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30 Gallons
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Will $5, $6 or $7 per Gallon Boat Fuel Kill
Boating???
The quick answer is no. Fuel prices
will not kill boating. But recreational boating will
be different for a while as we all get adjusted to
the recent and rapid jump in fuel prices for this cruising
season. If you look at your boating as a budget item,
fuel must now be approached as a factor of boating.
Just
how bad are boat fuel prices? We started a weekly survey
of some of the popular fuel stops on the route north
of Seattle and into the San Juan and Gulf Islands and
beyond. Fuel prices have gone to just under $5 per
gallon for diesel and gas in many places in the US,
but we also noticed that you if you selectively shop
for fuel, you can save as much as $.40 per gallon or
more. That may not sound like much but if you are ready
for your summer trip to Desolation Sound or The Broughtons – this could save you $120-$200 when
you fill up your tanks with 300 or 500 gallons of diesel
fuel. Consider filling up before you leave the US.
If you fill up in British Columbia consider that your
fuel costs could go up by an additional $600, or over
$1000 for the same 300 gallon or 500 gallon purchase!
If you are not quick with your liters to gallons conversion
you could be lulled by the apparent low price per liter
until the you see the total converted on your credit
card statement a month later – which by the way – will
include the difference in the U.S. to Canadian exchange
rate and probably an additional, up to 2% or more exchange
fee by your credit card company. Purchasing fuel has
now become a new factor in nautical navigation. When
you leave the dock, check the weather, the currents
and the schedule for slack for the Dodd or Seymour
Narrows and the rapids beyond. But now also check the
fuel prices and plan where you will stop to refuel.
The cost difference could be dramatic.
While we don’t like the new fuel prices it should
not stop us from boating. In the big financial picture
of boating, it still is, for many, a small, albeit
growing, part of the total annual boating cost. When
you consider the average 36’-42’ cruising
boat annual moorage could be $5,000 - $8,000 per year.
Insurance a similar amount, and often annual maintenance
and upkeep add an additional $8,000-$12,000 to the
annual cost of boating. You may do your own maintenance
or have a special moorage where you keep your costs
lower. For many, the unfortunate truth is we are only
able to use our boats between 10-18 days per year.
For those fortunate few who have the time to do extended
cruising this could be 20-40 days or more per year.
Assuming a conservative cruising speed your annual
fuel costs may only be $600 per year at today’s
prices. For the average twin engine boat with a variety
of speeds this could be $4,500 per year. If you cruise
to Alaska for the summer this could be a total of $10,000
- $15,000 for a summer of cruising if you are somewhat
conservative with your running speeds. While not insignificant,
it should not be a cost that will drive you from boating.
And, you were already paying a little more than half
of this at last years fuel prices.
For some boaters, they are already resigned to not
leaving the dock for the summer. They realize that
their boat is the cheapest condo on the water they
will ever find. Boat mechanics are warning that this
may not be a complete cost savings as boats, like any
other mechanical equipment, need to be run to stay
in good shape. Running a boat moves oil and lubricants
around. This not only applies to the engine but also
many other moving components on the boat be it the
windlass or the steering system. Boats that sit at
the dock, end up with mechanical problems related typically
to corrosion and other problems from lack of use.
Tips to Reduce Your Fuel Costs
While we don’t like the new
cost of fuel here are a few tips to reduce your boating
fuel costs.
- Plan your fuel purchase – Look
at our fuel survey to determine where the best place
is to purchase your fuel. This may take some additional
research and maybe a phone call or two as the prices
vary every day. Note that in our survey we found
that many marinas are not quoting the sales tax with
the per gallon price of diesel fuel. The state sales
tax, which varies by county, is not added at the
pump but is added to your bill when totaled. We found
this to be the case for Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor
where the county sales tax of 7.7% is added to your
bill after the number of gallons and the rate are
totaled.
- Look for, or negotiate, discounts for large
purchase – This takes some pre-planning
but some fuel docks will provide a pre-negotiated
discount or offer a discount if asked. Often there
is a discount for paying cash. For example, the
Port of Anacortes Cap Sante fuel dock offers a
$.03 per gallon discount for every 100 gallons
purchased, which is cumulative up to 300 gallons
or a $.09 per gallon discount – without asking.
According to Harbormaster Dale Fowler, “We
are encouraging boats to stop in Anacortes on their
way to the islands or further north with very competitive
fuel prices and our discount program.”
Ask if there is a discount for cash or check. Many
fuel suppliers will offer a cash discount if they
do not have to pay credit card processing fees.
