Coal Diesel Gas boat

[Ex- Member]

I,ve mentioned the new coal/diesel boat that's running from Hilperton to Bath 2 weekly on the Fuel boats Tracking thread.

 

Thought I would mention it generally though as when passing Foxhangers a couple of days ago their Diesel cost was £0.94p

 

The new coal boat run from The Boatyard, Hilperton is charging just £0.82 PPL quite a difference, especially considering it's brought to you. They also do Gas bottles & Coal, although I think you have to pre order Gas bottles.

 

We'll certainly be using them at those prices as it would cost 12p more at Foxhangers and the time and cost of getting there.

 

Anyway they must be doing very well as their doing an extended run so clearly there's a demand, I think the winter will prove very profitable for them as well especially if lots of boats take CART winter moorings.

 

Here's their website if you want to get in touch for fuel deliveries.

 

http://www.ukboatyard.com/

 

BTW I'm nothing to do with the company, I'm just a customer and think they offer a good service for boaters.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Julynian

[sassan]

Go to Will (The coal boat), his prices are excellent and he's well liked and trusted by the community!

 

I believe he does Semmington to Bath. *glowers suspiciously at the newcomer*.

 

I haven't met the new one, just seen their boat go by, I'm sure they're perfectly nice, but I'll still be going to WIll. They've got the income from the boat yard.

 

 

Edit: Link to his website: http://thecoalboat.co.uk/

Edited October 3, 2013 by sassan

[Ex- Member]

Go to Will (The coal boat), his prices are excellent and he's well liked and trusted by the community!

 

I believe he does Semmington to Bath. *glowers suspiciously at the newcomer*.

 

I haven't met the new one, just seen their boat go by, I'm sure they're perfectly nice, but I'll still be going to WIll. They've got the income from the boat yard.

 

 

Edit: Link to his website: http://thecoalboat.co.uk/

 

Hi sassan

 

I didn't realise there was another fuel boat on the K&A from Foxhangers to Bath at the moment, someone said they were all operating above caen hill locks. I'm only too happy to buy diesel at a cheaper price LOL.

 

I have dealt with the Boat Yard a couple of times, they seem to have a slick operation going and are from what I've seen nice people. The delivery of bottled Gas is really handy too.

 

Their new boat is certainly fit for purpose, They built it them selves I believe.

[sassan]

Met them on Sunday. They were indeed very nice.

 

This was on the river at Saltford. Didn't realise they also served the river, which is excellent since as far as I know that area was not served by anyone previously.

 

Topped up with diesel as I wasn't sure how much I had left and didn't want to run out on the river (turns out I had half a tank left, but oh well).

 

Very nice couple, good diesel price. Gas bottles were a little pricey.

[Daiboy]

Diesel at both 94p and 82p is a VERY good price. What sort of percentage are you declaring as on the Thames recently I declared 60/40 and it was around £1.20 per litre. Gas can also range between £30 to £33 for a 15kg of Butane (blue bottle) What price is gas there?

[sassan]

It was £25 for a 13KG propane (I think, the orange bottles). I don't know how that compares to other fuel boats, but I've had them from caravan parks much cheaper.

[Nightwatch]

I thought Gas was regulated on cost and should be about the same price wherever you buy. It does fluctuate in cast like petrol prices.

 

Martyn

[sassan]

I thought Gas was regulated on cost and should be about the same price wherever you buy. It does fluctuate in cast like petrol prices.

 

Martyn

This may well be true. I last bought a cylinder back in March.

[Rufford]

Bottled Gas is not regulated.

[Flyboy]

On the T&M between Etruria & Br.118 I recently noticed a sign next to a gap in hedge advertising 13kg. Propane at £17. There seemed to be quite a big depot there so maybe they refill cylinders & keep the price down.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Flyboy

[Nightwatch]

Maybe I have just seen a 'price guide' behind various retail counters.

 

Standing corrected.

Martyn

[Rufford]

A 13kg propane cylinder costs me as a stockist £13.19 + 5% VAT, then there is meant to be the bottle deposit (which I dont do as its hassle), furthermore the 13kg cylinders are not actually 13kg - they are usually 11kg in the standard '13kg' bottle, not sure if the extra 2kg is the weight of the bottle tho. Gas is rather murky, and believe me anyone selling it is not making a fortune - they are normally lucky to cover costs.

 

I tend to make between £5 and £10 a bottle, which when you take into account I need to off load it off a wagon in to the gas cage, load it out the gas cage onto a customers truck or one of our own trucks and then off load the other end if we are doing the delivery, then factor in the cost of lost bottles and there really is not much in it. If I didnt live on a boat or run a fleet of propane heaters I dont think I would bother with gas.

[David Schweizer]

Retail Price Maintenance was abolished years ago, but Calor Gas seem to have managed to circumnavigate the legislation by insisting that authorised suppliers require new customers to sign a contract, in which they basicly sign away their legal rights. Unauthorised agents may find that Calor will suddenly be unable to supply them if they consistently sell the gas bottles for less than the "recommended" price.

