Irish Ferries. Be warned.

[SteveR]

Following some moronic behavious by a deckhand on Irish Ferries earlier in the week, I now need a replacement seat for my 2005 Vara! XL1000 V4 The stupid eedjit overtightened the ratchet strap in spite of being told not to.... and snapped the seat base plate so that it does not take my weight anymore and sags. Very weird feeling indeed... :dry:

The ruddy sods have not even acknowledged my original email yet.... I explained the issue, and asked for details of their Insurers last weekend, nowt! Now sent another email to an alternative address, and a copy into the post tonight if no reply during then day. Then Facebook and see if they like dirty washing out in public....

What really grates, is most/all of the Channel crossings now use a big cushion between the seat and ratchet to prevent just this sort of damage. I took care on the outward crossing to stop the deckhand overtightening the strap, but did not actually watch the non-english speaking deckhand on the return crossing....

[92kk k100lt 193214]

I have used them many times and generally do the tie down myself. They do normally have lots of carpet and soft material for covering the seat hanging on the rails at the sides of the car deck. I do travel with my own tie downs to ensure the bike cant move. But yes some of the deck hands are not up to it.

I have once had damage to a car on a ferry caused by their own equipment coming loose on the car deck. I wrote the company and a very strong letter and some argy bargy extracted the cost of the repairs by way of travel vouchers which I was happy with.

Cost of seat and so on is not cheap but in insurance terms its a small claim amount more likely they would pay that out themselves rather than go through their insurers.

[SteveR]

Cheers 92kk

I did not see any carpet or other material to hand. just a pile of big ass straps. The deckhands were quite adamant that they wished to strap down themselves, which I found unusual... I am quite capable of doing my own and have done so in the past many times.

I'm not hugely botherered who pays, but TBH, a simple acknowledgement would be a good start. I am getting annoyed that they cannot be bothered to come back to me. Seat is £240+VAT!!!

Quite possibly, a letter will pay dividends as you found.

[Mike101]

This happened on a ferry from Spain a couple of years ago to a guy with a brand new r1200gs LC.

The metal tray under the seat was bent so much that he could not sit on it. He got a new one on insurance but it was a right pain...in the arse!

Mike

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Cheers 92kk

I did not see any carpet or other material to hand. just a pile of big ass straps. The deckhands were quite adamant that they wished to strap down themselves, which I found unusual... I am quite capable of doing my own and have done so in the past many times.

I'm not hugely botherered who pays, but TBH, a simple acknowledgement would be a good start. I am getting annoyed that they cannot be bothered to come back to me. Seat is £240+VAT!!!

Quite possibly, a letter will pay dividends as you found.

I find they do come round and do a check, partly because in the end its their responsibility, hence they end up liable too.....Unfortunately a broken seat is a lot cheaper too than the repair of a bike that's been sliding on the deck so they take that risk.

Brittany Ferries would not allow me to do the tie down and tried to pull the bike down so hard on the side stand I had to stop them bending it.

[Mawnanian]

They're not all like that. Last year Caledonian Macbrayne succeeded in tipping my bike over on the Arran ferry, luckily the bulkhead stopped it falling all the way but the screen was damaged and also my helmet which was hanging from the bars.
The captain came down, took photos, filled out a form for me to sign and gave me a phone number. When I phoned they asked me to get an estimate for the work but when I said I'd replace the screen and buy a new helmet myself they simply said to send them the receipts and they'd send me the money.
Very helpful and totally painless, I was impressed.

[Brenhden]

Brittany Ferries would not allow me to do the tie down and tried to pull the bike down so hard on the side stand I had to stop them bending it.

On the way to Spain two weeks ago the Brittany guy ratcheted the strap so hard my side stand was bowing, I yelped in shock did some terrible french until he stopped.

[ollydog]

on the boat sunday, will watch out fro that, iam use to doing my own. once going to majorca i was given a bit off old rope to lash the bike against the hand rail, this was a fully load fatboy

steve

[SteveR]

Brittany Ferries would not allow me to do the tie down and tried to pull the bike down so hard on the side stand I had to stop them bending it.

On the way to Spain two weeks ago the Brittany guy ratcheted the strap so hard my side stand was bowing, I yelped in shock did some terrible french until he stopped.

Yep, seen that, but at least they use a cushion!!! I stopped a BF deckhand last year from overdoing it when sailing to Saint Malo...

[SteveR]

This happened on a ferry from Spain a couple of years ago to a guy with a brand new r1200gs LC.

The metal tray under the seat was bent so much that he could not sit on it. He got a new one on insurance but it was a right pain...in the arse!

Mike

I bet it was, the seat keeps nipping the butt when you move about, even through an Airhawk I could feel it.