Marina Fuel

[tckearney]

Fuel in marinas :-  Can anybody advise if the quality of fuel in Marinas  differs greatly cross the UK?   I filled up at a predominantly  fishing  vessel  berth and now I am smoking.   It was fine before that.  Somebody at my local marina suggested that some marinas used fuel that contains high sulphur and sometimes have 25% Bio oil added as this results in a government subsidy.   The last fill up was 14p a litre cheaper than my normal marina.  Any comments?

[Laysula]

We are in Brixham marina and the fuel there is FAME free and sold at cost price to berth holders which at the last look was £1.07 a litre with a 60/40 split. Never had an issue with it and with quite a few large motor yachts in regular use it gets turned over pretty often.
I know that I can buy red at a garage up the road for about 70p or so a litre but then I have to transport it myself and I don't really know the quality of it.

[dawntreader]

Fuel in marinas :-  Can anybody advise if the quality of fuel in Marinas  differs greatly cross the UK?   I filled up at a predominantly  fishing  vessel  berth and now I am smoking.   It was fine before that.  Somebody at my local marina suggested that some marinas used fuel that contains high sulphur and sometimes have 25% Bio oil added as this results in a government subsidy.   The last fill up was 14p a litre cheaper than my normal marina.  Any comments?

We have cruised to many ports in the UK and EU - port-hopping all the way down to the Canary Islands and back over the past few years. The quality of fuel we have taken on board must have varied but 'smoking' has never been an issue. Does anyone else in the marina where you fill up have the same problem? If not, it may be an injector or filter issue

[IslandAlchemy]

It's all red fame-free fuel, especially at a fishing dock.  I can't see that being the cause of your smoke.

What colour smoke and when?

[Salty]

Are you sure it's smoke and not steam resulting from too little cooling water flowing through your cooling system?
The internal waterway within the saildrive leg is a favourite place for mussels to set up home. Also if you have never removed the rubber cooling water inlet to your exhaust manifold, you might find more bits and pieces in there blocking the free flow of cooling water through the tubes than you might imagine.

[artemis]

Hi There

I had a couple of Issues with red diesel blocking filters more smoke coming from exhaust taking a whilst to start when turning over etc if your marina does not have a big turn over of fuel in the winter month's then this is when you get condensation in the marina's tanks then next thing you have the dreaded fuel bug in your tank.

I contacted Volvo Penta UK who said they recommend using only white diesel and NOT red since changing I've never had a problem.

Yes it cost more but I would rather spend a few quid more and make sure my engine is 100% whats left over in the winter goes into the car.

Rgds
Mike
Artemis

[Salty]

Fuel in marinas :-  Can anybody advise if the quality of fuel in Marinas  differs greatly cross the UK?   I filled up at a predominantly  fishing  vessel  berth and now I am smoking.   It was fine before that.  Somebody at my local marina suggested that some marinas used fuel that contains high sulphur and sometimes have 25% Bio oil added as this results in a government subsidy.   The last fill up was 14p a litre cheaper than my normal marina.  Any comments?

Guys, I trust that when you buy fuel from anywhere other than from a marina and get it at a significantly lesser price than the marina would have charged, that you are making the appropriate declarations to the supplier of that fuel in order that the correct amount of tax is charged and paid. Failing to do so can result in HMRC taking a bit more than a passing interest in your activities. This can lead to them deciding whether you have paid enough tax, and how much of a contribution remains to be paid. At worst you might even be invited to spend a while at a state run hotel where board and lodging comes free of charge, and you might have to share the hotel room with your fuel supplier.

[nightowle]

Guys, I trust that when you buy fuel from anywhere other than from a marina and get it at a significantly lesser price than the marina would have charged, that you are making the appropriate declarations to the supplier of that fuel in order that the correct amount of tax is charged and paid. Failing to do so can result in HMRC taking a bit more than a passing interest in your activities. This can lead to them deciding whether you have paid enough tax, and how much of a contribution remains to be paid. At worst you might even be invited to spend a while at a state run hotel where board and lodging comes free of charge, and you might have to share the hotel room with your fuel supplier.
[/quote]

Ha Ha......Hotel California.  "You can check out anytime, but you just can't leave."

[IslandAlchemy]

Artemis

White diesel has a proportion of bio-diesel in it (FAME) which is what causes bug.  It is k to put into cars because of the turnover (probably not in the tan for more than a week or two).  If left in a cold, moist tank for months (as happens on a boat), you WILL get diesel bug, which will cause you lots of problems.  Red diesel is FAME-free, and although a bit heavier than white, will not cause this problem. VP gave you bad advice.

