Buying diesel

[LadyPatricia]

Very quick question.

What is the 'procedure' for buying fuel on the broads. By this i mean

1. Is it self service or is there an attendant?

2. Do most places take cards or is it strictly cash?

We've only ever been on hire boats before so have no idea how it all works.

Steve & Deb

[Baitrunner]

It will attendant delivery (don't want people throwing diesel in the rivers) and most places I have used take cards - I wont tell you how much it cost me to top my tanks up last time, but would need a bigger boat for the cash  

 

Never tried to use a card for water or pump outs though. 

[Baitrunner]

Also, to add to the discussion - Most people keep their tanks topped up over winter even if your not using the boat. Helps keep the dreaded diesel bug at bay so I am told.

 

Anyone else heard this?

[BroadScot]

Hi Steve & Deb,

 

It aint self service as far as I know. I would think Goodchilds would be your cheapest place to buy diesel at Burgh Castle. I could be wrong on that one. I am sure someone will be along to correct me if I am wrong.

 

Glad you got out at the weekend on your new cruiser.

 

 

Iain.

[JawsOrca]

Hi Steve, it's best to top to leave the boat with the tanks topped right to top as suggested.. couple of reasons; means you don't have to stress when you pick the boat up and as suggested if you have a metal tank they do condensate and cause the diesel bug (I've know friends who have had to strip injector pumps down to clean up after this it's not fun ).   Brooms is probably the closest to you there?! (or reedham?). Certainly attendant service everywhere.. someone will often be there to help you moor up before you now it... We normally find if you pay by cash they often round the price down to the nearest note

 

Don't forget to winterise the boat before you leave her too (So drain water out the engine etc).

[LadyPatricia]

Mark, if you want another boat to keep your cash in feel free to store it on ours, very reasonable storage fees and you'd get approx half back

Thanks for the advice on topping up for winter, we never knew that but will certainly do it.

Iain, is Goodchilds the boatyard where the Waveney meets the start of Breydon? There was a receipt from them that came with the boat. They did some work on the engine.

Alan, Reedham isn't far from us so may check to see if there is anywhere to purchase fuel there. Lady Patricia is being lifted out this winter so everything will be drained down and winterised correctly. I have a man who is going to show me how to do it properly

I've been looking to see if you can purchase red diesel anywhere and take it to the boat. I've read somewhere that boatyards charge the same prices as high st garages for red, is this correct?

Steve

[BroadScot]

Yes Steve, Goodchilds on your left after The Fishermans Bar, from memory its a pontoon for pump out and fueling, so no problems with tide heights.

 

Iain

[JawsOrca]

Hi Steve, Sandersons have a fuel pump from what I remember although have never fuelled up there.. If not try reedham marina.. although I doubt will be cheap .. There's no such thing as red diesel anymore Although the red dye is impossible to remove so you will probably find that when you fuel up you will be given a red dyed (white diesel) fuel for normal road prices.. but you still have to pay the tax I'm afraid (It is worth looking around though as some places can be a difference of 10p.. mum and dad use brooms and the place next door to the new inn at horning both are cheap).. 

 

(You maybe thinking of heating oil which is tax free diesel (so the old red prices) although that shouldn't be used for propulsion.. it's only for heating (a couple of road garages do sell it, although you need to prove its only for heating... we must get a diesel fired heater on our houseboat...).

[Chelsea14Ian]

Hi Steve

Alan is right,when we need fuel at Brundall we go to brooms they are nit the cheapest,but is close to Eastwood.Horning is cheap,I think sutton was the cheapest in September £1.18.Its horses for courses.Its not good getting cheap fuel if you spend 1,2 or 3 hours traveling to buy.

 

Just one question way are you lifting your boat so soon?

 

Ian

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Steve & Deb,

 

All the fuel stations are attended service. There is not that many fuel stations on the Southern Broads.

 

Broom's fuel station is used by many (all cards taken) of the private boats on the Southern Broads, Sandersons  at Reedham will sell fuel (not sure about debit/credit cards) I have only used them once when Broom's had run out on our change over day, they would only let me have about £50 of fuel because they were running short.

