The latest on Belgi*n diesel...

It is a typical EU Bureaucrats view of legislation. Under EU regs marked diesel (which indicates a reduced level of taxation) may only be used by those entitled to to the reduction. There is no provision in EU regs for applying a non-discounted tax rate to marked diesel, therefore we break the EU regs! This is the danger of a State regulated by a fixed constitution. You can only do those things permitted by law rather than the common law system which you can do anything provided it is not regulated by law.

not really. there are two seperate eu laws. one says that pleasure boats cannot use duty free diesel or petrol for propulsion. there is a second one which says that duty free diesel must be marked and duty paid diesel must not be marked. the uk govt has fiddled a way round the first with the 60/40 scheme but cannot find a way round the second. If the 40% is correctly marked as duty free ie red, then the 60% is not correctly marked.

i might add that we all know that most of the time we are not using 40% or anything like it on heating so we are illegally using red diesel for propulsion

and before any anti eu types get on their hoigh horses, the uk govt specifically agreed to these rules before they became law. so dont blame the eu, blame the uk
 
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i might add that we all know that most of the time we are not using 40% or anything like it on heating so we are illegally using red diesel for propulsion

That depends on where you sail. I reckon that in both April and May this year, I used much more fuel for heating, than for propulsion. It will probably be similar towards the end of the summer. Then in the winter, it's all used for heating, so for me 60 / 40 wouldn't be fair.
 
That depends on where you sail. I reckon that in both April and May this year, I used much more fuel for heating, than for propulsion. It will probably be similar towards the end of the summer. Then in the winter, it's all used for heating, so for me 60 / 40 wouldn't be fair.

We lived our boat almost full time the winter before last and got through something like 150 litres in the Webasto - I don't think a mobile is noticeably more expensive to heat than a sailing yacht.
 
I'm not usually a spelling and grammar nazi but this just tickled me (if your name is Rolf I appologise now...). Rolling On the Laughing Floor? :)

Rolling on laughing floor it is. Please google 'urban dictionary'. I have still to find out how to copy/paste on this tablet, sorry.
 
Well yes, they can't refuel over here without getting fined, can they?

Correct. I have very long arms from carrying or trolleying canisters from service stations a mile or more away. Never been checked in Belgium, but The Netherlands... even on the layed-up boat in the club shed. In January.
 
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