First Tassy crossing

What is the difference between diesel fuel in Vehicle fuel tank and that in the Webasto fuel tank? It is the same fuel in both containers.

Joan and Peter, probably the best people to answer these questions is Jay and Jackie who are over there at the moment touring around. They went just before Christmas and I am sure would be happy to speak to you if you ring them.

Angie

Hi Joan and Peter,

We went over to tassie with the van early last year. They are not really concerned about fuel in tanks such as vehicles and gas bottles that are secured to the van etc. They are more concerned about loose gas bottles and those fuel stoves that some of the back packers carry along with bottles of the liquid fuel. Never asked about spray cans we might have been carrying. Don't think we were carrying any jerry cans at that time. In any event they confiscate them and place them in a ute that has a mesh cage on the back. All the bottles, stoves etc are place in that and locked and then that vehicle is lashed down on the rear deck out in the open and is always under surveillance by the crew working on the deck. You reclaim them on arrival at Devonport. In any event once the ship is under way you are not permitted to go to the vehicle decks until instructed upon arrival at Tassie.

Regards,

Roy

Just one other thing, don't under estimate the length of your rig because they do random checks on length, not that I think for one minute that you would deliberately do that. Only recently friends booked on the ferry from Tassie. They went to lengths to explain that their vehicle was a small delivery type van truck. When they arrived to board they were hit for another $700. They assumed that it was one of those hiace type vans. For what it's worth

Roy

G'day Jaon & Peter. We travelled back and forth to Tassie last year quite a bit, and the rules and regulations vary according to who 's doing your inspection. If you are pleasant and polite and easy to get on with, you won't have any troubles. If you get a bit stroppy like we have seen over and over, expect to be given the once over! On one trip, they took the second gas bottle from the front of the Tracker, and put it in that cagevan out the back of the vessel for the crossing. The next trip, they left it on the front of the van even though we asked weren't they going to take it? If you have a jerry can if fuel, that will be taken to the cage...if the jerry is empty, even though you may have dried it out like we did, they will not accept it on board unless it is filled with water ....yes water! Don't worry about the webasto...this is something akin to wondering if your car's fuel tank is acceptable. I wouldn't even bother to mention it, they have enough to worry about. Yes, don't underestimate your total length like we did (forgot about draw bar!) We have a Landcruiser and 18' van, so we are exactly 13 metres. We got slugged an extra 189.00 for the drawbar at the gate! We travelled as 11 metres for 4 trips before they checked us and got the extra dollars out of us. This put our trip fares up to almost 2000.00 for a return trip Apex fare on shoulder season, as we had a porthole cabin. For this reason, we will never take the caravan again, just the car and rely on family for accomodation next trip over! One trip, we had the car, the van, but we went during the day, and the fare was just over 700.00 return, so it varlies a lot! It was a great way to travel until this nasty surprise! Next "don't" is....do not take any fruit or veges over unless they are cooked and frozen. They do a bit of a search in the fridge, but they are not really thorough if you ask me! On the trip back to the mainland, you can take anything except lettuce as Tassie has a lettuce blight problem going on.
One "do" is this......go and see all the little towns on the "C" roads, and stay away from the main highways if you really want to see the place properly. Make sure you travel through Mole Creek, which is just outside Deloraine, on the way to Cradle Mountain. The pub there features the Tiger Bar, a collection of Tassie Tiger paintings on the walls , the camping ground at Sassafras Creek just outside Mole Creek is delightful and close to lots of places of interest, and cheap to stay in. Phone 03 63631150 and speak to Colleen or Johnny, tell them Easy says g'day!
There's a great restaurant there too at Mole Creek. We used to own the Cafe, but left 2 years ago now, so can't speak for the fish n chips there now!
Feel free to ring us if you want to have a chat about it. Details in Bog Members List.
Cheers from Jan O & Easy

Tasi is great!

All our jerry jugs were required to be filled with water! Even the hint of a fuel smell and in went the water.

No issue was made of the BT propane tanks or the 4.5k gas bottles we have in the F250 storage compartment.

Can't speak to the Webasto fuel tank issue as we do not have the standard tank.

I do not believe that the Webasto tank should be an issue since it is "attached" to the BT.

We are here for 10 weeks - next time (2008) six months.

Luvntravln

Hello all,
First a thank you to all for getting back so quickly with advise about the fuel storage. Just to elaborate on the explanation given by TT-Line :
Brian... It was not the fuel but the tank on the outside of the van, and they don`t know what a Webasto heater is, so they make it difficult and our problem.
Angie....Hi,thank you for the info on Jay and Jackie,will try and contact them this week.
Roy....Only container we are taking is in a portable stove (emtied and vented) and our travel agent made sure about getting the lenght( when connected )of the outfit when we booked.
Jan O-Easy....I have printed your reply and will use it on the trip .I will be the extreme example of pleasantness even if they belittle the BT.
One question ,would you explain what is meant by Apex fare? We booked just starting the shoulder season in Feb. with internal cabin.
The day trip you mentioned,would that have been from Melbourne and were unaware of daytime crossings?
Yes..the aim is to go off road as much as possible (with or without BT) and see the real Tas.

PS Did you really go on that "Road unsuitable for Caravans ?"

Cheers Joan >>>Peter

Hi again. To answer a few of your queries.....
The TT line don't like to give away cheap fares, so unless you know to ask, you won't get offered anything cheaper. (they are buggers for that!) An APEX fare is the cheapest you can buy, sort of like a standby airline ticket, except you don't have to chance a berth by waiting at the dock, you just book, and if they have apex berths on the day or night, then you get them! Oh, and don't ever think the staff on the boats look down on BTs, they all seem to just stand and admire! Mind you, so do lots of the other caravanners who are parked near to your rig! We have had nothing but compliments so far.

The day trip was last year in May. It worked out heaps cheaper because we just spent the day lazing about on the deck instead of having to be in a cabin to sleep.....no accomodation fees right? Don't know what they are doing this year with these day crossings. There was talk late last year of them slashing the number of crossings due to a downturn in demand. ....probably because of people like us, who went from crossing all the time, to not doing it because of the cost!!!!!

You better believe we actually did the road "unsuitable for caravans"!! It is the Kempsey to Armidale road via Comara, Bellbrook, and Smiths Creek in NSW. A one lane goat track carved into the side of the mountains, used by b doubles as well as the locals and the odd lost tourist! We worked on Comara station for 3 months and became so used to this road that we swore it had widened by the time we drove out on it! We asked all the locals, who was going to be driving on it the day we left, and worked out the times that the large cattle trucks would be on it, and drove out after them rather than risk coming face to face on a single lane around a mountain. It doesn't worry them, but we didn't think we could manouever our van that well backwards up a hill on one lane just yet!!!