Sea Kayak on car in Channel Tunnel?

[AndyC#2]

Morning all,

Heading to Croatia in a couple of weeks with the Greenland on the roof of the car. Has anyone had any experience of taking a 5m kayak on a car in the Channel Tunnel? Obviously I need to book an extra-high carriage but I can't find any mention on the website of excess length. The kayak isn't much longer than the car, less than a meter overall.

I'm assuming ferries should be fine - the Cal Macs obviously are so Norfolk Line should be no different.

TIA,

Andrew.

[PeterG]

Never had any problems and the A acuta is 5.2m. The extra height doesn't cost you anything anyway.

[AndyC#2]

Never had any problems and the A acuta is 5.2m. The extra height doesn't cost you anything anyway.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

AC.

[Graham Bland]

We are heading out to Croatia, through the Chunnel, in a few weeks too. Two sea kayaks on top of a VW T5 camper with MTBs on the back. Not expecting any issues with height / length and might see you on the road :)

[Chris329a]

It DOES depend with some ferry companies. With Brittany ferries as an example, I think it's something like 1.8m heigh as standard car height and anything higher (like roofbox) you'll pay more. It's the same with length too. No problem taking them but will probably up your cost a bit. One trick for length might be to slide it forward as far possible just for the crossing to minimize the overall length....

[AndyC#2]

Right, ended-up going on the P&O Dover-Calais route - I'm not in any hurry as I only need to get to Lyon on the first day to meet-up with the rest of the family and the ferry was half the price (and I do prefer boats to trains). The P&O online booking lets you enter both overall height and length, so there shouldn't be a problem.

Next hassle is carrying a couple of flares (one red hand flare and one orange smoke). Google suggested that P&O normally leave it to the Captain's discretion and s/he normally say yes but you have to hand them to the crew for the crossing. Unfortunately P&O Customer Service have told me I need to get a permit from the MCA to carry them on-board, so now I'm waiting to hear back from the MCA on what needs to be done. (I should probably just have stuck them deep in the boot of the car and kept schtum, but seeing as I seem to get pulled by port security at Dover with alarming regularity....)

A.

P.S. Graham - we'll be in Pakostan, south of Zadar from the 30th July - 6th August. Purple-y Citroen Grand Picasso with a black Tahe Greenland on the roof.

[Fast Pat]

Re Flares. Just put them in the car and say nowt, if challenged just point out that the ship is carrying them so whats the difference, if they were unstable do they really think you would have them in the car. In twenty years I have never declared them, been challenged once and they accepted my arguments without issue.

[Graham Bland]

P.S. Graham - we'll be in Pakostan, south of Zadar from the 30th July - 6th August. Purple-y Citroen Grand Picasso with a black Tahe Greenland on the roof.

Andy, remarkably we are heading for exactly the same area, we were reckoning on either Pakostran or Drage and should be there, off and on, from 28th July through to 12th August. Will look out for you
Graham

[AndyC#2]

P.S. Graham - we'll be in Pakostan, south of Zadar from the 30th July - 6th August. Purple-y Citroen Grand Picasso with a black Tahe Greenland on the roof.

Andy, remarkably we are heading for exactly the same area, we were reckoning on either Pakostran or Drage and should be there, off and on, from 28th July through to 12th August. Will look out for you
Graham

Small world!

We're staying at the Pine Beach Club (ex-Club Med place) in Pakostan. I'm with the family so won't be venturing out much beyond a couple of hours from there, probably mainly be in the bay practising my rolling in warm, clear, water ;)

[PeterG]

With ferries we've always been told that if the flares are in the car in a proper flare box there is no problem. They sometimes ask when they see a sea kayak. With the tunnel you do not see a human being only touch pads so no problem. However, I now carry a PLB as cheaper in the long run, more sure of bringing the cavalry, pin point position with the gps, safer for me and no problems with ferries etc.. When all my flares are out of date I may stop carrying them.

[AndyC#2]

Back from Croatia and a quick follow-up on the flares.

I didn't take them in the end as I wasn't going to be in a position that I'd need 'em (within 50m of shore, no tides, stable weather). Anyhow neither going out nor coming back did I get asked if I had any and the boarding card that you hang around the car mirror specifically made mention that if I was carrying maritime flares either in my car or in a trailered vessel I should notify a member of the crew. I did ask at the information desk on-board on the way out and they didn't know what the official position was but gave me the name of the P&O Safety Officer (which I've since forgotten) to contact.