Ferry ramp clearance for Roadster

[wycolo]

At low tide is when the jump up is maximized according to ferry worker. My Chevy Spark EV has yet to stub its nose but it has at least an inch more height than the Roadster. I will of course try to approach at an angle and even stop to look at the clearance. Worst case I could turn around and go up in reverse.
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[Oricle]

If you have the factory Sport Suspension, you can change the ride height if need a little more clearance

 

[wycolo]

Can the grille be removed or maybe just the lower lip? Recently I got down near the ramp to observe clearance when a Lexus graunched its lower lip into the ship's deck. The driver was apparently used to the awful sound, but then its just a Lexus.
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[nick]

Keep in mind that the clearance at the rear is pretty close to the same as the clearance at the front.

A couple of lengths of 2x6 to drive over might help.

A few years back I got a flat tire on the freeway. I had a spare set of wheels so asked the tow truck driver to drop the car off at my home. Went to jack it up and the jack wouldn't fit under due to the flat tire. Thinking I was cleaver I got a length of 2x6 and drove the good front wheel over it to raise the car. Jack still wouldn't fit under

 

[Rolf68]

Keep in mind that the clearance at the rear is pretty close to the same as the clearance at the front.

A couple of lengths of 2x6 to drive over might help.

A few years back I got a flat tire on the freeway. I had a spare set of wheels so asked the tow truck driver to drop the car off at my home. Went to jack it up and the jack wouldn't fit under due to the flat tire. Thinking I was cleaver I got a length of 2x6 and drove the good front wheel over it to raise the car. Jack still wouldn't fit under

You could roll the car on something with the rear tire and use the jack point under the door. That would lift both rear and front wheels.

 

[wycolo]

> Keep in mind that the clearance at the rear is pretty close to the same as the clearance at the front. [nick]

The front is extended a lot more so likely to hit the deck, esp when coming down at low tide. The rear is more bob-tailed so I'm guessing not likely to be an issue. There is no time to stop and put wood pieces in place, then go back and pick them up; ferry users and workers have limited patience. The Roadster is small enough to quickly scoot over toward the edge of the ramp and hit it at as close to 45 degrees as possible. This would place the extended snout in the depression created by the wheels being at two different levels. With practice this could work well even at low tide, at which time the crew has attempted to equalize the top of the ramp angle and the bottom of the ramp angle as closely as possible so a vehicle is as likely to hit amidships or stub its nose. I think they just eyeball this rather than having the control system split the difference automatically. Could it be that no Roadster has ever taken a ferry ride??
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[hcsharp]

Could it be that no Roadster has ever taken a ferry ride??

Lots of Roadsters have taken ferry rides. I've taken the Nantucket Island ferry twice. Last year when I competed in the WAVE Trophy a couple of Roadsters rode the ferry across Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. Those are just the ones I know about. Obviously Lake Lucerne doesn't have tides but Nantucket does. I don't remember there being any problem - perhaps I just got lucky with the tide.

 

[Stefan T]

Mine have taken a ferry trip when i bought mine in germany
And it was on a truck ferry
There was 3 personal cars and guess 200 trucks

 

[slcasner]

My car took the ferry to Vashon Island in Seattle. I don't remember any problem with ramp angles.

 

[wycolo]

Turns out our ferry is very small (22 cars) and unique in that all other ferries in the State of Washington, and there are many, are much much larger than ours. Ours is the only county-operated ferry in the State, has been in service since 1980 and with luck will be replaced with an electric ferry.
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[plundy]

Why that must be the Dog Island ferry out of Anacortes. I love taking it to the fun run each year! Maybe next year I'll take the car instead of walking on.