White Diesel Availability

[westhinder]

Planning our summer cruise to Scotland I was wondering where I could fill up with white diesel. The plan is to sail there and return via the East coast, visit the Hebrides, Orkney, hopefully Shetland, probably using the Caledonian Canal either outbound or homebound. I realise I will have to use jerrycan and folding bike in a number of places, but it would be nice to know which harbours sell white diesel. Is there any resource to find that out, short of calling individual harbourmasters?

 

[Minerva]

Tobermory has a garage next to the marina. Mallaig has fuel station a 5 minute walk from the marina. Ardrossan has a petrol station a short walk too. No where I know of has a white pump on the pontoon. What’s the problem with the red stuff?

 

[ylop]

It’s a bit of a wide area - take a look at Welcome Anchorages they have a separate icon for fuel available in cans (might say petrol if there’s dockside diesel but they will have diesel too).

I’m guessing you don’t want any trace of red in your tanks for going to the continent? I wonder if that’s proven to be a real issue in reality.

 

[Plum]

Planning our summer cruise to Scotland I was wondering where I could fill up with white diesel. The plan is to sail there and return via the East coast, visit the Hebrides, Orkney, hopefully Shetland, probably using the Caledonian Canal either outbound or homebound. I realise I will have to use jerrycan and folding bike in a number of places, but it would be nice to know which harbours sell white diesel. Is there any resource to find that out, short of calling individual harbourmasters?

Why do you not want to use red? Surely if you have proof you bought it in the UK there would not be a problem in Belgium?

 

[dunedin]

As Minerva says, very unlikely to find white diesel at the dockside anywhere in Scotland.
On the other hand lots of places have car petrol / diesel stations so if using modest quantities and happy to carry in cans, plenty of options depending on where you are. Easiest solution is probably to use Google Maps to search for car petrol stations.

PS. I would NOT rely on the free “Welcome Anchorages” booklet - it used to be good (though more for marinas, not for anchorages ironically) but the updating has been sporadic at best over the past 5 years so many entries very out of date.

 

[lustyd]

Depending how much you use a sail to Ireland might be easiest. From Islay/Gigha it’s a day sail andI’m pretty sure NI have to have white at the fuel berths.
That assumes you mostly sail and have enough storage, of course.

 

[Purple Velvet]

Why do you not want to use red? Surely if you have proof you bought it in the UK there would not be a problem in Belgium?

What are the current rules for Red? I was under the impression that boats were no longer permitted to use it, but maybe I have got that wrong?

 

[gjgm]

What are the current rules for Red? I was under the impression that boats were no longer permitted to use it, but maybe I have got that wrong?

Rules have not changed for some years.
For leisure craft you make a declaration of your intended use and tax is charged accordingly. The norm, often shown as the pump price is 60/40.

 

[lustyd]

The rules in Great Britain have not changed but they have in Ireland and Northern Ireland where white is now required. I believe the rule in EU (and NI) is you’re not allowed to put dyed fuel into the tank, which includes pouring from cans.

 

[Purple Velvet]

60/40.

Thank you. To what does the ratio refer please?

 

[dunedin]

Thank you. To what does the ratio refer please?

Ratio of diesel use for propulsion & heating - which 60 / 40 seems to be a default acceptable to authorities.
A ridiculous anomaly / nonsense but slightly reduces the tax paid.

 

[lustyd]

propulsion & heating

Propulsion and domestic use. Heating and electricity generation are both examples of domestic use.
Over winter I bought about 250 litres at 100% domestic. We switched to 60/40 once we started moving again

 

[ylop]

PS. I would NOT rely on the free “Welcome Anchorages” booklet - it used to be good (though more for marinas, not for anchorages ironically) but the updating has been sporadic at best over the past 5 years so many entries very out of date.

I would agree with @dunedin's analysis of Welcome Anchorages in general BUT given that petrol stations close to marina's don't usually come and go quickly I think it would be a very good starting point. It does of course make sense to check that they still exist, how far away it is, and especially in rural areas the opening times.

