Fuel prices

[billyfish]

What difference will it make to your time on the water now fuel is so expensive..I for one will be waiting more for wind and tide..
On the plus side maybe there we I'll be less ' solent chop '

 

[RunAgroundHard]

No difference to my time on the water, nor will it make a difference if I have to motor. Fuel is a minor expense compared to marina fees. I do have the tanks for 120 gallons in 2 x 60 gallon tanks. I just don't need that volume of fuel so decommissioned a tank a few years ago. I filled up February this year, 60 gallons, so that's me for another couple of years. I might buy a ghoster this year for light winds sailing.

 

[potentillaCO32]

I spend more getting to the boat than sailing it.

 

[jdc]

I was once asked (I won't say who by) to write an article on 'cutting CO₂ emissions when sailing'. My conclusion, after many 'fag packet' calculations was 'don't drive to the marina, bicycle instead, and for God's sake don't fly'. This was unacceptable to the powers that be.

Hypocritically, my boatyard/marina, while within cycling distance from home, is along an extremely busy and dangerous pinch-point (A39 between Deroran and Penworthal) so I drive! So I can't take the moral high ground either...

 

[Sticky Fingers]

It won’t change my boating behaviour at all, the fuel cost is microscopic in comparison with the overall cost of running the boat, and that’s with a 50’ motor boat that drinks diesel at about 1.5 gallons a mile…

 

[billyfish]

It won’t change my boating behaviour at all, the fuel cost is microscopic in comparison with the overall cost of running the boat, and that’s with a 50’ motor boat that drinks diesel at about 1.5 gallons a mile…

Blimey...1.5 gals/hr no wonder you all go so fast

 

[Anibal]

a 50’ motor boat that drinks diesel at about 1.5 gallons a mile…

I think you got the units wrong buddy, it is called smiles per miles

 

[billyfish]

I've got to fill up tomorrow. 100lts hopefully that will do the year.

 

[flaming]

I think I used 50l last season. Certainly no more than 100l.

Certainly on £/mile or £/hour basis my sails are a lot more expensive.

 

[SimonX]

When I see the price of fuel it makes me glad we chose a boat with a small, single engine that averages 3.5 mpg rather than the one with twin high power ones that might hit 1mpg on a good day.

 

[Supertramp]

I find that over a season I cover 1000-1500 miles and the engine is used for about 40% of that distance. This is cruising and sailing in less than 8 knts doesn't always work in a 36ft 10 tonnes laden boat. A surprising amount is used entering and extricating myself from shelter, and the big hours come from 12+ hrs motoring in calm conditions up down and across the Irish Sea. I get 8-10 miles per gallon.

I filled up 65 gallons 2 weeks ago which should do the season. I thought it was expensive but maybe I timed it right!

Even that is less than I use getting to and from the boat and is dwarfed by the domestic bills.

 

[Lightwave395]

I'm ruing the fact that when I was last at the boat in February the tank was a quarter full and I couldn't be bothered to fill it up, having decided I'd leave it until we came down in April...

 

[flaming]

Weirdly I find I use a lot less fuel on a week's cruising with the kids on board than we do racing. Racing we often find ourselves with some fairly lengthy spells of motoring out of the river / harbour and to the race area for a defined start time. Either in very little wind or going upwind for several miles. And then the reverse when you finish and want to get to the pub. Whereas cruising in a fast sailing boat the motoring is limited to only the time required to actually clear the river and get the sails up, and the destination picked to suit the wind strength and direction rather than the location of the racing.

 

[chriscallender]

What difference will it make to your time on the water now fuel is so expensive..I for one will be waiting more for wind and tide..
On the plus side maybe there we I'll be less ' solent chop '

Fuel rationing worries me more than cost, if there's a shortage for haulage/agriculture/public transport I can't see it being considered very socially acceptable to fill up a pleasure boat. Then there's being able to get to the boat at all, if there isn't much fuel around I'd need to save it at weekends to be able to get to work on weekdays. The outcome is totally unpredictable (like everything else about the current situation) from very minimal impact all the way through to no sailing over the summer.

 

[Boathook]

At the moment I'm backwards and forwards to my boat getting work done to knocking up the miles. Once boat is sorted to a reasonable level I will stay on board for quite a few days so my travel fuel used will drop.
Boat being a cat with 2 small diesels doesn't use much diesel unlike the 2 hour drive down once back on my permanent berth.