Please sir, can we have some diesel?

[Robbo]

16 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

I bought a brand new jerry can which was still sealed in its packaging and was told to get off the bus on the grounds that they could not allow a container that may hold dangerous fumes ( jerry can) into a bus full of passengers.

A wheelie suitcase may come in handy here

[pete.i]

1 hour ago, Tonksy said:

Ok, thanks.

 

Is this a seasonal issue? And because it's a less used waterway, or do most boaters have this problem?

if you are asking about the Selby canal, there are only two sets of permanent moorings on it. The Ouse lock and Selby Boatyard. Selby Boatyard did used to sell diesel but hasn't done so for a number of years now. There is a very very close garage, next door actually, but you need three or four 20 litre cans. As I am moored there I can use my car but even a garage next door is a bit of a PITA to carry 20 liter full cans of diesel from. It's also on the non towpath side. Selby lock moorings has never had diesel.

[Tonksy]

37 minutes ago, pete.i said:

if you are asking about the Selby canal, there are only two sets of permanent moorings on it. The Ouse lock and Selby Boatyard. Selby Boatyard did used to sell diesel but hasn't done so for a number of years now. There is a very very close garage, next door actually, but you need three or four 20 litre cans. As I am moored there I can use my car but even a garage next door is a bit of a PITA to carry 20 liter full cans of diesel from. It's also on the non towpath side. Selby lock moorings has never had diesel.

It was more about the Aire and Calder but that’s good to know about Selby. It helps build a bigger picture, thanks

[pearley]

3 hours ago, pete.i said:

Not any more they don't I'm afraid. Those of us moored there have to get it from the garage just down the road. The only boatyards nearly close that I can think of are Viking Marina and The Boathouse both in Goole.

Selby or Thorne? 

[Nick D]

You can get diesel from the boatyard at Castleford - just after you go through the lock from the river onto the canal section.  I think they are called Supreme Marine and their number is 01977 513111. Will save you a lot of trouble with Jerry cans etc.

[Tonksy]

1 minute ago, Nick D said:

You can get diesel from the boatyard at Castleford - just after you go through the lock from the river onto the canal section.  I think they are called Supreme Marine and their number is 01977 513111. Will save you a lot of trouble with Jerry cans etc.

I rang them this aft and they have none; couldn’t advise when they would either. 

[MtB]

I'm curious about these northern canals that are so big and beautiful. 

 

Why are they so under-used? 

 

 

[Robbo]

2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I'm curious about these northern canals that are so big and beautiful. 

 

Why are they so under-used? 

 

 

Lack of diesel to cruise

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I'm curious about these northern canals that are so big and beautiful. 

 

Why are they so under-used? 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Lack of diesel to cruise

 

Chicken or egg ?

[MtB]

I think the 'no diesel' egg is the result of the 'nobody cruises them' chicken....

 

[Alan de Enfield]

Could it be that the Northern Rivers & Canals are historically used by boats that don't need to refuel every couple of days - the introduction of leisure NBs with small fuel tanks is a relatively recent thing.

[Nightwatch]

6 hours ago, Tonksy said:

Thanks for the quick reply.I’ve rung them and their  “expected delivery” didn’t show...

Which, if I remember correctly, is almost next door. 

[MtB]

31 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Could it be that the Northern Rivers & Canals are historically used by boats that don't need to refuel every couple of days - the introduction of leisure NBs with small fuel tanks is a relatively recent thing.

 

In which case one would expect a new and ready market for diesel would get served pretty quickly. 

[Kendorr]

When you get to Thorne, you'll pass Stanilands Marina first, they had plenty last week, after the lock you'll come to Thorne Boatyard, I filled up there a few weeks back, then through the 'majestic pedestrian bridge' which actually is behaving itself at the moment, you'll come to Blue Water Marina. So, if you can manage to get to Thorne, you've 3 chances to get filled up.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

In which case one would expect a new and ready market for diesel would get served pretty quickly. 

But a supplier must have sufficient customers to justify the costs.

No boats - no fuel

 

 

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

But a supplier must have sufficient customers to justify the costs.

