Kyushu to Shikoku ferries

Hi,
I plan on doing a sightseeing through Kyushu and Shikoku and instead of doing the railway from Kyushu to Shikoku I thought of taking some of the ferries from either Kitakyushu, Beppu or Saiki to Matsuyama, Yawatahama or Sukumo.

Then my plan is to go by ferry from Matsuyama to Hiroshima and doing the Shimanami Kaido cycling route back to Shikoku.

Anyway. Since ferries might get disrupted by weather, do you get any refund from the ferries in this case? Is it any chance there might be later ferries on the same day?

Any other route I should consider to avoid being stuck somewhere?

There are several ferry crossings a day on all those routes, so the chances of you being stranded for any length of time would be remote unless the weather is extremely severe. I'd be very surprised indeed if they do not refund your ticket, or at least allow you to travel on the next available one should the crossing be cancelled due to bad weather.

For public transportation travel, exclude Sukumo. Kitakyushu to Matsuyama is better. The ferry is overnight board. The ferry to Yawatahama is operated 24 hours a day. You don't have to book at all.

Oh, I didnt know the Yawatahama ferry was 24/7. Makes much difference.

But the ocernight ferry is only once a day I guess? In case it gets cancelled I would need to find my way across somehow. Since overnight it wont need to contact accommodation as if going daytime but I would need accommodation if the overnight was cancelled..