Using Supermarket Diesel ?

Officially you can't fill more than 2x10l cans (type approved) at most filling stations.

You've considered the staff overhead. Yes those staff have other work, but the staff will be engaged much longer. It's not so much self service. And you will get grumpy if they are not ready to fill up your 10litres exactly when you want...

You didn't consider the other overheads of pump etc.

Even a 400litre sail does not much compare to a fuel station. Typically a smallish one has 4 islands, car either side. You can fill 8 cars at once. 1 car (8) takes 3 minutes. At capacity a garage can do 160 cars an hour at 40 litres each, 6000+ litres / hour. Additional sales on food etc. What can your fuel barge handle?

You need pumps, bunkers etc. At the waterside you need extra headaches to contain spillages etc.
 
What profit does a shop make on bottled water, cans, chocolate?

48 51g mars bars from a cash and carry costs £21. 43p each.
Tesco sell it at 60p or 3 for £1.20 so they are. Cheaper than my local cash and carry!
Pretty sure the shop round the corner wants 95p.

Is that 100% markup? Or 52p markup?
 
I did some research and this article seems to be one of the most comprehensive:

https://www.jerrycans.co.uk/blog/are-jerry-cans-legal-what-is-the-law-on-fuel-cans/

You can transport at most 60L of fuel at any given time in containers (i.e. your fuel tank is on top of). Some petrol stations will have their own local limits. Storage in the UK is limited to 2x10L Metal and 2x5L Plastic containers (i.e. you can transport 60L but you can only store 30L according to the HSE). (The RYA seem to disagree mind you...)

The RYA also have a helpful article:

https://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollecti...CARRIAGE AND STORAGE OF PETROL AND DIESEL.pdf

My advice would be to phone ahead to the petrol station and ask if it's okay :).
 
The Petroleum Regulations do not apply to diesel, a fact unknown to many or most filling station operatives, their managers and local authorities. Another apparently little-known fact is that the red diesel available at some filling stations for off-road diggers etc is not taxed at the same rate as 60/40 or 100% propulsion marine diesel (gas oil); it's taxed the same as the 40% bit.
 
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It's somewhat irrelevant what the regs say if the kid on the counter won't let you fill up.

The easy approach is an unmanned station... :)
 
I've only been stopped once from filling cans. Since then I choose a spot on the forecourt that is in a blindspot to reception. There's usually at least one. Ive never been refused by a cashier once the deed is done. What are they going to do, suck their diesel back up the hose?

I recently filled up at a garage a couple of miles uphill out of Dartmouth. I wasn't in a hurry as winded in so cased the forecourt the evening before and worked out all the blindspots including the best way to walk in.
 
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ShinyShoe said:
It's somewhat irrelevant what the regs say if the kid on the counter won't let you fill up.

The easy approach is an unmanned station... :)
Click to expand...

But the more enlightened stations do let you, eg my local Morrisons.

Another seemingly little-known fact: diesel supplied at filling stations for road vehicles (Diesel Engined Road Vehicles DERV) and at inland marine outlets contains FAME/bio/low sulphur that can attack seals in the fuel systems of older diesel engines. Marine diesel (gas oil) generally supplied at tidal outlets does not contain these things.

On the thread drift to petrol, the Petroleum Regulations should permit the filling of 'proper' boat petrol fuel tanks, the slab-shaped red things usually with a gauge and a small pipe outlet rather than a decanting spout and about 25 litres, but as has been pointed out, not a lot of people know that, especially those behind the counter.
 
I find filling a couple of plastic 10l diesel cans whenever it's relatively convenient is a good way to go.
We've got four of these cans, normally two are full on the boat, we empty them into the tank and bring them home when the tank gets low, or take two full ones to the boat if a longer trip is planned.
It's easy for me to take cans to the boat midweek, but I rarely need to do that.

Never had any trouble filling 25 litre cans or outboard tanks with petrol for the RIB.
I have been known to siphon petrol out of my bikes for outboards, strimmer etc rather than make a trip to the garage.
The fuel system in my current car is all hidden away, so taking some diesel out for the boat doesn't look like an option!
 
Tis a fair point I'd noticed half way through my research that petrol seemed to have different regulations from diesel but I was having a bit of a tough time pinning it down so grabbed what references I could :p.

