Wading with a snorkel

[Shaun Witts]

While at a camp site in the North Lakes there was a smart looking white Swamper also staying there (T66 WMP if it’s anyone on here?) with a snorkel.

This got me thinking - surely to be able to fully utilise a snorkel, should the occasion arise, presumably any other equipment fitted to the van must also be adapted to allow submersion. I’m thinking about the Webasto heater under my van or the VB air suspension.

In some cases, I suppose that the snorkel might be just for show, but for any that do take their van into the wilderness, does other equipment get the snorkel treatment as well?

Just idle wondering…

 

[Green Giant]

my diesel heater is fitted under the drivers seat for the reasons you say, to keep it dry.
You really need a breather kit fitted for the axles and gearbox etc to tkeep water from being sucked in.
we are building our van to tour the inlands of Iceland, where you have to ford rivers etc, will be fitting a front engine bash plate to help fend off any rocks under the water.
I certainly wouldn’t go much deeper than the cills or the van will float.
We do get flooding in the uk so a snorkel may come in handy..maybe..

 

[Shaun Witts]

my diesel heater is fitted under the drivers seat for the reasons you say, to keep it dry.
You really need a breather kit fitted for the axles and gearbox etc to tkeep water from being sucked in.
we are building our van to tour the inlands of Iceland, where you have to ford rivers etc, will be fitting a front engine bash plate to help fend off any rocks under the water.
I certainly wouldn’t go much deeper than the cills or the van will float.
We do get flooding in the uk so a snorkel may come in handy..maybe..

Thanks.
I have driven through flooded roads myself, probably at about the sill level, even with the VB suspension set to off-road for extra height. Thankfully no damage as it never occurred to me at the time re. the Webasto heater under the van. The front number plate was washed off though.

 

[Kind of Blue]

I would like a snorkel on our 2019 199 bhp Carevelle Exec 4Motion D/L. Often cross flooded roads in Wales and do not fancy bent con-rods and holes punched through the crankcase. As far as I understand it, the differentials axles ect do not have vented breathers but closed expansion tubes. I am prepared to be corrected on that. Of course long tube vents routed to a safer place high in the engine compartment or else where would be better. I have done plenty of off road driving in all sorts of vehicles and few of them had specialised long breather tubes or vents most had what the manufacture gave then and none suffered. Most did not have snorkels but did have very highly placed air intakes. The UNIMOG was very much better equipped and had a huge wading depth.

Going back to the T6, a snorkel would give a piece of mind certainly. Main thing it is not just about stationary depth but often one drops from a height or slope when entering the water in the first instant and the initial bow-wave can drive water up and over the bonnet, even when the water is only moderately deep. So, without a snorkel, that initial dip can be the worst danger. The T6 air intake is not especially high and it is in an unfortunate place for wading, being right at the front of the vehicle at headlamp height! So one must be especially careful when entering the water without a snorkel. Normally in the off road world one leans to create a small bow wave when wading so driving at the right pace is important. Just fast enough to form a leading wave and to maintain it steadily, not so fast as to push water over the top and not so slow as to lose momentum. The Bow wave pushes water ahead but by default it creates a dip midway along the length of the vehicle so helping to prevent lift and flooding inside. This also is not really possible in a T6 that has no snorkel, as that very bow wave could gain ingress into the air intake. So double jeopardy. The other thing is often wading water is also often moving particularly if crossing a river or stream or flooding by the same so driving against the flow can artificially raise the bow wave.

As has been stated a steel under tray may be also important to protect from submerged rocks and force of water.

 

[Green Giant]

I always stop at the edge of any deep water before driving through, this prevents you going in way too fast and flooding the engine bay, we have all seen those YouTube videos, and unfortunately we all pay for this stupidity via our premiums

 

[Kind of Blue]

I always stop at the edge of any deep water before driving through, this prevents you going in way too fast and flooding the engine bay, we have all seen those YouTube videos, and unfortunately we all pay for this stupidity via our premiums

Absolutely, some of those guys had it cumming. Just sheer over exuberance and foolishness.

 

[Kind of Blue]

When are you going to Iceland Green Giant? That is something that we had always planned to do but may be unlikely now. who knows.

 

[Sasquatch]

Before considering wading I'd do something about replacing/securing the many fragile plastic panels thst clad the underside of a T6/6.1, and which are easily torn off driving through a few inches of water at speed.

Some versions (I don't know which, possibly 4motions?) supposedly have a 300mm wading capacity, but this does seem optimistic when one considers the stories on this very forum of underside plastics that have been badly damaged/detached in few inches of water.