I now see that you are based in Belgium so your concern makes more sense - the attitude to a Belgian boat having red in its tanks may be rather different to a British boat. At @lustyd says you should be able to get white on the dockside in Northern Ireland (and ROI) if that helps. How much fuel do you expect to need? How much capacity do you have? Would you rather add 20L every time you can or add 100L when its particularly convenient? Those are likely to be key things to think about.

 

[westhinder]

Tobermory has a garage next to the marina. Mallaig has fuel station a 5 minute walk from the marina. Ardrossan has a petrol station a short walk too. No where I know of has a white pump on the pontoon. What’s the problem with the red stuff?

As you may know the use of red diesel is forbidden in the EU. Even if you can show the receipts, customs will levy a fine on the basis of the capacity of your tank, with a minimum of €500 for a tank of up to 100 liter. We have 200 liter capacity.
Belgian customs have a habit of random checks in harbour and they will find traces of red after several refills with white. I have seen skippers hastily closing their boats and going away when customs officers appear on the pontoons.
Thanks for the info, I have been to Tobermory and Mallaig, not to Ardrossan.
I am especially interested in possibilities in the East coast harbours as we will do the longest passages there.

 

[westhinder]

It’s a bit of a wide area - take a look at Welcome Anchorages they have a separate icon for fuel available in cans (might say petrol if there’s dockside diesel but they will have diesel too).

I’m guessing you don’t want any trace of red in your tanks for going to the continent? I wonder if that’s proven to be a real issue in reality.

Thanks, see my reply to Minerva

 

[lustyd]

As you may know the use of red diesel is forbidden in the EU. Even if you can show the receipts, customs will levy a fine on the basis of the capacity of your tank, with a minimum of €500 for a tank of up to 100 liter. We have 200 liter capacity.
Belgian customs have a habit of random checks in harbour and they will find traces of red after several refills with white. I have seen skippers hastily closing their boats and going away when customs officers appear on the pontoons.
Thanks for the info, I have been to Tobermory and Mallaig, not to Ardrossan.
I am especially interested in possibilities in the East coast harbours as we will do the longest passages there.

For EU boats this may be a problem, but the issue was sorted years ago for British yachts who can use red in their tanks, but not carry and use it in cans.

 

[westhinder]

Why do you not want to use red? Surely if you have proof you bought it in the UK there would not be a problem in Belgium?

It certainly would be a problem, see my reply to Minerva

 

[westhinder]

For EU boats this may be a problem, but the issue was sorted years ago for British yachts who can use red in their tanks, but not carry and use it in cans.

I am a Belgian citizen, based in Belgium, customs will not accept any excuses, receipts or not

 

[lustyd]

I am a Belgian citizen, based in Belgium, customs will not accept any excuses, receipts or not

Might be useful to put that in your post in future!
Yes you’ll have problems as Belgium took the matter overly seriously and misinterpreted the EU law (which didn’t stop red in tanks at all). Other states are less strict but that doesn’t help you at home, sadly, and isn’t worth arguing.
As per my post above, take cans and NI is a good option to refill even if a little inconvenient. Google maps is very useful too, just search petrol station and it’ll show the closest ones on a map.

 

[westhinder]

I would agree with @dunedin's analysis of Welcome Anchorages in general BUT given that petrol stations close to marina's don't usually come and go quickly I think it would be a very good starting point. It does of course make sense to check that they still exist, how far away it is, and especially in rural areas the opening times.

I now see that you are based in Belgium so your concern makes more sense - the attitude to a Belgian boat having red in its tanks may be rather different to a British boat. At @lustyd says you should be able to get white on the dockside in Northern Ireland (and ROI) if that helps. How much fuel do you expect to need? How much capacity do you have? Would you rather add 20L every time you can or add 100L when its particularly convenient? Those are likely to be key things to think about.

My tanks are 200L, which gives me a good range, so on the West coast topping up with 20 liters at a time will be perfectly adequate. For longer passages, as will be likely on the East coast, I prefer to start with a full tank.