Do we 'diesel up' for the winter.

[lesleyandrea]

Hi

We are very new boaters and this is our first winter with our 42' Princess. We were told by an experienced boater with the same type of boat that we needed to fill up the fuel tanks for winter. Currently both tanks are about half full and the expenditure to fill up would be about £1000 which is a financial layout we could do without at the moment. Everybody we speak to seems to have a different opinion. Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

[Hugh Foulis]

I do because the more full the tank, the less room there is for condensation to form and sink to the bottom of the tank with the potential for reactive maintenance at an awkward time next season.
I don't have such big tanks as you and I also keep well topped up through the season so there is much less cost to me.

I would perhaps postulate an opposing view if I was in your position. I would question the wisdom of having £2,000 sitting in the boat tanks all winter, although with interest rates as they are, it wont earn much in the bank.

HF

 

[DavidJ]

BP say fill the tanks up http://amsca.com/files/Download/Fuel_news_long_term_storage_diesel.pdf

Not saying I know better but I just leave 'em where they are at the end of season and have had no problems....yet!!

 

[Firefly625]

Hi

We are very new boaters and this is our first winter with our 42' Princess. We were told by an experienced boater with the same type of boat that we needed to fill up the fuel tanks for winter. Currently both tanks are about half full and the expenditure to fill up would be about £1000 which is a financial layout we could do without at the moment. Everybody we speak to seems to have a different opinion. Any advice would be gratefully received.

I would agree with your experienced boater friend for the reason already given, that less condensation will occur in a full tank (if absolutely brimming then none will occur) & it is water in fuel tanks that will increase the chances of getting diesel bug. ... but I do know how you feel!

If you want to leave them as they are I would just add a good dose of a good diesel fuel treatment like Fuel Set...

 

[Ripster]

I would agree with your experienced boater friend for the reason already given, that less condensation will occur in a full tank (if absolutely brimming then none will occur) & it is water in fuel tanks that will increase the chances of getting diesel bug. ... but I do know how you feel!

If you want to leave them as they are I would just add a good dose of a good diesel fuel treatment like Fuel Set...

Yes agree. Provided they have an antibug dose up you should be fine. Done that with mine last few seasons and been OK. Used Fuel set for years too - it seems to work.

 

[rafiki_]

I think the majority of diesel boaters fill up before the winter. As others have indicated, you will get some condensation over winter, and this encourages the dreaded bug. A decent treatment will help, but if you minimise the condensation, you are minimising the problem.

Better to shell out £1000 now than £500 in charges, wasting the £1000 worth in the tank, then anothe £2000 to fill.

 

[kashurst]

I've never bothered over the past ten years. Put in a dose of diesel bug medicine and swill it about a bit (go for a quick blast). Check the seals on your fuel fillers are in reasonable condition, apply a bit of water resistant grease to them and make sure they are done up properly. If you are leaving the boat over winter make sure your winterise your engines.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Hi

We are very new boaters and this is our first winter with our 42' Princess. We were told by an experienced boater with the same type of boat that we needed to fill up the fuel tanks for winter. Currently both tanks are about half full and the expenditure to fill up would be about £1000 which is a financial layout we could do without at the moment. Everybody we speak to seems to have a different opinion. Any advice would be gratefully received.

You can fill now to avoid condensation build up in your fuel tanks over the winter, especially if the inside of the boat is heated,

OR

Leave it and just drain off the water from the fuel tank sumps and oil water separators in the spring BEFORE you first run the engines. You could on a cold winter generate upto 1 gallon of water per tank if you have any form of heating on the boat (ie warm boat v cold exterior = lots of condensation, especially from filler pipe).

 

[sarabande]

I have always wondered about the business of condensation. Apart from a breather hose, there is no way that external atmosphere can enter the tanks.

So when the moisture in say 500l of air has precipitated out, there's no more damp air to come in. OK a bit from temperature induced expansion / contaction, but why not stuff a bag of dessicant over the end of the breather to prevent moisture entering the tank in the first place ?

 

[rafiki_]

The breather is designed to equalise the pressure as fuel is pumped in or out, therefore there is effectively free access to the tank from fresh air. Rafiki has an aluminium tank. This is heavily condensated externally for much of the winter, and therefore I assume internally too. I therefore fill at the end of the season to reduce the ammount of tank exposed to air. Actually I've overdone it a bit in the past, so that in the spring on a warmer day, the fuel has expanded out of the breather. Whoops!!

 

[nedmin]

Find the breather pipe and put a plastic dustbin bag on it by taping it to the breather.you will then avoid condensation by breathing in the same air,so no need to fill.

 

[PCUK]

As long as you drain the water from the bottom of the tank occasionally as part of the service regime it will make no difference whether condensation forms or not.

 

[crazy4557]

In 9 years of owning boats I've never bothered to fill up diesel tanks before winter despite all the recommendations and knowledge on here. Don't even use any additives either but maybe oneday it'll come back to haunt me.

So the choice is yours....but at your peril.

 

[TrueBlue]

Every year this "problem" comes up and I mus confess to being a bit bemused.

I have a LTTT and the fuel tank wraps around the outside at the rear.
When I remember or need dictate, I top up for the winter - just in case I use the boats.
Some years I forget or use the fuel by cruising.

I've not noticed a condensation issue - as such.

The same applies to my central heating tank at home. There I do draw off some fuel for other purposes and for the last ten years at least I've not had any water in this draw off.


Whatever you do put some snake oil in - the brand is your choice - and that should mop up any minor problem.

 

[jrudge]

Condensation may or may not be a red herring. I dont bother ..... but..... my boat is in La Rochelle. The winter before last diesel was Euro 1.21, the following Spring it was Euro 1.49 so depending on your view of oli prices fill up now! I take about 800 lts, so this made a differecne of about £150!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Over 12 years we have only had a problem twice, BUT on both occasions we removed significant quantities of water from each tank (ie cold winter, low heated boat, diesel tanks 75% full). Climate and boat fittings vary the exposure to winter condensation buildup.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Condensation may or may not be a red herring. I dont bother ..... but..... my boat is in La Rochelle. The winter before last diesel was Euro 1.21, the following Spring it was Euro 1.49 so depending on your view of oli prices fill up now! I take about 800 lts, so this made a differecne of about £150!

Yep, best reason of all for keeping it full over winter. You will get at least 10% pa return I reckon.....