My first thought was also about any underslung Webastos because they're not designed to be immersed, but you're thinking along those line already.

Best of luck, sounds like a great trip in the making.

 

[Green Giant]

When are you going to Iceland Green Giant? That is something that we had always planned to do but may be unlikely now. who knows.

Going out in June, takes about 5 days to get there with the driving to top of Denmark then the ferry crossing , we have 20 days on Iceland, want to see as much as possible, then the return trip home, I’m currently doing lots of overtime to pay for this trip…
We tend to just pay the deposit for a ferry crossing 12 months in advance, then we deal with the full costs, saving up, and getting time off work, otherwise we never commit to the trips and put it off, but while we have the small van it’s just about doable,

 

[Kind of Blue]

Going out in June, takes about 5 days to get there with the driving to top of Denmark then the ferry crossing , we have 20 days on Iceland, want to see as much as possible, then the return trip home, I’m currently doing lots of overtime to pay for this trip…
We tend to just pay the deposit for a ferry crossing 12 months in advance, then we deal with the full costs, saving up, and getting time off work, otherwise we never commit to the trips and put it off, but while we have the small van it’s just about doable,

I look foreword to hearing about your trip and hopefully seeing some images and video if possible. It would be great to hear about you vehicle prep. June will come soon enough. Alcohol is extremely expensive I understand.

 

[Kind of Blue]

Before considering wading I'd do something about replacing/securing the many fragile plastic panels thst clad the underside of a T6/6.1, and which are easily torn off driving through a few inches of water at speed.

Some versions (I don't know which, possibly 4motions?) supposedly have a 300mm wading capacity, but this does seem optimistic when one considers the stories on this very forum of underside plastics that have been badly damaged/detached in few inches of water.

My first thought was also about any underslung Webastos because they're not designed to be immersed, but you're thinking along those line already.

Best of luck, sounds like a great trip in the making.

Wading on its own does not tear the plastic liners off but combining it with speed certainly does. Even hitting large puddles can pull fixing screws from wheel arch liners and under-trays but crossing water river crossing by fording if done at a sensible pace is unlikely to do that sort of harm. However checking fixings or even upgrading them will do no harm. I think that he is considering replacing the under tray with steel or aluminium as insurance against collisions with submerged rocks. That s a very good idea. I do not know about the 300mm but I certainly have had my unprepared Exsec 4Motion far deeper than that, though I did not stop to get wet legs to measure it. The biggest fear is ingestion through the air intake by a bow wave or miscalculating the depth.

Having good tough All Terrain tyres that can take knocks and abrasions a good idea, I imagine replacement over there horrendously expensive like every thing else on the island.

 

[Green Giant]

I look foreword to hearing about your trip and hopefully seeing some images and video if possible. It would be great to hear about you vehicle prep. June will come soon enough. Alcohol is extremely expensive I understand.

Yes, we will be taking a few…tins’ of drink stashed in with the crates of food, hopefully just need to buy fresh bakery and veg items, you can’t wild camp in campervans anywhere on the Island and must stay/pay for campsites, I’d love to buy/take a drone for the trip but just another expense on the list,
Yes going to fit a full front bash plate mainly for river crossings just incase any large rocks have moved into the crossing points during heavy rain, we will have to look after the van as it’s our accommodation, but going to explore the interior areas using the F roads.

 

[Ricardo T]

Going out in June, takes about 5 days to get there with the driving to top of Denmark then the ferry crossing , we have 20 days on Iceland, want to see as much as possible, then the return trip home, I’m currently doing lots of overtime to pay for this trip…
We tend to just pay the deposit for a ferry crossing 12 months in advance, then we deal with the full costs, saving up, and getting time off work, otherwise we never commit to the trips and put it off, but while we have the small van it’s just about doable,

Looking forward to seeing lots of pics and reading about your adventure so be sure to start a Green Giant in Iceland thread.
We contemplated this trip too but just to get there and back is a substantial amount of wonga which we couldn’t justify at this time.

 

[Green Giant]

100 percent, the cost of getting there is huge
Ferry to Iceland is 2400 from memory, cheapest cabin and just breakfasts booked.
Then for us up in Cumbria we need a ferry across to Amsterdam, 800-900 return in June/July, although we decided to drive down to catch the Harwich to Amsterdam ferry for £300 return as you don’t need a cabin during a day crossing
We weighed up flying and renting a camper but that cost is even more, and the rental van’s in the lower price bracket are terrible. Probably going to be a 5k trip for 30 days, take away the 1k we would have spent just staying at home, leaves 4k, man maths..