind mate but wayne kerr and mike k on here are regulars out there.

All the best

[andy21]

Might be worth giving these guys a shout, http://www.shipandfly.com

I've not personally used them for a boat but they delivered my sisters car to Manchester on a trailer for far cheaper then it would have cost us to get the ferry and drive up.

They also delivered a car body shell for a good friend of mine, it was on a trailer and condor classed it as freight so the price was horrendous. I seem to remember ship & fly being less then half the price even though it went on the same boat!

Hope you can sort something out

[TWIN RIG]

If you go to La Manga get the ferry to Bilbao not Santander . It works out a lot less and it's not much further to drive .

[Wayne Kerr]

Originally Posted by TWIN RIG

If you go to La Manga get the ferry to Bilbao not Santander . It works out a lot less and it's not much further to drive .

2nd that. Only 1 toll on the road, just before Burgos (about 18 squids,,,or was the euros?).
Done the Calais - Spain route a few times when petrol was nilpence, at that time it worked out that the Portsmouth/Bilbao ferry was about 100 squids dearer, but good fun and having a beer or two made it worthwhile.
Also Bob's post about dimensions is worth thinking about.

If you wanna know more gizza call.

[Bokito]

We did La Manga 25years ago, windsurfing those days.

No idea whats it like boating over there.

Any tips, on La Manga, from you guys, should be nice going back once, with boat, if its worth, its a 1500kms long trip, but possibly worth.

We traveled Italy lakes frequently 1000kms taking boat with us, Lago Magiorre is my favorit, saw two UK Extreme type boats there think 3 or 4 years ago anchoring at buoy at campsite Isolino Verbania.

[Tony Davis]

Originally Posted by Bokito

saw two UK Extreme type boats there think 3 or 4 years ago anchoring at buoy at campsite Isolino Verbania.

That'd be these....