Your marina's fuel policies?

I'm doing an informal survey of what kinds of policies your marina has for handling fuel. I'm wondering about things like:

Do they allow you to bring your own fuel to your boat?

Do they allow polishing of fuel in the marina? Diesel and/or gas?

Do they allow folks to pump fuel off your boat into barrels for transfer / disposal?

What do they do with fuel spills into bilges? Allow folks to pump it out in the marina? Gas / Diesel - any difference? (We had a boat explode in our marina a couple of years ago while trying to pump spilled gasoline out of their bilge).

Any other policies, safety measures, etc.?

Thanks in advance!

In our marina----

You can bring fuel to your boat but in approved fuel*containers only and containers of a "reasonable" size.* So five or six gallon containers, okay.* A 50 gallon barrel, no.

The Port has a specific pier designated for things like truck fueling, fuel polishing, etc.* Known as the "Sawtooth," this pier (it's a pier, not a floating dock) was set up for the commerical fishing fleet based in Bellingham for fueling, net and crab pot loading/unloading, etc, so it's sized to fit purse seiners and the like which back in at a 45 degree angle.* The typical 30 to 40 foot*recreational trawler would have a tough time using this pier but it can be done.

You can pump fuel off your boat into approved containers*at the Sawtooth or at the (Shell) fuel dock where you have to make arrangements with the independent operator of the dock.

It is illegal to pump or spill any quantity of fuel (diesel, gasoline, Jet-A, lamp oil, you name it)*into the marina waters.* Bilge water contaminated with fuel (or pure fuel in the bilge) must be pumped out using "approved" equippment into approved containers.* And the Port must be notified if this happens as they may want to get the fire department, USCG, etc. involved, and they will have a say where the boat must be moved to in order to do this.* My guess would be the Sawtooth, the fuel dock, or they'll want the boat hauled out by the yard located in the marina before any sort of removal process begins.

After reading Willy's post I guess I should add that the Port of Bellingham maintains two oil dump sheds in our marina for the disposal of used engine oil, hydraulic fluid, used oil and fuel filters, and contaminated absorbent pads. The fluids go into large tanks and the contents hauled off periodically, I assume for recycling. So far as I've been able to ascertain you cannot dump diesel or gasoline in these facilities.* They always ask if the oil or hydraulic fluid*is contaminated with anything else.*The sheds are kept locked and you have to get a port person or security guard to open them up for you. The Port keeps a written record of who dumped what and when.

As to fuel polishing, if you're going to do this by transferring fuel from one tank in your boat to another one through an on-board filter system, that is allowed.* But if you're going to have the fuel removed from the boat, polished, and put back into the* boat, that has to be done at the Sawtooth or the fuel dock.

The Port has fuel containment booms as I've seen them deployed on occasion but I don't know where they're kept--- so far as I can tell they are not accessible to the boaters in the marina.

In the category of other policies, boat bottoms cannot be wiped down inside the marina basins by divers anymore.* Reason is environmental.* Boat washing, waxing, and exterior maintenance activities like sanding, metal grinding,*varnishing, painting,*etc. are allowed.* The tidal grid was closed in 1992 for environmental reasons and was finally removed just a few months ago.


-- Edited by Marin on Thursday 4th of June 2009 09:18:23 PM

We can pour used diesel into the oil dump here, but not gasoline. They do recycle all the oil so I guess they don't want the gasoline in their vacuum distillation tower.

Very good discussion.. thanks.. You might want to check out MarineFuel.com. They appear to have alot of relevant content especially in their research areas. They even have a marina directory with fuel dock prices.

Huh I never thought of my marina as light on regs until I read your questions.* The only one I can answer with certainty is 4--you are absolutely NOT allowed to pump a spill out of your bilge into the marina.* They are trying to track down the source of a samll slick right now.* There is a huge boom at the fuel dock and many smaller ones in the used oil shed--which is open and unmanned during the day.* unfortunately IDIOTS throw all kinds of crap in the oily rags/ used oil fiter bin when there is a trash can not 20' away--I'm talking random garbage that can go in the trash, not hazardous stuff...** We were in there to toss some used oil absorbant pads and someone else was in there dumping used oil.*

Keith wrote:



Do they allow you to bring your own fuel to your boat?

Click to expand...

To get to the harbor I have to go thru a tunnel 3.5 miles DOT regulations don't allow transportation of fuel thru the tunnel so I can't bring my own fuel.