 

I used to be a member of a Boaters Co-op which sold Calor Gas to it's members at below the "recommended" price, and when Calor found out they instructed the authorised supply agents to cease deliveries (according to the delivery driver) We switched to Shell who placed no restrictions on sale price. We had a similar problem with the diesel supplier who became reluctant to supply us beacause of pressure from local Boatyards, this was in the days before there were many coal/diesel boats.

[Ex- Member]

A 13kg propane cylinder costs me as a stockist £13.19 + 5% VAT, then there is meant to be the bottle deposit (which I dont do as its hassle), furthermore the 13kg cylinders are not actually 13kg - they are usually 11kg in the standard '13kg' bottle, not sure if the extra 2kg is the weight of the bottle tho. Gas is rather murky, and believe me anyone selling it is not making a fortune - they are normally lucky to cover costs.

 

I tend to make between £5 and £10 a bottle, which when you take into account I need to off load it off a wagon in to the gas cage, load it out the gas cage onto a customers truck or one of our own trucks and then off load the other end if we are doing the delivery, then factor in the cost of lost bottles and there really is not much in it. If I didnt live on a boat or run a fleet of propane heaters I dont think I would bother with gas.

 

Interesting, I would have thought cost price would have been more than that. We were paying £27 end of last winter collected from a local garage, of course appreciated cost price would have been higher, so whats the current price today or RRP ?? When I rang around here last year 3 different places quoted the same price within a few pence, so we assumed it was ball park fixed.

 

Coal boat is charging £25.49, I don't mind paying a small premium as having a bottle delivered direct to the boat saves a lot of hassle.

 

 

 

Who has to pay for the cage BTW do Calor supply all this

[David Schweizer]

 

Interesting, I would have thought cost price would have been more than that. We were paying £27 end of last winter collected from a local garage, of course appreciated cost price would have been higher, so whats the current price today or RRP ?? When I rang around here last year 3 different places quoted the same price within a few pence, so we assumed it was ball park fixed.

 

Coal boat is charging £25.49, I don't mind paying a small premium as having a bottle delivered direct to the boat saves a lot of hassle.

 

 

 

Who has to pay for the cage BTW do Calor supply all this

 

That is what I payed at the weekend (from a garage) and is what I believe is the "recommended " price.

[bigste]

Gas here in Spain is about £16 for 15kg bottles. Guess you Brits must be rolling in it. lol

[Ex- Member]

Gas here in Spain is about £16 for 15kg bottles. Guess you Brits must be rolling in it. lol

 

We hardly rolling in it, we are the biggest mugs in Europe though for sure, the U.K looked upon by large business as the Golden Isle to the savvy RIP OFF Britain

 

That is what I payed at the weekend (from a garage) and is what I believe is the "recommended " price.

 

 

Fair doos, a reasonable diesel price too. They dropped a really nice thick card flyer on to the boat yesterday with all their prices and proposed delivery times for all of winter, you can even order chandlery items toilet chemicals etc etc. I've bought from their chandlery before, basic stuff but reasonably priced. I think this venture will make them a lot of money, and good luck to them I say.

 

I would imagine they've leafleted all the boats on the K&A by now, if anyone's due here I would e-mail them for the same info.

[Beaker]

Bottled Gas is not regulated.

 

Mine is!

[pelicanafloat]

We bought diesel from ukboatyard. The cost is excellent.

 

We also got some free advice on the smells emanating from our pump out toilet. Spencer said that the holding tank had had sufficient time to rid itself of any old additives and suggested we put in some Odourlos to combat the smells. We did as he suggested and added one measured dose each week ... and the smell has left us!!! We are very happy people

He was going out on the following weekend on a maiden voyage on diesel/gas/coal run (and the coal quite reasonably priced too). The gas is same cost as just about everywhere.

 

Just after we left, we came across a working boat and expressed our dismay that we had already filled up with diesel. The guy working the boat was quite fed up with the boatyard charging such low prices that made him seem uncompetitive ... We felt sorry for him. Later on, I pondered the point of supply and demand, and wondered why someone would moor up so close to a boatyard where they were always going to lose out! No doubt by supplying those in need, the working boat can, with some measure of discretion, charge what he thinks is a reasonable expectation. Fickle public will respond in kind...

 

And finally, Spencer became very upset when the boat we were travelling with mentioned the apparent lack of mooring spaces up ahead (towards Bath etc). It seems that due to all the bad mouthing and general belittling of the K&A, the summer trade is almost zero! If that is so, you cannot really blame him for tackling the problem in what might appear disrespectful to working boats. We wish him well.

 

Lastly, I have heard that boatyards are complaining to CaRT about lack of mooring spaces for their poor little hire boats. We went past a typical boatyard on our journey back down the K&A and we counted in excess of 30 craft moored at least thre abreast ... and do you think the buggers cared two hoots about the effect on those cruising past? I think not! ... here's a nice example

 

 

So, dear boatyards, stop bloody complaining about how difficult it is for your dear hirers .....

[Sade]

Any ideas on filling up diesel on the other side of the K&A? Past Devizes heading to Pewsey and sure someone mentioned that there is nowhere to purchase diesel....although we did pass Tipton coal boat but haven't seen him since - can we just phone him and ask him to pop along with some diesel?