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oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
Is there a big drop if you cock it up ?:whistle:

This is for a folding mobility scooter which weighs in theory 17.5Kg Does not sound much but I fear an incipient hernia when lifting it. Since I have the ramps anyway for my trike which goes unfolded in by the rear door I might as well use them to get the scooter in the side door. The door is just wide enough but there is a footwell about 12 inches deep which means the floor is not level right up to the front seat.
 
This is for a folding mobility scooter which weighs in theory 17.5Kg Does not sound much but I fear an incipient hernia when lifting it. Since I have the ramps anyway for my trike which goes unfolded in by the rear door I might as well use them to get the scooter in the side door. The door is just wide enough but there is a footwell about 12 inches deep which means the floor is not level right up to the front seat.

No . I meant reversing off the ferry ! :whistle:
 
Grey, warm and humid here chez Casa Reynard.

I slept well, but I'm still in sleep deficit. Anyways, I have had a productive morning in the kitchen. I triaged all my remaining vegetables, which were looking rather tired. The only casualty was a bag of spinach that I'd bought on sticker, and that's gone into the compost. Usually those will keep a couple of weeks or more, but not this time. Hey ho... I have some mushrooms that I will fry up this afternoon and then put them in a tupperware in the fridge. I can use those for an omelette later in the week.

The remainder of the veg will be diverted either into soup or into a big pot of veggie curry. The sauce for the curry is already simmering away in the crock pot, and I'll be adding sweet potato, peppers, green beans, broccoli and a can of chick peas later.

I've also done some writing - mainly tidying up what I did yesterday, but also turning some quick notes I scribbled down the other night into a scene in the chapter that I'm working on.

And it's almost time for luncheon.
 
The bow visor on one of the Outer Isles ferries is out of action so many will have to reverse off or on. We get this occasionally and the chaos can be imagined as many touroid have no idea how to reverse.
At Kirkwall you have to reverse down a ramp with a right angle bend to get on the ferry after midnight to Lerwick. Been there and managed ok with a motorhome but many with cars had hairy fits at the idea and made a right hash of it.:wacko:

It's a bit like when they used to run the Sea Cat between Dover (from the old hoverport) and Oostende. If you got loaded first at one end, you were right up in the spiral in the bow (no bow doors on these things), you had to reverse out of there at the other.
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
No . I meant reversing off the ferry ! :whistle:

Sorry, misunderstanding.
You would have to have pretty hefty vehicle to drop anywhere but instead a big bill for bodywork repairs.
The ramp is well protected nowadays as the elfin safety fairy has been to visit but the main source of damage would be inside the ferry where other vehicles as quite close. :ohmy:
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
It's a bit like when they used to run the Sea Cat between Dover (from the old hoverport) and Oostende. If you got loaded first at one end, you were right up in the spiral in the bow (no bow doors on these things), you had to reverse out of there at the other.

One of Calmac’s senior managers once told me was skipper on that for a while. Once clear of Dover harbour he said to the others on the bridge “ let’s see what this bird can do” and opened the throttles wide. Cannot remember what speed he reached but arrived at the destination port so early they had to jill around for a bit as the dock workers at the destination refused to leave their wine break early.:stop:
 
One of Calmac’s senior managers once told me was skipper on that for a while. Once clear of Dover harbour he said to the others on the bridge “ let’s see what this bird can do” and opened the throttles wide. Cannot remember what speed he reached but arrived at the destination port so early they had to jill around for a bit as the dock workers at the destination refused to leave their wine break early.:stop:

Standard cruising speed was about 40 to 45 knots IIRC, double that of the fastest of the ferries that used to work that crossing. The Prins Filip was 22 knots, the slowest, the Reine Astrid only 17. Although the gas turbines on the Diamant and Rapide could kick up to well beyond the 40. I used to love standing at the stern, just to feel that "oooomph" :blush:

Although the crossing was very dependent on the tides and currents as well, so you could do Dover-Oostende in about an hour and a half if everything was in your favour.
 
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