No boats - no fuel

 

 

 

Exactly. So loops back to my question, WHY not?

[dmr]

11 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Exactly. So loops back to my question, WHY not?

Here on the Eastern Rochdale there are only two diesel sellers and both are also hire bases. The one is quite a small operation and currently has no fuel and will probably not restock for the winter. There are really very few boats moving, in fact its probably only us, and we are not moving that much. Quite a few local petrol stations have a red diesel pump but its more expensive than what you pay at the lovely diesel boat on the Western K&A. There is a significant North-South divide in house prices and beer prices but not in diesel prices ?

 

.............Dave

[roland elsdon]

Owning an exdiesel boat i sometimes consider reinstating the tanks , but what makes it not worthwhile is people wanting 10 litres...

[Sea Dog]

5 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Owning an exdiesel boat i sometimes consider reinstating the tanks , but what makes it not worthwhile is people wanting 10 litres...

Why would folk with big tanks like on a boat want just 10 litres?  My typical top up on the narrowboat is 70 litres - the only rare occasion I buy 10 litres of diesel is in the car when I need fuel but the only garage available is one of those near the motorway bandits with exorbitant pricing.  If it's silly expensive I do a "splash and dash" rather than encouraging them further by giving them my business.

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Why would folk with big tanks like on a boat want just 10 litres? 

 

It's the behaviour recommended in post 24. See diesel for sale? Always stop and top up the tank. Result? Lots of small purchases.

 

As Roland points out, getting the hose out and doing the transaction 'costs' the retailer exactly the same regardless of whether you buy 10 litres or 150. 

[pete.i]

12 hours ago, pearley said:

Selby or Thorne? 

Selby

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

As Roland points out, getting the hose out and doing the transaction 'costs' the retailer exactly the same regardless of whether you buy 10 litres or 150. 

Surely the only 'cost' is labour cost, and if you weren't dispensing fuel (where you earn x% profit) then you would be doing nothing and getting no income.

If there is a lost opportunity cost then I agree, but it would appear that if you choose that lifestyle, then that choice is unlikely to be available.

 

You may (for example) get two phone calls - 'come and service my boiler, I'm just down the road', or 'can you come and replace the fuse, I'm 100 mile away' you have the benefit of choice.

A boat doing business down a (say) 100 miles x 30 feet wide 'track' does not have much choice where they go, and should take every opportunity to earn even a 'few coppers'. There is no additional cost in stopping to sell 10 litres, you are passing the customer anyway, and if you just drive on past and refuse to supply - the next time they want 100 litres they will go elsewhere.

[pearley]

28 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

It's the behaviour recommended in post 24. See diesel for sale? Always stop and top up the tank. Result? Lots of small purchases.

 

As Roland points out, getting the hose out and doing the transaction 'costs' the retailer exactly the same regardless of whether you buy 10 litres or 150. 

When we ran petrol stations for a living, it wasn't unusual for someone to arrive just after we had closed and locked most things up. The usual cry was "I only want a gallon" 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

Not any more they don't I'm afraid. Those of us moored there have to get it from the garage just down the road. The only boatyards nearly close that I can think of are Viking Marina and The Boathouse both in Goole.

Is it still Simon Banks at Selby? Knew his dad Dougie well. 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

 

 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

 

 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

 

 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

.

. 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

 

 

16 hours ago, pete.i said:

 

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by pearley
Cos I pressed the submit button and nothing happened so pressed it again, then again, etc.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Surely the only 'cost' is labour cost, and if you weren't dispensing fuel (where you earn x% profit) then you would be doing nothing and getting no income.

 

Well that's EXACTLY it. Who, when running a business is sitting doing nothing waiting for a boat to come along wanting diesel?

 

Of the multitude of things a business owner chooses to do with his time, spending 15 minutes serving a customer wanting 10 litres of diesel isn't good use of it, given the astonishing price sensitivity of the buyer for the product.

 

Opportunity cost sums it up!

[WotEver]

.

Edited November 18, 2018 by WotEver