 

One of the yards at Loddon also sells fuel. Waveney River Centre also sell fuel.

 

Boulters on the Northern Broads are usually one of the cheapest suppliers.

 

 

Regards

Alan

[LadyPatricia]

Thank you again for the replies.

Ian, we are lifting the boat as she needs antifouling. And we want her to look her best for next season

The previous owner had already bought the paint to do it so we have decided to do it this winter, or just before March when she goes back in.

Steve

[Baitrunner]

I have found Brooms expensive but handy. Had heard griffin marine up by postwick might be cheaper but may not be open weekends.

I get the slight discount having diesel heating but still paid 1.33 at brooms back in May. Would have been cheaper to fill up at tesco!!

Now maybe if they opened a couple of marine fuel stations and tesco express stores they could recoup their slight accounting error.

[Hockham Admiral]

Sanderson were £1.40+/L a couple of weeks ago. GCM ( Goodchilds) were £1.13/L

[Mowjo]

Steve! on the Diesel bug treatment I've been using this one for years http://www.asap-supplies.com/search/diesel+bug/soltron-fuel-treatment-enzyme-314101they do bigger bottles but the 125mm bottle last me all season, I always top my tank right up, but it's probably even more important if you leave any space in you Diesel tank, we had another thread going about the new diesel they are using now and due to a few changes in it it's more prone to Diesel bug so for the sake of £10 I wouldn't risk it,, the reason I use Soltron is because it uses enzymes to kill the bugs, most others use biocides and after a while the bugs can become imune to it,,,,

 

Frank,,,,

[Baz]

Hiya Mark,

 

   I totally agree with the previous comments, but there's one more that I've always believed, and that is, if the diesel tank is filled to the brim over the winter months, there's less room for any condensation to form and therefore contaminate the diesel. I've always done this, and touch wood, never had any problems when starting up again in the Spring.

 

Hiya Frank mate.

[Mowjo]

Erm Baz! you've only used 2 litres of diesel in the last five years, last time you bought any it was 50p a gallon,,

 

 

Frank,,,,

[Baz]

You're not keeping tabs on me Frank are you ?

[Baz]

Actually Frank, the last time I bought any, it was on offer, Buy one Gallon, get one free lol. Have a nice day mate, love to Judi xx

 

 

Baz

[Mowjo]

I'll think of you tomorrow Baz when i'm sitting on the boat drinking tea, I mean working,,,

 

Frank,,,,,

[JayKay]

Mark, if you want another boat to keep your cash in feel free to store it on ours, very reasonable storage fees and you'd get approx half back

Thanks for the advice on topping up for winter, we never knew that but will certainly do it.

Iain, is Goodchilds the boatyard where the Waveney meets the start of Breydon? There was a receipt from them that came with the boat. They did some work on the engine.

Alan, Reedham isn't far from us so may check to see if there is anywhere to purchase fuel there. Lady Patricia is being lifted out this winter so everything will be drained down and winterised correctly. I have a man who is going to show me how to do it properly

I've been looking to see if you can purchase red diesel anywhere and take it to the boat. I've read somewhere that boatyards charge the same prices as high st garages for red, is this correct?

Steve

Just bought a drum (210ltrs) from Rix Petrolium at a cost of £160 so only paying 60p a ltr with 5% VAT... Just a hassle filling drums and outting in then adding my white to make her legal with the fuel split. Make sure you keep the reciepts just incase. If you buy 500ltrs thats 3 drums straight from the tanker you get it down to 49p a ltr. Don't use Heating Oil even though its dyed red as its not got the lubricants etc in to keep ya engine sweet. To someones cost at our mooring he found out the hard way and had a nice engine rebuild bill. No saving there in the long run.

 

Just got back from 8 days on Southern and despite the thunder on day one had a lovely chilled week and only saw about 5 other boats out and about.

 

Happy boating! Jay Kay