Still think it's worthwhile to phone ahead... an unmanned station (or late night pay at pump) is a good alternative.
 
Finally, another member of the forum has come to the same conclusion that I have and is considering moving to white.

I moved to white two years ago after getting a dose of the diesle bug in red fuel. I am convinced it was because of the low turn over in red from my supplier.

So far this year I have bought 30 ltrs of fuel so getting it on the boat from the garage is easy. If I used 300 ltrs a month that might be a diffrent story. I am continually surprised at the cost of red in marinas and can't understand why everybody goes on about the huge savings they have.

Apart from cost, the other benifit I've seen is that white burns cleaner - it might be the fuel I use, Shell VP, after being advised by one of our mecanics to put the best fuel you can aford into the tank.
 
Erm? Wha? Just put some in-line filters in place and use the same cheap stuff as the rest of us, you'll save a bundle. As long as you maintain your engine (at least yearly) you'll be fine. Unless your boat is a powerboat or your car is a performance car neither you nor your engine will see any benefit.

(Disclaimer: I am landlubber, I have no met diesel bug).
 
PeterBoater said:
Another seemingly little-known fact: diesel supplied at filling stations for road vehicles (Diesel Engined Road Vehicles DERV) and at inland marine outlets contains FAME/bio/low sulphur that can attack seals in the fuel systems of older diesel engines.
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem to be a problem for the tens of thousands of boats in EU who, like us for the last 12 years, have to use FAME road diesel.
 
Luminescent said:
Erm? Wha? Just put some in-line filters in place and use the same cheap stuff as the rest of us, you'll save a bundle. As long as you maintain your engine (at least yearly) you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

He has used 30L this year. If that's 60L in full year.
Posh fuel is about 10p more per litre. So he will pay £6 extra a year.

Not sure what sort of filter you were suggesting. Presumably already has a filter. Is the extra filter less than £6?
 
When I bought my first diesel boat (1989) you could ring up ESSO and have 2 x 45 gallon drums (205l) delivered anywhere with Red Diesel in them. And you got the drums free. I dont know of they do that now.
 
Jim@sea said:
When I bought my first diesel boat (1989) you could ring up ESSO and have 2 x 45 gallon drums (205l) delivered anywhere with Red Diesel in them. And you got the drums free. I dont know of they do that now.
Click to expand...
I've been looking in the Cowes area, 500l minimum, from a mini-tanker (3.5 tons 4x4, I believe) but pumped into your own drums or bunkers. No messing about with tax as it's meant for diggers and other machines.
 
Hopefully they do in which case, wasting money paying an unnecessary premium o.o. The filters from a quick (very quick and no I don't entirely know what would work and what wouldn't) range from about £2.50 for a pair the modal price seems to be around £6.00 with the bells and whistle version about £14.00.

Something along the lines of "Fuel inline filter boat".
 
Sandy said:
Finally, another member of the forum has come to the same conclusion that I have and is considering moving to white.

I moved to white two years ago after getting a dose of the diesle bug in red fuel. I am convinced it was because of the low turn over in red from my supplier.

So far this year I have bought 30 ltrs of fuel so getting it on the boat from the garage is easy. If I used 300 ltrs a month that might be a diffrent story. I am continually surprised at the cost of red in marinas and can't understand why everybody goes on about the huge savings they have.

Apart from cost, the other benifit I've seen is that white burns cleaner - it might be the fuel I use, Shell VP, after being advised by one of our mecanics to put the best fuel you can aford into the tank.
Click to expand...


Moved to white over the last winter. Had about 20l of red left so siphoned it off (used a Pela pump to start it off). Changed the filters, washed round with another 5l of white, siphoned again-job done. Made me glad that I had a bottom tap fitted to the new ss tank made the year before.
Of course, its sod's law that we haven't been to Belgium, France or Holland this year. I hope they let us in next year!
 
Champagne Murphy said:
Moved to white over the last winter. Had about 20l of red left so siphoned it off (used a Pela pump to start it off). Changed the filters, washed round with another 5l of white, siphoned again-job done. Made me glad that I had a bottom tap fitted to the new ss tank made the year before.
Of course, its sod's law that we haven't been to Belgium, France or Holland this year. I hope they let us in next year!
Click to expand...
Same. Gave up red diesel and pyrotechnics this year.
 
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