16,000 pounds on a Ferry

[ctbailey]

This weekend we went on a 600 mile trip from New England to Long Island and back.

We "Drove around" on the way there, over the Throggs Neck bridge... that was fun.

So on the way home we decided to take the ferry across from Port Jefferson NY to Bridgeport CT. I wish I had a better pic, but this is the only one showing the rig inside the Ferry. Don't be alarmed, the crew had me position it as crooked as you see it.



Oddly, they waited to load me until just about last.

On the way through Connecticut, I stopped at a CAT scale, and got actual weights. Gross Combined 16,220 pounds.

The ferry cost $174 which included the truck, trailer & driver and one passenger. The kids were free.

Best $174 I ever spent! I would have sat in 6 hours of Long Island Expressway traffic and NYC traffic.

[ctbailey]

Here's the second shot:

[need-a-vacation]

Awesome you had a great trip! Sweet pic!

[ctbailey]

Thanks Need!

Ya, it was a good trip over all. Mileage numbers: 7.4 MPG.

I try to run around 60 mph as much as possible, and I also run in the center lane, to minimize the merging left/right when other autos are trying to merge onto the highway.

I've logged 964 miles on the trailer this season all ready, and my list of mods needed is certainly growing!

[RedHorse1]

We took a short ferry with the 23B. Much shorter than your rig. It was a fun experience. The loading guys had done this many times so the whole deal was "wham, bam, thank you ma'am". They shuffled us to a side lane and we were first on, first off. Smooth.
Very cool pic!

[Camper_bob]

Riding the ferry is a bit disconcerting the first time or two, but those guys (DOT ferry operators) see RV's longer than mine and commercial traffic all day long; no big deal.

I probably weigh close to what you do going down the road...

[Murff]

Ferry rides are an adventure! Little nervous when parked next to a 53 foot semi trailer, though.

Murff

[ctbailey]

Ya, it was a bit disconcerting, however I've driven cars onto the ferry before.

The only bad thing, is I sustained a "rub" on the rear of the camper... like someone rubbed a black bumper or something onto the rear outdoor kitchen door.

The rub might be able to buff off, but the metal border trim did get mashed in a bit. Not enough damage for me to attempt a claim. Consider it a lesson - I should have inspected immediately before loading and after unloading.

I've got way bigger problems to chase than this. I'll post a pic of the damage tonight.

[SkyBound]

I am planning this same thing on a different ferry next month. It's a bit pricy, but for the extra $70 it will cost above driving I think the experience and time savings will be worth it. I am a bit nervous, especially considering the little bit of damage you sustained. My rig is 53' from bumper to bumper and I'm about 14,000lbs combined. How long is your total rig length?

[ctbailey]

Roughly 55' bumper to bumper. The steamship co charged me $168 for the rig and driver. Basically (3) auto spots. The other ferry co was charging $3.50 per foot, but they are the "fancy" option.

[SkyBound]

I would have thought you were longer than that. My truck is 21 feet, trailer 31, and a foot for the hitch. I'm looking at about $260 Canadian total for the one way trip for 3 passengers and the rig. Considering our dollar right now that's probably pretty close to what you paid for your trip.

[ctbailey]

I will measure it on Friday, now ya got me wondering! . We're headed to the lakes region for my 20th high school reunion, and there are several RV campgrounds within walking distance from the banquet facility.