This years red diesel prices out in the sticks

Q

Quandary

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I have bought red diesel various places this year and have been surprised by the variation in what is actually charged. All were top ups, the quantities were 30 to 70 litres, all included the 60/40 declaration and the 5% vat that sometimes is added to the price that is displayed.

April Carrickfergus Marina £1.24
May Ardfern Marina £1.24
June Crinan Boats £1.30
July Gairloch Pier £0.96
Aug. Oban Marina £1.17
Aug. B.W. Corpach Basin £1.32

It is interesting that British Waterways was the dearest, while Highland Council was by far the cheapest, both organizations where you might expect a lower profit motive. B.W. do have a very tidy pump with an excellent fast cut off nozzle while at Crinan you have to guess or wash your deck with fuel and the plastic air bed type pontoon is so bouncy and unstable the marina assistant wont walk on it. At Gairloch however the downside is that if you want to pay with a card it takes at least half an hour, the harbour master does not have a machine (most of his bigger customers are fishermen using night service swipe cards) so he has to make several phone calls to verify and register the sale through the Council head office, but the Council then send a detailed invoice to your home address. Oban Marina seems competitive, particularly when you take into account its island location.

Working this out from our log confirms how much light midgy motoring weather there has been up here this summer, the current prices explain why there are now so few big mobos to be seen and why they seem to have slowed down a bit, though there are an amazing number of big ribs with twin 150+hp. outboards out and about.
 
ProDave said:
Why is it so expensive?

That's not far short of forecourt pump prices for road diesel?

I thought red diesel was about half the price of road diesel? like domestic heating oil, currently about 59p per litre (and I think that is too much)
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It used to be, but one of Gordon Brown's many advancements to society was bunging up the tax on red diesel to appease the Europeans. The 60/40 comes from fuel for domestic use is still taxed at the lower rate, and HMRC agreed in principle that boaters can claim 40% of their fuel use for domestic purposes. You can declare 100% for domestic use, but there is a (small) chance that HMRC will knock on your cabin door for proof that your boat doesn't go anywhere.
 
Have a sense that we are being had on the S Coast - generally paid much nearer forecourt prices all Summer, from Dover to St Mary's - even with the 60/40 fudge.
 
rafiki_ said:
It used to be, but one of Gordon Brown's many advancements to society was bunging up the tax on red diesel to appease the Europeans. The 60/40 comes from fuel for domestic use is still taxed at the lower rate, and HMRC agreed in principle that boaters can claim 40% of their fuel use for domestic purposes. You can declare 100% for domestic use, but there is a (small) chance that HMRC will knock on your cabin door for proof that your boat doesn't go anywhere.
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The increase in duty was the result of an ultimatum for, I believe, four countries who were not applying fuel duty to leisure craft. It was not Mr Charisma or any particular government but to equalise the situation in the EEC. It would appear to be under further scrutiny as some member states are kicking off re the 60/40 spit which is a UK concession only.
 
Beat all of you

I can beat all of you, when i filled up at Ridge Yacht Centre in Wareham last week diesel was £1.51 a litre!!!!!
Definately will not fill up there ever again.
 
The most expensive diesel I found this year was in Falmouth, I cant remember exactly, but I'm sure that was more than road diesel.
 
Can't remember the exact prices but in August Douglas and Carrickfurgus was as close to £1.40 as makes your eyes water for 60/40. I know of only one roadside red fuel pump and it is 80p.

It's nice to be taken advantage of :mad:
 
I think that the high prices are a result of the fudge about what the cost actually is. Those few pumps which will actually tell you what the 60/40 price is, neglect to tell you that they are then adding 5% vat. on at the end. So the only way to find out the price is to buy some, pay for it and then do some long division.
What other product can be marketed without clear pricing these days.
 
Am I alone in thinking it's fair enough to add duty for leisure craft? I don't see this as different from a car journey.

I do think it's a bit bad that marine diesel is becoming more expensive than pump diesel, but then it's a special mix to help prevent bug now so maybe it actually costs more to produce. It's certainly lower volume so I can see why the operator would want more profit per litre.
 
lustyd said:
Am I alone in thinking it's fair enough to add duty for leisure craft? I don't see this as different from a car journey.

I do think it's a bit bad that marine diesel is becoming more expensive than pump diesel, but then it's a special mix to help prevent bug now so maybe it actually costs more to produce. It's certainly lower volume so I can see why the operator would want more profit per litre.
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Its the same stuff used by the construction industry for concrete mixers, dumpers etc and for fishing boats harbour launches and small tugs so not that specialized. Only difference is that they get it for half the price.
BTW the first red diesel I ever bought for a yacht cost less than 10p. a gallon, tuppence a litre.
 
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