Ostende and red diesel - BEWARE

[Dan Tribe]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

We pay the rate for white diesel, why are we prepared to accept duty free fuel.?
I understand that UK marinas don't want to clean their tanks, but is that a justification to sell unfit goods?
Continental fuel berths all manage to supply the correct stuff.

 

[maby]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

We pay the rate for white diesel, why are we prepared to accept duty free fuel.?
I understand that UK marinas don't want to clean their tanks, but is that a justification to sell unfit goods?
Continental fuel berths all manage to supply the correct stuff.

I suspect that they would tell you that, while it is legal for us to buy red in this country, there is not enough demand for white to justify making the switch. The majority of fuel sold in marinas in the UK probably goes into a combination of commercial craft that can use it under EU rules and motor boats that seldom, if ever, leave UK waters. They are so addicted to their 60/40 that they will not be in any hurry to switch to white diesel. Fundamentally, the majority of private boats crossing the channel are sailing boats that don't buy a lot if diesel and the majority of diesel sold to private boats goes into motor boats that generally don't cross the channel.

 

[CLB]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

I suspect that they would tell you that, while it is legal for us to buy red in this country, there is not enough demand for white to justify making the switch. The majority of fuel sold in marinas in the UK probably goes into a combination of commercial craft that can use it under EU rules and motor boats that seldom, if ever, leave UK waters. They are so addicted to their 60/40 that they will not be in any hurry to switch to white diesel. Fundamentally, the majority of private boats crossing the channel are sailing boats that don't buy a lot if diesel and the majority of diesel sold to private boats goes into motor boats that generally don't cross the channel.

Most mobos that I know cross the channel, North Sea or Irish Sea at least once, if not many times in a season. Visiting our euro neighbours, is one of the joys of owning a mobo. We can be there for lunch, after a lazy morning in the UK

 

[maby]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Most mobos that I know cross the channel, North Sea or Irish Sea at least once, if not many times in a season. Visiting our euro neighbours, is one of the joys of owning a mobo. We can be there for lunch, after a lazy morning in the UK

Of all the mobos I know, only one has crossed the channel in the last few years. But, whatever the ratio of mobos to sail boats on their way back and forward, I would still maintain that the majority of diesel sold in UK marinas goes into boats that seldom, if ever, go more than a few miles off-shore - and boats whose owners are paranoid about their 60/40...

 

[CLB]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Well it's all relative. How many mobos do you know? I only know one yachtie that has crossed the channel in the last few years, but then again, I only know one Yachtie.

Mobos that go a few miles offshore, aren't actually going to use much diesel. You have to go for a few hours to burn through a decent quantity, and that typically means 80-100 miles. Anyway, the 60/40 thing means, in simple terms, that we are paying about the same as our Euro neighbours for our boat diesel. Seems fair to me.

 

[maby]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Oh, we know quite a few mobo owners in the Solent area and many of them burn a fair amount of fuel - but generally travelling along the UK coast, not crossing to France.

 

[Daydream believer]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Oh, we know quite a few mobo owners in the Solent area and many of them burn a fair amount of fuel - but generally travelling along the UK coast, not crossing to France.

If it became cheaper to get white in Boulogne or Cherbourg there would be a lot more crossing the channel

 

[CCJ]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

We pay the rate for white diesel, why are we prepared to accept duty free fuel.?
I understand that UK marinas don't want to clean their tanks, but is that a justification to sell unfit goods?
Continental fuel berths all manage to supply the correct stuff.

Here here

 

[michael_w]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Why not go the other way. How much tax revenue does the EC countries make out of white diesel used in boats? Not much I imagine. The obvious solution is to allow everyone with a non-road need burn red diesel. Simples.

Won't happen though.

 

[Dan Tribe]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

I suspect that they would tell you that, while it is legal for us to buy red in this country, there is not enough demand for white to justify making the switch. The majority of fuel sold in marinas in the UK probably goes into a combination of commercial craft that can use it under EU rules and motor boats that seldom, if ever, leave UK waters. They are so addicted to their 60/40 that they will not be in any hurry to switch to white diesel. Fundamentally, the majority of private boats crossing the channel are sailing boats that don't buy a lot if diesel and the majority of diesel sold to private boats goes into motor boats that generally don't cross the channel.

Does anyone really use 40% of their fuel for heating and battery charging? Hard to believe and ,if not, they are evading tax.
My local garage sells a lot of fuel to farmers, so should I accept that he only supplies red for my car?

 

[CCJ]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Do you always obey the law

 

[maby]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Does anyone really use 40% of their fuel for heating and battery charging? Hard to believe and ,if not, they are evading tax.
My local garage sells a lot of fuel to farmers, so should I accept that he only supplies red for my car?

In the middle of the winter, we use close to 100%in the heating - and declare it as such - but in the summer we declare 100% propulsion

 

[Daydream believer]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

My local garage sells a lot of fuel to farmers, so should I accept that he only supplies red for my car?

Not quite the same. Your farmer still needs some white & you have considerably more supply points (each with larger fuel sales than most marinas) available to you than to a yacht

 

[pmagowan]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

It takes quite a few hours of engine use to charge the batteries and heat the water. Then, in the winter, the heater does consume a good bit. I don't think it is too far off 60/40.

 

[CCJ]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Continental road and diesel is still cheaper, we are deluding ourselves

 

[Daydream believer]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

Continental road and diesel is still cheaper, we are deluding ourselves

I was paying 1.4 Euros per litre in French ports in june . Current exchange rate is 1.098
So what does it cost in UK at present?

 

[ex-Gladys]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

I was paying 1.4 Euros per litre in French ports in june . Current exchange rate is 1.098
So what does it cost in UK at present?

...so that's £1.27 per litre, I haven't filled this season yet and will be 100% propulsion as the Wallas cooker went phut last year, but I would reckon to be paying about £1.35 for red at 100% against road diesel in Asda at £1.11

 

[maby]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

...so that's £1.27 per litre, I haven't filled this season yet and will be 100% propulsion as the Wallas cooker went phut last year, but I would reckon to be paying about £1.35 for red at 100% against road diesel in Asda at £1.11

A lot of the difference will come down to volumes - a busy Asda probably sells more diesel in a day than many marinas sell in a week.

 

[Mariner69]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

I have to ask the question again.

Why dye the diesel?

Have only one type of diesel available for use throughout the country and give any subsidies to farmers, heavy goods etc., by a return each quarterly as we presently do for petrol VAT returns. That way the subsidies can be varied as it suits the government favouring one group over another to meet their short term political goals.

 

[CCJ]

Re: Levington boaters allegedly fined €500 in Belgium for red diesel

From reading various threads this has already been suggested, so easy to set up too.