Can someone give me advice for traveling on the ferry with a bike?   Do i need to take anything special?  Any best-practice advice?   Sailing at lunch tomorrow                                                                                                                                                                             

Hey Matt, me & Spesh have just got back from Spain (via ferry). The ferry ops take care of your bike - strap it down etc. All you have to do is ride it on. Although I do believe it's best practice to leave it in gear whilst on the ferry & if you have an alarm DON'T arm it. Hope that helps                                                                                                                                                                             

thanks, good advice.                                                                                                                                                                             

They usually strap the bike down just with the side stand down.   Use a strap or similar to 'tie' the bottom of the sidestand to the front wheel so the bike cannot fall forward and off the side stand.                                                                                                                                                                             

oooh another good idea.  I'll get some string or something then                                                                                                                                                                             

Increase air pressure in tyres to 125 psi
just in case the boat sinks at least your bike may float lol                                                                                                                                                                              

actually the pressure wont affect boyancy lol    But I'll try exploding my tyres to 125 when they're ready to be changed, that'll be fun.                                                                                                                                                                             

Even though they strap it down for you, stay and watch to make sure the strap padding IS actually under the strap.   Also take the strap off yourself when arriving, otherwise you could still be stood there like a lemon waiting to have your bike 'released' while all the cars get off and form a horrible queue in front of you to leave the terminal!! and if that sounds like the voice of experience . . . . . . I had plenty of time on my hands!                                                                                                                                                                             

Alarm off, in gear, strap round front brake lever, strap on stand and strap it down yourself if you can with ratchet straps. On North sea Ferries you have to strap it youself                                                                                                                                                                             

ok all sounds good.  I've got string and duct tape with me now                                                                                                                                                                             

If you strap it yourself you may not be covered by carriers insurance policy should anything happen. I stay and watch tying down till I"m satisfied, I usually carry a large oil filter "O" ring to put on front brake if its going on sidestand.                                                                                                                                                                              

Don't assume that they are going to strap your bike down. The last time I went from Hull to Rotterdam, I left my bike for them to strap down. When I came back to it, it was just as I had left it. Fortunately it was a calm crossing.                                                                                                                                                                             

Thats right Tim on Northsea they supply ropes for you to tie them down yourself but if you have ratchet straps you can use them otherwise learn how to tie knots
                                                                                                                                                                             

double post, dont forget in gear brake on stand locked
                                                                                                                                                                             

Putting an old towel between the strap and the seat will save your seat a bit of grief, those straps get pulled pretty tight.                                                                                                                                                                             

As Bill says - North Sea don't strap it down.  You have to do it yourself.  Ropes are ok, but cam buckle straps don't take up a lot of room in your luggage and are easier to use.  Ratchet straps are better but take up a lot of room.

If you don't have time or room to sort some cam buckle straps then google the Trucker's Hitch knot and get practising.  The issue with using rope is getting the tension when you tie off.  Invariably as you tie a knot the tension in the rope is lost.  However, the Trucker's Hitch is designed to avoid this.

As others have said, use something to hold the front brake on.  I use a 1 inch length of old mountain bike inner tube.  This sits quite unobtrusively on the bar end weight and is just tight enough to stay put.  Then when I need to, move it up onto the throttle twistgrip and hook over the brake lever.                                                                                                                                                                             

http://www.animatedknots.com/truckers/index.php