I plan on riding to Maine from SC and taking the CAT Ferry over to Nova Scotia. Looking for information on putting a Motorcycle on the ferry. Any Do's or Don'ts.

Thanks in advance

 

Check out www.catferry.com will cost you about $200 one way for 2 pass. and bike. Be carefull on the deck with your bike, very smooth and slippery. You might want to bring something to protect your bike because they use their own tie-downs across the seat. They are not too clean!!

 

We made the trip last august on the Cat. I would suggest buying your tickets at least a month in advanvce, earlier the better. They want you to arrive two hours early, there is a staging area and they line up all bikes in one area. When it's time to load they load a row of cages first and then they load all the bike up near the front. They have tie downs made into the deck and there are racks of tie down straps. Take some soft tie straps like the ones Harley sells, bout 16" long, Their tie down straps are dirty. I tied our Ultra on four corners both coming and going. Most of the bikes had to strap across the seat to a ring on each side, leave bike on jiffy stand with bike in first gear and want you to bungee around the fromnt brake handle. Take a good size towel or something to put on the seat in case you have to tie this way. My buddy that was with us had to tie across the seat as did most everyone else and there were no problems.
Once your tied down eveyone goes to the upper deck, grab some up fron seats! It's a neat view and they have overhead monitors showing GPS on a plotter and you can see the boats progress and path. You can always move around to other parts of the boat. They have two snack bars, A dining area, gambling area (slots) two movies are playing and there is an observation deck on the back.
The Cat is fast, about 42-45 MPH and stable. Going across we felt just an easy side to side motion, on the way back it was just as stable as your living room. It's also real quiet!
You go through customswhen you get off on either end.Takes about 20 minutes for most, they did pull some bikes and cages off to the side for further inspection. All they did with us was ask if we had any weapons (I didn't even take a knife) and few questions like did you bring contraband, booze, dope ect. YOU DO NEED A PASSPORT< APPLY NOW IF YOU HAVEN"T.
When you drive up onto the ferry the gangway on is steel grating and you ride up onto the deck which is smooth steel. If it's the least bit wet and your two up have your passenger walk on. You need to go slow and easy! Same getting off.
You want to have your reservations for a room in Yarmouth for arrival and departure, at least that would be my advise. Going over the boat was over two hours late and we didn't get to the motel till after eleven PM. It was unusual to be late, they had a problem getting fuel before or trip accross and had to have tankers load fuel on in Portland.
I finally got some photos out and plan on posting in the Road trips soon, procrastination is an old foe of mine. LOL