- Buy like a fisherman – In
some locations you can negotiate directly with a
fuel company for a large diesel fuel purchase with
a land based fuel wholesaler. They will meet you
at the commercial dock and fill you from the truck.
In Anacortes, Reisner Distributors will meet you
at the commercial dock at a pre-appointed time and
pump a minimum of 150 gallons often for less than
the costs at the fuel dock just as they do for the
local fisherman and commercial operators.
- Plan your cruising speed according to the
leg of your trip – In general, it
is best to cruise at the optimum speed for your
boat. This is calculated not just on the fuel flow
but also the fuel consumed per mile of cruising.
This may take some experimentation to see what
your most efficient hull speed is on an extended
cruise. Test your consumption and speed at different
RPM levels and document your results. Add this
to your log to find out the most efficient speed
for your vessel. Note the current, the wind and
the state of the liquids in your fuel, water and
waste tanks as each will vary the performance of
your vessel based on weight and balance. You can
start with the engine manufacturers suggested fuel
and cruising figures and then experiment. Also,
don’t forget to note if you are towing a
dinghy or not as this will also change your performance.
Over time you can probably hone in to just the
right RPM setting for the best fuel usage for your
hull in different configurations. The slowest RPM
setting is not always the most efficient.
Consider planning your cruising speed with your objectives
for the day, the current, and the weather. If you
are crossing the Strait of Georgia from Nanaimo to
Desolation Sound, or Queen Charlotte Strait on your
way to Northern B.C. in the morning, you may want
to run at a faster speed and enjoy a more comfortable
ride by completing your crossing before the winds
pick up later in the day. The same may apply to a
changing tide to against the wind. Run faster and
pay for the extra fuel in exchange for the added
comfort or the advantage and safety of a favorable
current.
- Plan your cruising legs with the current
in mind –Planning your departure
around the currents can add speed to your trip
or you can fight the current with fuel. With good
planning, it is possible to cruise north with the
current pushing you along and then after the change
in tide continue north to catch the ebb which will
then flow north up Vancouver Island for a partial
free ride and extended fuel savings not to mention
additional speed, all courtesy of good planning
and Mother Nature. You can also work the back eddies
with local knowledge and use what would be an opposing
current and ride the back eddy by knowing where
to be for that body of water. Experienced commercial
mariners often use this technique in Johnstone
Strait.
- Clean your hull bottom before an extended
trip – These days, a half of a knot
or more can make a difference when on an extended
cruise. Have a diver scrub the growth off the bottom
of your boat before you leave. On a long cruising
day a half of a knot can cut the time of your passage
down by 45 minutes or more. At the cost of fuel
today that can translate to $15 to $25 per day
of savings. That may not sound like much, but it
all adds up. In addition, you will get to your
destination sooner.
Boating will change as a result of the climb in fuel
prices. It will not die, we as boaters will be more
conscious of the cost and plan accordingly. In other
places of the world, like Europe, they have mentally
adjusted to $7 and $9 per gallon of diesel for boating.
For many, the time we spend on our boats with family
and friends is very special. Most of us work hard,
or did work hard before retirement, and boating is
the reward. Time is a precious commodity that we cannot
manufacture more of. For some, the fuel cost to get
to that special anchorage, marina or fishing spot is
worth the value of time. A quick informal eyeball survey
of the boats crossing Rosario Strait on a recent sunny
weekend showed about 1/3 really did not care about
the cost of fuel. Boating is their passion and time
is important and 40 gallons per hour and $200 per hour
is a small price to pay to get out on the boat and
cruise to the many special places we have in the Pacific
Northwest.
There is one last tip – you probably don’t
have to go far to find the perfect spot to moor no
matter where your boat is docked in the Pacific Northwest.
Recently we had one of those rare perfect days in the
San Juan Islands; bright sun, hardly a cloud in the
sky and a snow capped Mt. Baker fully in view on the
eastern horizon. Our boating consisted of a short cruise
to an anchorage just 4 miles from the dock. While a
cruise further into the islands would have been great,
or even a crossing into British Columbia would have
been wonderful, our special anchorage that day was
perfect with a mooring area surrounded by high rock
and green trees, a beach and trails for hiking, dolphins
and seals in the nearby water and bald eagles overhead.
We rafted two boats together and three families sat
there in the sun and just enjoyed the day. The point
is, often you don’t have to go far to find a
great anchorage to enjoy the day and enjoy the benefits
we all have cruising in the Pacific Northwest.
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