[Symphony]

Artemis

White diesel has a proportion of bio-diesel in it (FAME) which is what causes bug.  It is k to put into cars because of the turnover (probably not in the tan for more than a week or two).  If left in a cold, moist tank for months (as happens on a boat), you WILL get diesel bug, which will cause you lots of problems.  Red diesel is FAME-free, and although a bit heavier than white, will not cause this problem. VP gave you bad advice.

I have been using white diesel for 20 years  in both Greece and the UK and have NEVER had diesel bug.

Famous last words - maybe - but don't see why the future will be any different from the past.

[artemis]

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/regulations/Pages/red-diesel.aspx


Dear Mr. Wood
You can use either white or red diesel as long as it conforms to the specification in the Service Bulletin, the color of the diesel has no bearing on its specification. The specification of the fuel you choose to use can be confirmed by the supplier, marina/ fuel barge/ tanker.  In the UK red diesel fuel from a marina will be correct specification.

Kind regards,
_____________________________________
Volvo Penta UK Division
Volvo Group UK Limited
Wedgnock Lane
Warwick
CV34 5YA
United Kingdom

[tckearney]

All very interesting and good advice.   Just now wondering about Europe fuel.  If Road Diesel (white) DERV, in the UK contains FAME  and is not good unless regulars turnaround of the tank.  Then what does Europe marinas use? Is it Road diesel ?   Thanks again I will check the specs on both my local Marina and the Marina I last used to fill up.

[dawntreader]

All very interesting and good advice.   Just now wondering about Europe fuel.  If Road Diesel (white) DERV, in the UK contains FAME  and is not good unless regulars turnaround of the tank.  Then what does Europe marinas use? Is it Road diesel ?   Thanks again I will check the specs on both my local Marina and the Marina I last used to fill up.

Regular use of a good additive - eg Soltron - will significantly reduce (eliminate) the risk of getting diesel bug so don't have to worry about 'turnover'. Not heard of anyone getting it if used correctly (members on the forum will correct or confirm  )

[Odysseus]

I havs been in thd Biscay for 13 years now and diesel bug has grown significantly.
Yes i use a treatment every time i top up however think about what happens to the dead bugs?

Look at you primary filter when you change it. I bet the top is full of brown  crud, so you now know what happens to them.

Dont listen to the pundits who say they get burned up, they don't. Look at my last polishing filter. Under fuel polishing.

Thats why i made my fuel polishing kit.

All the best.

Odysseus
Bav 38

[Ricd]

Re the BUg. I have always maintained fuel tank as full as practical. Only ever using marina fuel Top up frequently to minimise head space thus water condensate potential. Also use Startron every fill up. Check primary filter at every change for any residue/gunk, to date (16 years) filter completely clean. Others in out marina over same timeframe have suffered bug issue.

[Neil]

I use mainly marina provided fuel and declare appropriately (60/40 or 80/20 depending on the time of year). I have also filled up in the South of Ireland where marina fuel is green diesel and full of all sorts of bio stuff. I have never had an issue amounting to more than a few black specs in the primary fuel filter. I have used Soltron religiously for the last 4 years.

There have been issues with specific marinas supply being excessively dirty on occassion but I have been fortunate enough to avoid this. I carry a few spare primary and secondary fuel filters for this eventuality, hopefully allowing me to at least park up in a marina in the event my diesel does become badly contaminated.

I have also been considering carrying a jerry can of 10 or 20 litres, which could feed the engine bypassing the fuel tank and could also be used if I inatvertantly run the main tank empty (could be easily done given the fuel gauge!). I havent done this yet though - on the list.

[IslandAlchemy]

Most white marina fuel in Europe is Fame-free, as it is designed boat boats.

In the UK, the marinas carry red fame-free, but the white they carry is usually just normal stuff that has bio in it.

[artemis]

I received the following from VP

see attached

[Yngmar]

We've filled up in every country on the way from the UK (now in Sicily) with whatever Diesel (Gasoil) was available, red, white, no matter. No real problems. We pump up the bottom dregs from the tank as part of the annual maintenance and that's it.

If you have visible smoke, it's likely caused by something other than fuel - the Diesel would have to be seriously meddled with to cause that.

One thing: It may be caused by some of the additives that are sold to treat fuel bug, specifically the ones that disperse water and emulsify it into the fuel, which would then cause smoke (steam really) as the water is injected along with the fuel. Did you by chance use something like that?