Cook Strait Ferries Megathread

[James Deuce]

From your local bikeshop, get a set of straps that go over the handlebars, and onboard just go with the flow of the crew. Oxford do a good set IMHO.

I wouldn't go wasting money. The tie downs on the Interislander are perfectly good.

[James Deuce]

Wow, a useful post hassling a newbie. Haven't seen that on KB before.

You're dead right, the oldies are much worse at not bothering to use the search function.

[jellywrestler]

I wouldn't go wasting money. The tie downs on the Interislander are perfectly good.

last time i was on there (a couple of weeks back ) they'd reverted to providing rope to tie you bike down.
F ing useless I say.
While i can tie a rope no guarantees that the rider next to can

[PeteMun]

I used the interislander last month. They have bulk tie downs and just using your side stand is ok.

If the oceans rough you can always tie down the rear wheel. you will see how easy it is when you get there

[mossy1200]

Ill lend you some tie downs and show you how to tie it down as long as you return straps by 24th feb as im going over on 25th

[JATZ]

I came across last week on the interislander, they had plenty of strops, most in pretty good nic too Don't tie your bike down on it's side stand

[jellywrestler]

I used the interislander last month. They have bulk tie downs and just using your side stand is ok.

If the oceans rough you can always tie down the rear wheel. you will see how easy it is when you get there

the interislander is a company, different Interislander boats have different facilities, where i was on the boat Kaitaki they had shitty rope with a hook on the end
per square foot you pay good money for a bike and get a $1 worth of rope. let them know you're not happy with what you pay for

[Kickaha]

After the first trip I did in 1986 I have always taken my own tiedowns and will continue to do so, sometimes there's good stuff to tie them down with and sometimes there isn't

[Howie]

the interislander is a company, different Interislander boats have different facilities, where i was on the boat Kaitaki they had shitty rope with a hook on the end
per square foot you pay good money for a bike and get a $1 worth of rope. let them know you're not happy with what you pay for

Interesting comment that as I went Kaitaki in late Jan they had plenty of near new tie downs, the Arahura on the other hand had next to none.

I know a few people who work on the interislander ferry's and they all say the problem is they put out x amount of new ones regularly, and quite a few of them disappear fairly quickly! I wonder where they go?

[BEAMER89]

l traveled on the Kaitaki last week and it was the first time the motorcycle parks were full 10-12? bikes and there were enough strops for everyones bikes. lve never had a problem threw lack off tiedowns.

[Paul in NZ]

If you are worried and if you have space to carry them then a set of motorcycle tiesdowns are well worth it. They have an extra tiedown loop that makes them easier to use. If your bike has a full fairing then one of the aforementioned straps that goes over the bars is a great idea. Practise or find a decent tie down point before you get on the boat - it saves time.

Put the bike on the side stand, fit the tie down to the 'high' side of the bike and pull it slightly tight. Fit the other side (we are talking front here) and flip up the stand. Tighten both down compressing the front suspension to hold tension (ask someone to hold the bike upright if you are worried. If you do it right the bike only needs 2 strops but because you might have luggage etc its good to be careful and ad a couple at the back too.

Main advantage of using your own gear is that its usually clean but in the past I have taken disposable gloves on leaving as their gear used to be so freakin manky even I didnt want to stick my hands into my gloves after.

Undo the two from strops 1st after putting down the stand.

DON"T tie it hard onto the stand - you can damage it

[jellywrestler]

If you are worried and if you have space to carry them then a set of motorcycle tiesdowns are well worth it.

Point is you pay good money to sail per square foot. Taking your own tiedowns doesn't stop the bike next to you, that's tied down with thin rope, falling on your bike.
As long as we bend over and take service like that up the arse they'll keep providing sub standard service.
There are customer service forms, find one and fill it out, eventually they will get the message and improve the service.

[Gremlin]

Point is you pay good money to sail per square foot. Taking your own tiedowns doesn't stop the bike next to you, that's tied down with thin rope, falling on your bike.

Get a bigger bike

Effectively Interislander has had a large hike in their fares. Always used booking codes, because of some ride. Worked out to $152 return for the bike, which was good. Now it's 10% of the fare of the sailing you're taking, which makes it more like $200.... If Bluebridge had better sailing times (I=6 a day, B=3, maybe 4 - and crazy times) I'd jump ship (just about literally)

[mossy1200]

Get a bigger bike

Effectively Interislander has had a large hike in their fares. Always used booking codes, because of some ride. Worked out to $152 return for the bike, which was good. Now it's 10% of the fare of the sailing you're taking, which makes it more like $200.... If Bluebridge had better sailing times (I=6 a day, B=3, maybe 4 - and crazy times) I'd jump ship (just about literally)

2 people return and bike $322.
I woulda gone on Bluebridge but they wanted charge for trailer and interislander said dont worry about it.

[skippa1]

3 weeks ago, arahura had bugga all tiedowns. Just get two decent ratchet tiedowns, strap her down on the side stand. Doesnt need to be tight, just secure. Either that or drain all fluids, lie it on a blanket then put a cargo net over it. get a number of cars to park on the edges of the net to hold it down