Marina Fuel Prices, Price gouging....how do you get fuel to your boat?

[PaulyB]

I have learned to not even look at the prices anymore if I have to fill up on the lake. I trailer my boat everywhere, but on a long weekend, I will leave my boat in the water at a wet slip and not have a way to refuel. The marinas on my lake are only profitable in the summer months, yet they still operate all year. They have to get their money while they can to stay afloat, if they didnt charge the higher gas prices, there may not be enough profit for them throughout the year to keep their business. If that happened then what are people going to do to get fuel? There are some marinas thought that may push the envelope because they know people will pay the stupid high prices, which is unfortunate....

 

[rkluck]

@treeskier - Thanks for the info!

 

[Matthew]

I have a set of 4 VP racing fu el jugs. They empty in about 30-40 seconds into the boat, pretty fast for 5.5 gallons. I just fill them at the location station with premium (only non-ethanol gas at the local station by the lake house) and add some Yamaha fuel stabilizer. We keep the boat on a lift at the lake place so it's pretty easy although I have to stand on the back of the boat to fill since I don't have the dock on the port side of the boat. Both boats have fills on the port side so we opted for the Pontoon to be the one to fill from the dock

 

[Icatfish247]

I have a set of 4 VP racing fu el jugs. They empty in about 30-40 seconds into the boat, pretty fast for 5.5 gallons. I just fill them at the location station with premium (only non-ethanol gas at the local station by the lake house) and add some Yamaha fuel stabilizer. We keep the boat on a lift at the lake place so it's pretty easy although I have to stand on the back of the boat to fill since I don't have the dock on the port side of the boat. Both boats have fills on the port side so we opted for the Pontoon to be the one to fill from the dock

+1 on the VP Racing jugs. I even have one just for the lawn mower since they won't spill a drop and are much much faster than the "approved" gas cans sold in most stores.

 

[Matthew]

+1 on the VP Racing jugs. I even have one just for the lawn mower since they won't spill a drop and are much much faster than the "approved" gas cans sold in most stores.

I also love that these are "not EPA approved"

The irony is they spill less/NONE compared to the overly complex EPA approved cans.

 

[Julian]

My marina charged $4/gallon for non-ethanol gas this week. Seems fair to me. They also prohibit bringing your own gas down, which I find objectionable, but not sure if they have the Army corp behind them or just want to drive sales of their own gas. Its a private marina....so I guess they can say anything they want....but it irks me....

 

[CFD3Captain]

I'd be okay at $4 gallon. That's around 1.25 more than over the road fuel here. It's not great, but it's still less than the $5.10 it was yesterday

 

[Spectre170]

When we need to fill up the wife jumps in the boat and heads to the ramp on our lake, I grab the trailer and meet her at the ramp, load up and off to Costco about 2 miles away, fill her up and then back to the lake. It takes us about 45 minutes to 1 hr for the whole process and we find it much easier than hauling gas cans and trying to fill up on the lake. Plus we get the Costco & AMEX rebate on the gas as well.

 

[Port0222]

Found this thread through searching, but a random, maybe dumb, question. We decided to try to fill with gas cans this year as we live on the lake and the lake gas is nearly double the station down the road. Last year we would load it on the trailer and fill it, but this year I want to try to gas can route. Seems like the super siphon is a must have.

Stupid question- how do you know when it is full without spilling out of your filler neck- or it is more of a -- just make sure you have enough gas, but does not need to be full type of action. I have obviously always relied on the gas pump to shut off. I am assuming if it gets to the filler neck- that would be too full anyway- correct?

Thanks

 

[CFD3Captain]

I tried the Flow n Go and it didn't work that well for me. I ended up with two 5 gallon cans with EZ-Flow Hi pour spouts. I filled the boat at station and the next time out we used 10-15 gallons. Brought the cans and filled. I knew the boat would hold at least 10 gallon as I used that much last time out. I just reset my fuel used gauge every trip. We rarely used more 15 gallons. It was a pain but worth money saved

 

[Russ C]

I just went through this process for my boat on a lift, originally I was going to purchase VP-racing jugs. Here is how I did it for about $100 cheaper.

Here is how I did 30 gal for $110.

• 6 (30gal) Scepter 5 gal Gas Can, Military Style, they go on sale at COSTCO, I got them for $13.99 ea
• 1 Hi-Flo Gas Can Spout Kit $12.77; high flow rate, gets rid of CARB compliant spout
• 5 Fuel can vents (1 comes with spout-6 total) $6.25 total; speeds up fueling
• 3 Packs (2 per pack) Solid Base Replacement Gas Tank Cap $7.98; better cap for transportation

I also purchased this 1 inch jiggle siphon for my wife so she doesn't have to lift fuel cans for $20, this thing is great but make sure you get the 1 inch for boats it will do 5 gallons very quickly.

 

[Shuck Water]

Seems like marina gas prices are down this year. I just put in 30 gallons for less than $120 (under $4 per gallon).

 

[MattFX4]

I really want to wet slip my boat, and more than likely will do so next year. I have also thought about the high cost of gas at the marina compared to filling up off the lake while trailering. No doubt it's going to be an extra expense, but would be nice to mitigate that cost some. Seems like a wheeled fuel caddy would be the easier than hauling 3 or 4 5 gallon cans down to the boat. Have you tried something like this?