SD

*

Do they allow you to bring your own fuel to your boat?
No, not officially but some "sneak"* 5 gal cans

Do they allow polishing of fuel in the marina? Diesel and/or gas?
I don't think they would know if you did it within your boat as Marin descibed.

Do they allow folks to pump fuel off your boat into barrels for transfer / disposal?No they would do it or farm it out for a charge at their work dock.


What do they do with fuel spills into bilges?
Owner is responsible to clean up using diapers, etc.

Allow folks to pump it out in the marina?
Never....we have a "green" marina and that is a no no. However if there is a trace in the bilge water no one gets too excited.

*Gas / Diesel - any difference? (We had a boat explode in our marina a couple of years ago while trying to pump spilled gasoline out of their bilge).
No

Any other policies, safety measures, etc.?
The marina charges $1 per gallon to dispose of used oil/diesel/gas in their tank.
I never dump mine there anyway....my son has a waste oil furnbace at his shop and takes anything I can gather.
They also have all the necessary spill recovery stuff but I don't think they have had to use it...yet.

you can bring small amounts of gas for the dinghy. Polishing only if its from one on board tank to the other. Any pumping off of fuel/gas they call in Safety Clean Inc. For fuel spills in the bilge they call in the local fire dept.
John

Being in the business of cleaning tanks, we see all types of policies. There are a few marinas that do not allow tank cleaning while in their harbor (you have to take your boat to a yard). Some of the yacht clubs will recommend vendors IF you put the club on your insurance policy, then there are the municiple marinas that require you to put the city on your insurance policy.

Most all marinas will allow us to transfer fuel from vessel, to dock and back to vessel. Most marinas will*post that prohibits you*from bringing fuel to your vessel.
Most marinas will collect the spent*"bilge drippings"*and call us when necessary.

The most important thing, is to be responsible for your actions and try not to leave a foot print.

El Sea/LC

"Suckin Sludge & Havin a Gas"

I'm currently at a boat storage facility. They have a dock for boats to tie up at before and after hauling and I've been there since I bought the boat in May. The facility services primarily snow birds who leave their boats on the hard in summer and splash in winter when they return.

There is very little rules in terms of fuel handling, as I've had a professional fuel polisher do all my tanks and there is a fuel service that will deliver fuel if requested. This is a big plus for all the snow birds who leave their boats on the hard all summer and sometimes skip a year. However any contractor must have insurance approved by the marina.

There are no trash receptacles on the property, all trash must be removed. The resident mechanic has a receptacle for dumping any liquid. Since I've be-friended him, I have used that for dumping oil, fuel, transmission fluid, and coolant, but it is not generally known throughout the marina.

When I had the mechanic doing some work on the engines, he seem to be real concerned about a small amount of unburned fuel that was coming out the exhaust. This seemed almost normal to me, so there must be a policy about that, but again it wasn't dumping of fuel.

Depending on the marine, some marina's in FL will allow most anything (no dumping of fuel in the water of course) and others will not allow the owner to work on his own boat. Certainly a factor in choosing a marina.

Everett Marina has an old and new marina.* The new marina is for boats over 40 ft and is watch/patrolled/monitored very closely.* Heck I bet if you spit in the water, you would be turned in.* Very yachty.* We spend 2 months in the new marina while out dock was being rewired.* I got so many warning about sanding dust on the water and varnish rings.* So on the big areas had my wife out with a hose.


*
The old marina has a fuel dock and they are a little more tolerant.* At least you can spit, and have sanding dust on the water.* The commercial dock is in the old marina which we are on and they are less strict.* Some of the commercial do take on fuel while they are off loading their caught but that is in the wee hours of the morning.* Some do have fuel tanks in the back of their trucks.*


*
I carry hand carry 20 gallons most week end in the winter which is what we average per week.* The main reason is 70 bucks a week does not hurt the pocket as much as 3,000 bucks in one hit.* I know the commercial weld, grind, and clean their boats so it would not surprise me if they transfer fuel.* Well I know they do as one trawler was going to pull but was filled with fuel which put it over the 75 ton limit, so they transfer fuel to other trawlers, and they also fuel their dinks/tenders.


*
The cheapest price is usually Kovich in Ballard on the ship cannel.* The price is dependent on the total gallons and they give a cash discount.* Its worth big commercial to that take on 1000+ gallons to make the trip.* Bellingham allows fuel truck to deliver at their fuel dock which is also cheaper.******


*


*