Why use Diesel ????

D

Dominic

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2002
Messages
255
Visit site
If diesel for pleasure boats is to carry the "Road Tax" and become outrageously expensive, What other options are there ?

1. Ditch the engine and really learn to sail.

2. Convert to steam. Make lots of smoke and pollution burning cheap high-sulphur coal. Expensive conversion (sounds like fun though).

3. Convert the engine to LPG. This has potential safety problems in case of a leak.

4. Run the diesel on a substitute. Use sunflower oil (cooking oil), old chipfat, or kerosene. In fact any suitable liquid that is not taxed.

Any other alternatives I have missed ?



<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Solar charging and an electric engine? This would involve replacing the keel with lead acid batteries and only going out motoring at the end of a long sunny spell. This would not be a change for me as the weather is usually beautiful until I actually get the time to venture out on the water, when the High breaks down and a succession of unseasonal Fronts march up the Channel.

Seriously, my (4 ton displ.) boat has a 7.5hp inboard that uses 2 pints per hour at 3-4 knots, so road tax is not a serious threat, at 10-20 gallons per year max., and I always sail if there's a wind as it's faster than motoring.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I think you will find that option 4 is taxed. You don't think for one minute that Gordon is going to let you start running around on converted old chip fat with out him getting a rake off do you?

Once he's figured out how to charge (tax us) for our use of wind whilst sailing you can bet he'll tax it!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Here is an extract from my post last July :

<< A Philadelphia firm is setting up a plant which accelerates the natural decomposition of carbon matter to petrol. It takes millions of years in nature but they do it in two hours to produce high quality oil. They claim it only takes 15% of the energy out measured in BTU to drive the whole process. They are starting with 6 million tons of animal innards.>>

John

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
What is the price of red diesel and road diesel in Britain ? Over here in western Canada road diesel is about 30 English pence a litre and colored diesel is about three pence cheaper officially, but the marine fuel docks up the profit so that marine diesel becomes more expensive than road diesel. Boaters are ripe for screwing in every country.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Porter
 
"btw I don't understand the reference to 'really learn to sail'?"

The auxiliary engine is a great convenience. BUT it is still the secondary (not the primary) form of propulsion.

We have grown to depend on it and we lack both the sailing skills our fore-fathers had - and their patience.

When a replica sailing ship is built - such as Grand Turk or Endeavour - the authorities insist that an engine is fitted. Rather spoils the point of the exact replica.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Red diesel is about 30p per litre in Britain and about 80p for road diesel.

I am not exactly sure - I live in the Canaries where we have to run our boats on fully taxed road diesel at 30p per litre.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
........on converted old chip fat ......

Who said converted ?

You put in the tank straight (filter out the chips). Besides, Gordon has already had VAT on it.

You could probably be paid to use it - very green to recycle it.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top