Fuel

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Not everyone with a boat is a rich “yachty!” Indeed, lots of us sacrifice to be able to have a boat and cruise…
For myself, I chose to take on 300 gallons of diesel at a favorite small marina in Canada that had suffered real financial losses over the past two years. It was more than $2000 CAD, but I think it’s more important to support the small places than to hunt out the cheapest fuel at a big city fuel dock. I won’t need to buy fuel again until next year :)
 
Not everyone with a boat is a rich “yachty!” Indeed, lots of us sacrifice to be able to have a boat and cruise…


This!!!


We aren't rich, but we have enough. Coming back to Puget Sound from a 3 month trip as far North as Glacier Bay, AK, diesel has been our single largest expense by far. Roughly 70% of the total cost of the trip. And that's at <3 gallons/hour. . .
 
We aren't rich, but we have enough. Coming back to Puget Sound from a 3 month trip as far North as Glacier Bay, AK, diesel has been our single largest expense by far. Roughly 70% of the total cost of the trip. And that's at <3 gallons/hour. . .

Did you make the total trip on the the estimated 1000 gallons?
 
Did you make the total trip on the the estimated 1000 gallons?


No, we didn't. We underestimated the amount of side trips we'd end up doing, as well as having had to run the aux engine a lot on the way up due to problems with the hydraulics that ran the generator before we got the solar up and running. Once a friend brought us the required part in Ketchikan, 30 minutes later, we had run the aux for the last time on the trip. We'll end up having used about 1450 gallons or so by the end of the trip. That includes running the aux engine to power the generator, and quite a lot of hydraunic heat usage early in the trip as it was pretty cool.
Overall we're pretty happy with the fuel economy . . . if I can use that term with respect to boats:whistling:.
We will have done the entire trip without refueling though, which was another of our goals. Just have to mortgage the boat to fill up the tanks though!:D
 
Need some bloody news from Europe....
Just before beginning war in Ukraine, in Las Palmas, canary island , around 1,45 EUR a liter, I mean a liter. Few days later, around 2,20 EUR everywhere...
The heapest price in Gibraltar: with the change Gibpound to Euro, 1,45 EUR a liter.
In a marina, in Med, around 2,20 EUR a liter, max 2,45EUR a liter...

So my last trip from Las Palmas to Portugal, Gib, Spain and Valencia, more or less 2500 EUR.
But I am still happy with my solo John Deere 6081 AFM heavy duty , 19Liters per an hour at 1495 rpm, 7,5 kts SOG, boat 60 feet, 55 metric tons with bulbous bow
 
Need some bloody news from Europe....
Just before beginning war in Ukraine, in Las Palmas, canary island , around 1,45 EUR a liter, I mean a liter. Few days later, around 2,20 EUR everywhere...
The heapest price in Gibraltar: with the change Gibpound to Euro, 1,45 EUR a liter.
In a marina, in Med, around 2,20 EUR a liter, max 2,45EUR a liter...

So my last trip from Las Palmas to Portugal, Gib, Spain and Valencia, more or less 2500 EUR.
But I am still happy with my solo John Deere 6081 AFM heavy duty , 19Liters per an hour at 1495 rpm, 7,5 kts SOG, boat 60 feet, 55 metric tons with bulbous bow

Nice!!! That was a case of unloading your pocketbook. WOW!:eek:

Any pictures? Thanks for posting.
 
Anyone seeing any signs of diesel price decline?

Prices for both gas and diesel have been slowly, but steadily dropping around here. Both are still higher, but not as bad as earlier this summer.
 
Prices for both gas and diesel have been slowly, but steadily dropping around here. Both are still higher, but not as bad as earlier this summer.


I have heard the same in New England. Still over $4/gal for gas, but below $5. I haven't bought gas at all since early spring, and last diesel was very early June. Thankfully I should be OK on fuel until next spring.
 
In San Diego we are seeing some relief. It was around $6/gal for diesel at the peak and yesterday a friend fueled up for $4.77 plus tax which is a big help. I'm planning a trip to Catalina at the end of the month and am putting off fueling till the last minute....
 
