capnsensible
Well-known member
Yes. I've done it. Woe is me. So for perspective, these events took place in Gibraltar that has zero tax on marine diesel...
Two involve me indirectly, the third yeah, mea culpa.
The first time I was involved in a fuel free incident, I was leaving Marina Bay on a Bavaria 37. Inbound was a large 60 something Sunseeker that had arrived with skipper and two female crew....to get diesel prior to the next few days charges out of Sotogrande. The costs make it worth it. So, of course as he rounded into the channel at the end of the runway, e for enough became e for empty with a breeze blowing him onto rocks. Hey, great exercise for crew, took him under tow, quite hard yakka on a small yacht progress slow. As we were inching away from the runway, Air Traffic Control got agitated and called over the very large speakers to keep clear....exactly what we were trying to do. A police rib turned up but refused to help without a mayday call but did radio at and told them to wind their necks in. So all good, approached CEPSA fuel dock, skipper of motor boat says can we go to the Shell Dock, we got an account with them. Err OK. So job done, skips gave us 200 euros.....didn't need to do that.....and one of my crew, aussie, got the phone number of one of the girls.
Second incident. Friend of mine plus crew on a Jenneau 45 were inbound to the Bay. Had come from Antigua or somewhere, pit stopped in Horta for bunkers. Last bit around 1000 miles ish, had some adverse winds and yeah, ran out of diesel entering bay. He rang us and we grabbed some diesel in cans from a couple of yachts and got our friends who run a dolphin sightseeing boat to take us out. Transferred diesel and started towing him in. Its very busy with shipping ferries etc do better safe. Anyways, he got engine going got to his berth in the Marina, cleared in and stood by for massive p taking in bar where he got us all a few beers.
Lastly,me who by now should clearly be on guard. Doh. I'd taken another Jenneau 45 down to Lanzarote for a trip, had been a bit bouncy but crew were on the ball. On the way back normally a bit sporting, zero wind. I pit stopped in a port called Safi snd had refuelling adventures. It never seems easy on Atlantic Morocco coast. So set off on last few hundred miles, confident we were in an adequate fuel situation. Thing was, one of the crew a good friend but Man City supporter and I a Man U fan had been relentlessly discussing the upcoming Derby match so we were keen to get back to gib to watch it. So inevitably a few too many going home revs were applied, turbo on the 75hp donk probably cut in and yup diesel expenditure went up.
So we ran out at the entrance to Gibraltar Bay right where my friend conked out before. How he laughed. Phone call to Mrs S....who laughed....and she gathered some waifs and strays, bringing us some diesel on one of our other yachts.
So a red faced arrival, but with super crew sorting boat, I legged it up Marina office to clear in.....more laughing, word gets round .....then made it to pub for match Utd won but beers on me and yeah more p taking from our locals.
So anyone else brave enough to confess and risk indignant red faced shame? Or just smile and let Neptune have His day.....j
Two involve me indirectly, the third yeah, mea culpa.
The first time I was involved in a fuel free incident, I was leaving Marina Bay on a Bavaria 37. Inbound was a large 60 something Sunseeker that had arrived with skipper and two female crew....to get diesel prior to the next few days charges out of Sotogrande. The costs make it worth it. So, of course as he rounded into the channel at the end of the runway, e for enough became e for empty with a breeze blowing him onto rocks. Hey, great exercise for crew, took him under tow, quite hard yakka on a small yacht progress slow. As we were inching away from the runway, Air Traffic Control got agitated and called over the very large speakers to keep clear....exactly what we were trying to do. A police rib turned up but refused to help without a mayday call but did radio at and told them to wind their necks in. So all good, approached CEPSA fuel dock, skipper of motor boat says can we go to the Shell Dock, we got an account with them. Err OK. So job done, skips gave us 200 euros.....didn't need to do that.....and one of my crew, aussie, got the phone number of one of the girls.
Second incident. Friend of mine plus crew on a Jenneau 45 were inbound to the Bay. Had come from Antigua or somewhere, pit stopped in Horta for bunkers. Last bit around 1000 miles ish, had some adverse winds and yeah, ran out of diesel entering bay. He rang us and we grabbed some diesel in cans from a couple of yachts and got our friends who run a dolphin sightseeing boat to take us out. Transferred diesel and started towing him in. Its very busy with shipping ferries etc do better safe. Anyways, he got engine going got to his berth in the Marina, cleared in and stood by for massive p taking in bar where he got us all a few beers.
Lastly,me who by now should clearly be on guard. Doh. I'd taken another Jenneau 45 down to Lanzarote for a trip, had been a bit bouncy but crew were on the ball. On the way back normally a bit sporting, zero wind. I pit stopped in a port called Safi snd had refuelling adventures. It never seems easy on Atlantic Morocco coast. So set off on last few hundred miles, confident we were in an adequate fuel situation. Thing was, one of the crew a good friend but Man City supporter and I a Man U fan had been relentlessly discussing the upcoming Derby match so we were keen to get back to gib to watch it. So inevitably a few too many going home revs were applied, turbo on the 75hp donk probably cut in and yup diesel expenditure went up.
So we ran out at the entrance to Gibraltar Bay right where my friend conked out before. How he laughed. Phone call to Mrs S....who laughed....and she gathered some waifs and strays, bringing us some diesel on one of our other yachts.
So a red faced arrival, but with super crew sorting boat, I legged it up Marina office to clear in.....more laughing, word gets round .....then made it to pub for match Utd won but beers on me and yeah more p taking from our locals.
So anyone else brave enough to confess and risk indignant red faced shame? Or just smile and let Neptune have His day.....j
