# Speedferries award



## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Hi. I have recently had a email from Speedferries saying the have been awarded the "best european crossing operator" award from the Daily Telegraph. obviously whoever made this award hasn't got a m'home over 2 metres wide.
Cheers Sid :roll: :roll: :roll:


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## thesnail (May 1, 2005)

*1cm too wide*

I have contacted speed ferries as i have a return ticket issued as part of their offer this year and have been told by their marketing manager that even if I am only 1cm over they will not take me .

I did point out that I have crossed many times with SF and have never encountered any problems in fact there was enough room to open both doors once parked on the deck.

When I mentioned to him that Norfolk Lines were putting on three new ferries and would cross me for £19 he replied that SF were responsible for the reduction in fares which had forced the other companies to cut theirs !!!!!!

Still it does seem to have had some response, maybe if a few more members contacted SF we might get them to relax the 2meter rule.

this is the MD address

For the personal attention of.

Mr Curt Stavis
Director Speed ferries
209 East Canter Office Building
Dover
KENT
CT16 1JA

Bryan (The Snail)

:idea:


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Bryan,

I have a Timberland LWB Ducato and it's just over the 2 metre mark. I have travelled with Speedferries four times now and I've never been checked except for height.

Last trip speed one was almost empty. I got chatting to a crew member and mentioned the 2 metre problem. He stated that if you contact the head office they will quote you chapter and verse as per the regulations.

What the head office quote and what happens on board is a different matter. Each trip I've been on there has been at least two panel vans beside us.

SF are trying to lease another larger craft for next year. If it comes off they plan to take vehicles over 2 metres.

We fully understand the risk we take, we would offer to go on a later sailing if it was crowded, but the bottom line is we know the risk we are taking.

We are giving Norfolk Lines a try next week £68 for a crossing with reasonable sailing times 1845 & 10.30. No way would we have a 0200 sailing. 

We've heard very mixed reports about Norfolk Line, we'll find out for ourselves what they are like.

Don


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

> SF are trying to lease another larger craft for next year. If it comes off they plan to take vehicles over 2 metres.


 I wonder what that boat will be, a destroyer or battlecruiser maybe :?: I understand Sp1 and 2 are ex Australian naval craft! I wonder if he's buying more ex military stock :lol:

Dave :wink:


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Australian navy have never had a battlecruiser so can't be that

olley


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

MandyandDave said:


> > SF are trying to lease another larger craft for next year. If it comes off they plan to take vehicles over 2 metres.
> 
> 
> I wonder what that boat will be, a destroyer or battlecruiser maybe :?: I understand Sp1 and 2 are ex Australian naval craft! I wonder if he's buying more ex military stock :lol:
> ...


I did hear it's an old aircraft carrier so we can have camping on deck  but don't quote me 8O .

Don


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Don said 
*[I did hear it's an old aircraft carrier so we can have camping on deck  but don't quote me .*.

Yes but you don't half disembark fast.........twang :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Sid.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

> Australian navy have never had a battlecruiser so can't be that


sorry boobed had one in 1913 might still be afloat :lol:

Olley


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Without the enterprise of S/F I'm sure we would all still be paying through the nose for channel crossings and consider that we owe them a great big thank you for the risk they took on when fighting the established operators., width limit or no!
What I would like to know is exactly why do they impose the limit? Does anyone know the precise reason?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Gaspode,

I can only think it is to maximise the number of vehicles. I have been on a full sailing with my panel van conversion and it needed the wing mirrors folded in and me escaping out of the sliding door! If I had been any wider it would have meant a disproportional hit on the number of vehicles the ferry could have carried.

Other times, of course, it isn't so full and wider vehicles could be accommodated, but this is unpredictable when any one wide vehicle books and S/F are wise to keep to a simple policy on the matter. There has to be a cut-off and 2m is what they chose.

But they don't deserve any sour grapes on the matter, merely hope that SF2 is a bigger vessel as they intend.

Dave


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

Hi Ken & Jen. Hopefully Bryan & Rosemary AKA the Snail will read these posts as he has had correspondence with Curt, boss of SF. He has more details.
Cheers Sid.

Mr B. Not sour grapes just disappointed as we have been with SF a couple of times, (even turning around once inside the vessel without problem) we enjoyed the trip and staying on the quay overnight was a bonus.
Cheers Sid :lol: :lol:


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