Best I've seen up here recently is $2.00/liter at Manson Bay, worst $2.69 @ Refuge Cove, BC.
 
OK, this sounds like a bit of progress getting past the initial hysteria. I'm glad I only had to buy once near the max, though I think was pretty fortunate at $5.25.
 
Anyone seeing any signs of diesel price decline?
Yes. Bought fuel at Oak Harbor Washington on March 8 for $4.85 per gallon. A few weeks ago it was over $6.00, I don't remember the exact price because I didn’t purchase. Just checked and it's $4.83 today. I'll be buying again in September. Hopefully the downward price trend continues.
 
Not a reduction in price but last years fuel at Windigo, Isle Royale, Lake Superior.

20220806_105528.jpg

Naturally I filled up and should have enough to return to Fort Myers via the East coast. :p

Ted
 
Yes. Bought fuel at Oak Harbor Washington on March 8 for $4.85 per gallon. A few weeks ago it was over $6.00, I don't remember the exact price because I didn’t purchase. Just checked and it's $4.83 today. I'll be buying again in September. Hopefully the downward price trend continues.


Was that including tax?
 
Stop your whining (-;
$8.50 a gallon is about the cheapest on water diesel here.
$2.25/litre X 3.78
 
Anyone seeing any signs of diesel price decline?

Diesel price, well away from salt water in NC, peaked around $5.90 for a USG! :eek: I thought it was bad years ago when I had to pay $4.50 for a USG.

Last April, I filled up the truck, not much driving needed and it is a large tank, at $4.95 a USG. Decided to fill up on Monday, and the price was again at $4.95 USG. Saw higher prices up to $5.30 USG but did not stop at that station.

The price has been falling. The price near us has been sitting around $5.30 a USG for a month or so this summer, after the peak, and then started dropping again.

We won't be able to get to salt water, and thus on a boat, for at least another few months. Would like to know what the diesel price is at the marina....

Later,
Dan
 
$4.73 today, including tax at Brownsville Marina in Washington State. Hopefully it will fall a little more by the time we get there in a week or two . . .
 
It been more striking how different prices are between chains like safe harbor and locals. Currently get a 25 cent discount at NEB. But if I go to a small privately owned marina in tiverton with a 10% discount for over 200g it’s a whole dollar cheaper. That place supplies the local commercial fishing boats. It isn’t valtec like at NEB but even adding my own store bought additives it still way cheaper and the diesel turn over there is so high no issue with particulate or water. I’m on the 100 dock at NEB feet from their fuel dock. However it seems the boats I share that dock with leave NEB and go to tiverton for fuel. Like them usually get well over 200g so saving a buck a gallon is worth the hassle. Tiverton currently at ~$5 give or take 5-10 cents.
 
Sometimes it depends on how the marinas buy their fuel. If the prices don't change frequently, they may be buying on bulk contracts (vs spot price). So depending on when they use up their current contract, it may take longer for some fuel docks to show a price drop (or increase).
 
It been more striking how different prices are between chains like safe harbor and locals. Currently get a 25 cent discount at NEB. But if I go to a small privately owned marina in tiverton with a 10% discount for over 200g it’s a whole dollar cheaper. That place supplies the local commercial fishing boats. It isn’t valtec like at NEB but even adding my own store bought additives it still way cheaper and the diesel turn over there is so high no issue with particulate or water. I’m on the 100 dock at NEB feet from their fuel dock. However it seems the boats I share that dock with leave NEB and go to tiverton for fuel. Like them usually get well over 200g so saving a buck a gallon is worth the hassle. Tiverton currently at ~$5 give or take 5-10 cents.

Valvetec is $5.29 (Tuesday) over at Pleasant Street Wharf in Wickford. They have a 1,000 gallon tank so it turns over quickly. Every few days this time of year.
 
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Valvetec is $5.29 (Tuesday) over at Pleasant Street Wharf in Wickford. They have a 1,000 gallon tank so it turns over quickly. Every few days this time of year.

Roughly about the same for Valvtect in CT but can vary as much as $.50 or more depending on the marina. Also some will offer discounts for boats staying in a transient slip or different boating affiliations like BOAT US.
 

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