Bulk Diesel?

[Osprey69]

So. I want to top off tanks and did a little poking around on diesel pricing. In the JAX area pump prices at marinas range from $4 to $5 a gallon.

Bulk diesel pricing is at $3.50ish

https://www.bulkloads.com/tools/diesel-prices/

Why would one not do this? Access to boat from road is difficult? Not enough motivation for 200 gallons? Seems like a no-brainer. But then again my experience in this is nil.

Thanks in advance.

 

[READY]

I don't know that the bulk carriers would sell directly to a consumer but if they did there might be other issues such as:
-Flow rate from tanker is high, probably well beyond what a boat can accept
-Who is liable for the possible spill?
-Marinas generally seem to prohibit all fueling except at the fuel dock

With a capacity of about 1400 gals I would love to take advantage of this. Let me know if you find out it is available. In some parts of Mexico they do have trucks but I have never seen this in the US (excluding megayachts as they might fuel this way),

 

[garbler]

Some municipalities will not allow it unless its agricultural or commerce. Even then you’ve got the cost of a tank, fuel pump and proper hoses and grounding and a big one is containment. Containment normally means a concrete slab with spill walls high enough to contain a full tank so there is no chance for ground contamination. Most yards, shops or heavy equipment operators in almost every place I’ve lived also require a fence and locking gate also. If you’re talking a residential location I seriously doubt you’d get approved.

Rick

 

[twistedtree]

To get fueled from a truck is definitely possible, and in some cases quite common. Typical considerations are:


- Minimum delivery quantities


- Flow rate and fill fittings. Flow rate was mentioned earlier, but trucks also typically don't have a fill nozzle like at a dock filling station. Confirm what they have and if it will work.


- Some trucks aren't metered. If you order 1000 gal, that's what they put in the truck, and that's what you get.


- Typically has to be booked days in advance.


- May need to pay in advance, or set up an account, or something like that.


- Where to fuel? You obviously need to get close to the truck, so that usually means a bulkhead of some sort. Will the Marina allow it? Will the delivery company do it? Do state and local regs allow it?


I have tried multiple times to get fueled by truck, and it has never worked for one or more of the reasons above. But if you are buying a couple/few thousand gallons, it's worth some effort to at least try.

 

[tiltrider1]

We have a bulk fuel dock here in Seattle. The flow rate is much higher than standard pump. Great if you are taking on 500+ gallons. Price is better as well. There is a minimum purchase which keeps most pleasure boats away. They are not anti recreational boats, they just don’t want to tie up the dock for less than 500 gallons.

 

[Shrew]

I know a guy that bulk fills. His normal business is home heating oil delivery. He needs a special license to do in-water filling. The challenge is also finding a seawall that you can tie too, then the truck can pull too and the property owner will be ok with bulk filling.

Another thing to consider is what the PPM is on the sulfur content. It seems whenever anyone I know gets bulk delivery it's more sooty and smells.

 

[Cold Duck]

We own our own dock behind the house. Back in the 80s we would have a truck come up on the levee at Bethel Island and pump. A lot of farms in the area with deliveries. Doubt you can get away with that now. Too many regulations. However, we can self fuel 100 or so gallons at a time. Can get better pricing than at marinas.

 

[jgwinks]

All the commercial boats I've run got thier fuel off a truck. One of them had to move to a different dock to do it, the home dock was too long for the length of house on the truck. I think that was 50 feet. And as said earlier the driver needs special certification to deliver over water, I think that's a federal requirement. The fuel needs to be red dyed just like in the marina to show it's not road taxed, a couple times I saw the driver climb up on top of the truck and drop the dye in before dragging the hose out.
Back on my sailboat with it's 26 gallon tank, I often filled jerry cans at the gas station and fueled that way. Not practical with the big tanks on the trawler. Even with road tax, gas station diesel is often cheaper than the fuel dock and bulk from the truck probably cheaper yet. And of course we had standing accounts with the delivery companies.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

It happens at my marina twice or three times a year. Boat owners get together and make an order.

I have never been in on it so don't know what price they are getting.

My marina is OK with it. they only keep a few hundred gallons of diesel on hand. I think they get their tanks filled at the same time.

pete

 

[2savage]

Safe Harbor Marinas are starting a new initiative where members get fuel at their cost. I'm hoping that this will be just like bulk delivery prices. I'm down to about 500 gallons and want to add 1,000 gallons for next season.

 

[twistedtree]

Safe Harbor Marinas are starting a new initiative where members get fuel at their cost. I'm hoping that this will be just like bulk delivery prices. I'm down to about 500 gallons and want to add 1,000 gallons for next season.

What does it mean to be a member? Have a long term lease on a slip? Or is it something different?

 

[Larry M]

Huckins Yachts use to do bulk fueling on Thursdays 4-5 years ago, Ortega Landing Marina now Pier 32 discounted the bulk fueling before then. The liability/service wasn’t worth the risk is what I was told.

 

[gprmf]

Bulk diesel

Refueled using bulk diesel in a Delray Beach ICW marina for two years. Easy and significant cost savings. “JDA Fuel” out of Ft. Lauderdale 30 miles away. Got several boats together to make it more worth their time and effort. Hose would reach 150’ easily.

 

[Circumnavigator]

When Fintry was in Boston, we used to fuel at Harbor Fuels, which is a fuel dock that fuels the Coast Guard, the fire boats, and all of the ferries. Before COVID they did 15,000 gallons a day in summer. If we were buying more than 1,000 gallons, the price was $0.47 above the NY Harbor Spot price, which would be $3.54 today (see https://ycharts.com/indicators/new_york_harbor_ultra_low_sulfur_no_2_diesel_spot_price) That should be a good indication of the pricing you might bargain for.



Fintry has a 3" fuel pipe, so takes fuel at 75 gallons a minute, but they also have a regular pump with automatic shutoff.


Jim

 

[Martin J]

I've done the bulk routine I think the minimum was 200Galls. Cheaper than the stations, the problem has been access to the boat. trying to find a dock they can pump too. They normally have a substantial length hose 100ft or so. last time he came and fueled two of us.