Doesn't look like I will be able to get to the local fuel dock before hauling, so I will have to top off my fuel tank (about 10 gals worth) with a gerry can. So here's the dumb question of the day - is the diesel from the gas station, i.e. Hess, as good for marine use in a modern marine engine as the stuff from the fuel dock? My thinking is that diesel is diesel, whether from the gas station, fuel dock, home heating oil truck, or Jet A.
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Correct, deisel is deisel
The difference is that the home heating truck sells the stuff for cheaper, the gas stations are charging more because of taxes and state regulations. The color is different so inspectors can tell the difference, and so truck drivers don't circumvent the "MAN" I use home heating fuel for my back hoe, and haven't had a problem in 14years.
The difference is that the home heating truck sells the stuff for cheaper, the gas stations are charging more because of taxes and state regulations. The color is different so inspectors can tell the difference, and so truck drivers don't circumvent the "MAN" I use home heating fuel for my back hoe, and haven't had a problem in 14years.
quality is important
Just this weekend I found myself in the same situation and bought fuel at my favorite marina, where I have never had a doubt about the quality or bought a dirty batch in over 15 years of sailing. When the owner said they were closing soon, at noon, I asked about getting another can full and he replyed that it was available at a filling station out on the main road. Same stuff, etc. I remembered that it's cheaper without the boating tax and it was but it's a different color. They keep track of the taxes by putting die in it. I used the same funnel for both cans, the one that has a very tight screen in the bottom and found the street fuel left some crud and several drops of water in it while the marina fuel was spotless. In addition my brother has a diesel VW and buys mostly at a station where they sell lots of fuel to emergency vehicles. A good friend of mine sold his diesel VW after getting several loads of dirty fuel at discount retailers that resulted in frozen fuel lines in the dead of winter. So, yah you can use it but you better know the quality. Good luck.
Just this weekend I found myself in the same situation and bought fuel at my favorite marina, where I have never had a doubt about the quality or bought a dirty batch in over 15 years of sailing. When the owner said they were closing soon, at noon, I asked about getting another can full and he replyed that it was available at a filling station out on the main road. Same stuff, etc. I remembered that it's cheaper without the boating tax and it was but it's a different color. They keep track of the taxes by putting die in it. I used the same funnel for both cans, the one that has a very tight screen in the bottom and found the street fuel left some crud and several drops of water in it while the marina fuel was spotless. In addition my brother has a diesel VW and buys mostly at a station where they sell lots of fuel to emergency vehicles. A good friend of mine sold his diesel VW after getting several loads of dirty fuel at discount retailers that resulted in frozen fuel lines in the dead of winter. So, yah you can use it but you better know the quality. Good luck.
Not home heating oil
Marina & car diesel is not the same as home heating oil. There are additives added to marina and road diesel, which are the same except for the dye (marina is dyed red). Home heating oil isn't filtered as great as marina or car diesel. To be safe, use the jerry jug with marina fuel right at the marina. It doesn't matter if you have to make two trips, does it?
Marina & car diesel is not the same as home heating oil. There are additives added to marina and road diesel, which are the same except for the dye (marina is dyed red). Home heating oil isn't filtered as great as marina or car diesel. To be safe, use the jerry jug with marina fuel right at the marina. It doesn't matter if you have to make two trips, does it?
Done that for years
no difference that I can tell except the price, tax, and maybe the color. Engine just doesn't care about the color, etc. If you get water or crud, it is almost certainly from your container so in that sense, it is a little riskier. Don't let the can sit out in the rain, etc. Use a clean plastic container, a filter, and a little care and you should be ok.
no difference that I can tell except the price, tax, and maybe the color. Engine just doesn't care about the color, etc. If you get water or crud, it is almost certainly from your container so in that sense, it is a little riskier. Don't let the can sit out in the rain, etc. Use a clean plastic container, a filter, and a little care and you should be ok.
Saved me some heartbreak
Glad that you asked Gregg. I was about to the same thing - but now I am going to head to the next marina over.
Glad that you asked Gregg. I was about to the same thing - but now I am going to head to the next marina over.
Gas Station Diesel?
For a five year period when my C30 was moored in a location that had no fuel facilities, I fed its Yanmar with diesel from the local Hess station. It never knew the difference. Whenever the 'needle' reached the half way point, I added five gallons that I carried in a West Marine yellow plastic container.
For a five year period when my C30 was moored in a location that had no fuel facilities, I fed its Yanmar with diesel from the local Hess station. It never knew the difference. Whenever the 'needle' reached the half way point, I added five gallons that I carried in a West Marine yellow plastic container.
Patrick?
Contamination isn't only from the container. A couple of years ago I spent the summer in a Marina in Maine that did a tremendous amount of fuel business. It had the best prices around. And I soon found out why. I filled my spare fuel jerry jug at the marina pump. I had been using that jug for quite a while. I went on a cruise and topped off with the jug about 3-4 days later. I was amazed to see sediment in the jug after I emptied it into my boat's tank. From that point I never used that marina's fuel. I always drove over to the gas station to get my diesel fuel.
Contamination isn't only from the container. A couple of years ago I spent the summer in a Marina in Maine that did a tremendous amount of fuel business. It had the best prices around. And I soon found out why. I filled my spare fuel jerry jug at the marina pump. I had been using that jug for quite a while. I went on a cruise and topped off with the jug about 3-4 days later. I was amazed to see sediment in the jug after I emptied it into my boat's tank. From that point I never used that marina's fuel. I always drove over to the gas station to get my diesel fuel.
West Marine fuel filter
Practical sailor recommends the WM fuel filter with the teflon coated stainless steel screen. They rated it better than a baja filter and it cost less than $20. It has been debated to death here but condensation isn't a problem for getting water in your fuel. Topping off a fuel tank so that the fuel can age is a bad idea!!!! IMHO the best thing to do is to drain the tank and fill it up with fresh fuel next spring. I can think of no good happening by storing diesel in your tank for months or years.
Practical sailor recommends the WM fuel filter with the teflon coated stainless steel screen. They rated it better than a baja filter and it cost less than $20. It has been debated to death here but condensation isn't a problem for getting water in your fuel. Topping off a fuel tank so that the fuel can age is a bad idea!!!! IMHO the best thing to do is to drain the tank and fill it up with fresh fuel next spring. I can think of no good happening by storing diesel in your tank for months or years.
Fuel
Interesting thread. My experience is somewhat different than several of the posters. I never buy diesel from my marina. They have very few boaters who use diesel, thus the fuel is old and has been known to be full of crud. This is even more important in the spring, when the diesel has been sitting in the marina's tank all winter. I always buy mine from a Pilot Truck Stop...I know they sell lots of it and it's fresh.
Interesting thread. My experience is somewhat different than several of the posters. I never buy diesel from my marina. They have very few boaters who use diesel, thus the fuel is old and has been known to be full of crud. This is even more important in the spring, when the diesel has been sitting in the marina's tank all winter. I always buy mine from a Pilot Truck Stop...I know they sell lots of it and it's fresh.
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