which 17 to 20ft runaround for upto £20k (diesel/petrol why?)

[vts70]

hi i am looking for a 17 to 20 ish ft boat for watersports i am looking at a regal 1800/1900 diesel. any views and why? or what would you buy and why? it will be doing 7hrs a day 7 days a wk! for 4months.
many thanks

 

[alienzdive]

Diesel is much much cheaper to run than petrol, do not know the exact consumtion differences, but I am sure many other people do.
An example although not an exact comparison because it was two different engines, speeds and boats as well as being a few years ago, but from memory two power boat owners travelled 35-40 miles. the diesel cost £10 in diesel and the petrol motor used £30 in petrol.

 

[LeytonC]

if on a trailer, what about LPG - you could trailer to local fill up station - NB can you fill up a LPG boat at a normal petrol station (that serves LPG /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

 

[neale]

you won't get 7hrs running out of one lpg fill up so the garage method would be no use. If there is a waterside lpg outlet it may be viable.

 

[mark_turner]

I am no expert but what is happening about the duty on diesel? Will this affect a) difference in cost of fuels? b) value of diesel engined boats compared to petrol?

 

[duncan]

so where will you be doing this and which watersports are you aiming for?

 

[Col]

Well said Duncan. We don't even know which part of the Globe he is in!! Red diesel is not an issue in USof A.... Everyone has petrol.
Clue please VTS70??

 

[KCook]

Never see diesel in runabouts here in the US. So I can't help on that question. But as for US boat brands - here is a thread on another site that gets into that -

Go Boating America's Forums » ... » Want a 18'-19' Bowrider. Which 1 is for me?

Kelly Cook

 

[BrendanS]

The Regal range mentioned do come with diesel options in UK. They are underpowered compared to petrol versions, but given UK fuel prices they are a reasonable option. Whether they are powerful enough for watersports is another issue.

The reason you don't see many diesel versions in US is because of comparitive fuel costs.

 

[duncan]

not just a power thing - wakeboarder may be good for a few reasons but a skier, especially mono, will hate a diesel pull!
banana OK
etc etc

 

[vts70]

thanks guys, i am in Bigbury Devon, nearist petrol station is 10 miles! red is avalible no probs and i am using it to wakeboard and toys and some mono, i was looking at a regal 1700DTI 2004, but not sur now, HELP.

 

[vts70]

sorry guys its a regal 1800LSR DTI

 

[whisper]

Knowing your area, fuel of whatever type will be a bleedin nuisance to get. I know the garage in Kingsbridge sell red diesel, not sure about the ones in Bigbury village or Aveton Gifford.
If you are doing this watersports venture as a business and are VAT registered then you could get tax relief (both VAT and I believe at least part of another one, the name of which escapes me at the moment - "an age thing")
Storing large amounts of petrol is illegal without permission/a licence, whereas I think that the same does not apply to diesel. You could buy yourself a small tank trailer that holds a couple of hundred gallons and take that to the filling station.
Another alternative for you would be to chat up a local farmer and buy your diesel off him - cheap but perhaps against the rules.
As others have mentioned, by all accounts small diesels like the 120hp Merc. are not very waterski friendly but are ok for the other activities like donuts/bananas etc.
Are you going to be doing this off the beach and/or up the Avon at the skiing area?