 

[Gym]

Found this thread through searching, but a random, maybe dumb, question. We decided to try to fill with gas cans this year as we live on the lake and the lake gas is nearly double the station down the road. Last year we would load it on the trailer and fill it, but this year I want to try to gas can route. Seems like the super siphon is a must have.

Stupid question- how do you know when it is full without spilling out of your filler neck- or it is more of a -- just make sure you have enough gas, but does not need to be full type of action. I have obviously always relied on the gas pump to shut off. I am assuming if it gets to the filler neck- that would be too full anyway- correct?

Thanks

@Port0222. The only dumb question is the one not asked. Anyway, it would be my advise not to try to top off your boat using a gas can as that will definitely lead to a spill. You should have a pretty good feel for how much you need from experience or from your fuel gauge if it's reasonably accurate. I would feel comfortable being 5 gallons below full or between 3/4 and full on my gauge.

I am also learning from this thread as this is the first of 5 boat years I will be on a lift so I'm faced with the same fuelish dilemma. I don't mind spending $1 or a little more at a marina as they have expenses not encountered by land based gas stations. Due to their proximity to the water their insurance, delivery fees and inspection criteria is higher. Also as mentioned they are seasonal. I agree some are gouging though.

I will probably try the fuel tank, siphon thing to see how it works out. The previous lift user (a friend) put 10 gallons in each time he used the boat so I will go with that for a while and only top off the few times during the season I pull the boat.

 

[Zeus2013]

The marina fuel is most likely non ethanol fuel which is more expensive. The non ethanol fuel is about $1 per gallon more at on highway gas stations in my area. Both of my brothers worked at marinas during high school. The marinas have to pay more to have the fuel trucked into their remote locations. They also staff the docks.

I mainly fill up on the way to the lake but I do not begrudge the marinas for what they charge.

I would assume there are high costs for insurance should there be a fuel spill and EPA permits added on.

 

[Port0222]

@Port0222. The only dumb question is the one not asked. Anyway, it would be my advise not to try to top off your boat using a gas can as that will definitely lead to a spill. You should have a pretty good feel for how much you need from experience or from your fuel gauge if it's reasonably accurate. I would feel comfortable being 5 gallons below full or between 3/4 and full on my gauge.

I am also learning from this thread as this is the first of 5 boat years I will be on a lift so I'm faced with the same fuelish dilemma. I don't mind spending $1 or a little more at a marina as they have expenses not encountered by land based gas stations. Due to their proximity to the water their insurance, delivery fees and inspection criteria is higher. Also as mentioned they are seasonal. I agree some are gouging though.

I will probably try the fuel tank, siphon thing to see how it works out. The previous lift user (a friend) put 10 gallons in each time he used the boat so I will go with that for a while and only top off the few times during the season I pull the boat.

My issue with the fuel gauge is that I have never calibrated it. My fuel gauge pegs at full and just drops below full at half a tank or so. There are a few threads on here about our early boats and this issue. The senders were incorrectly calibrated from the vendor. I am pretty sure the be or was actually on here (or the other site) posting the process to fix it.

For now, I feel confident that the 20 gallons I put in should be about full -- so agreed, I am going to set the gauge to full now and and use that as a gauge in the future.

I guess I could also boat this weekend and go to marina and verify what is "full" with an expensive fill.

@MattFX4 -- I have a decent hill going down to my dock, with lots of stairs- so 5 gallon cabs at a time seems to work for now. I have looked into the 29 gallon gas caddy -- and just store that at my dock and fill it with the 5 gallons each time I go down, but I mine as well just put it straight into the boat.

 

[Jim Robeson]

This has been interesting to read seeing how that I too will now have to fill up at the marina. I know at Port of Kimberling they use some additives in the fuel along with paying for the help that they use to fuel your boat. It was nice when I was able to use my own fuel and I would keep the receipts to get the fuel tax refund at the end of the year. I don't figure I will need to fill up that often as we will only be down on the weekends...mainly.

I am only allowed to take my boat out of dry dock 10 times a month so I don't see myself just going for the random ride like I used to do. They do offer wet slips that you can keep you boat in over the weekend if you want to stay overnight somewhere and not have to put the boat away then get it out again. This year will definitely be a learning experience.

 

[john94si]

fuel caddy and dock

• john94si
• May 25, 2016
• 1

I bought a 36gal fuel caddy. I load in my truck and fill up then roll her down the dock and keep it there.
Similar to this.
http://www.amazon.com/Scepter-Durmax-Container-Wheeled-14-Gallon/dp/B00GVKHK5G/ref=pd_sim_263_15?ie=UTF8&dpID=411NLXTL7LL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0MY8HNJ0XZB2AMNVPBQM

 

[Julian]

My issue with the fuel gauge is that I have never calibrated it. My fuel gauge pegs at full and just drops below full at half a tank or so. There are a few threads on here about our early boats and this issue. The senders were incorrectly calibrated from the vendor. I am pretty sure the be or was actually on here (or the other site) posting the process to fix it.

I replace my sender last year and wish I had done it sooner. It isn't that they incorrectly calibrated them, but that the sender was never designed to measure ethanol fuel. The new ones handle it by recalibrating each fill up. Now if you are just putting in 5 gallon jugs....and not filling her up...it will not re-calibrate each time, but at least it will have the new sensor to handle ethanol and would be closer (and reset when full). Click Here for the thread-I wish I'd replaced mine sooner....having a gauge that reads right was so much more "comforting" than constantly guessing!

 

[sstegh]

@Julian, do you know of the later year boats have the same problem with ethanol or has Yamaha fixed that?