Visit our Popular Forums

Mike Sibley · 04-05-2012, 06:09

Is there any significant difference between marine diesel and highway diesel? I know that the color is different to indicate that highway taxes have not been paid on marine diesel, but is there any real difference in the way there are refined or in the additives? Are there any negatives from using highway diesel in a boat?

capt.bobfm · 04-05-2012, 06:12

...NO !!!

VirtualVagabond · 04-05-2012, 06:18

Just colour.......... and price!

**Cotemar** · 04-05-2012, 06:33

Marine diesel and highway diesel are the same composition except for tax and color

**sarafina** · 04-05-2012, 07:00

Like anything, if they put "MARINE" on it they can charge more....

**skipmac** · 04-05-2012, 07:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarafina

Like anything, if they put "MARINE" on it they can charge more....

And what's more annoying, even after marinas are exempted from highway taxes on the diesel they still charge more.

Tortuga's Lie · 04-05-2012, 07:04

Some suppliers will add ValvTect to the fuel to help it keep in large tanks. Apart from that, it's the taxes. The cetane level should be the same.

**sarafina** · 04-05-2012, 07:07

lol... insult to injury.

Sometimes I think about when we used to, back in the day, pull in at the marina pump, every time we embarked, to fill up the cavernous tanks in the bilge of the Chris Craft.

100 gallon tank and we used to squeal at the 100 buck bill...

Those were the days.

Makes me happy everytime I raise a sail ; -)

drewzn · 04-05-2012, 07:26

Sara, I'm with you there!

Astral Blue · 04-05-2012, 08:15

Some distributors of marine grade Diesel fuel add additional biocide to help in preventing bacterial growth.

deckofficer · 04-05-2012, 08:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarafina

lol... insult to injury.

Sometimes I think about when we used to, back in the day, pull in at the marina pump, every time we embarked, to fill up the cavernous tanks in the bilge of the Chris Craft.

100 gallon tank and we used to squeal at the 100 buck bill...

Those were the days.

Makes me happy everytime I raise a sail ; -)

Now days I can spend over $200 just filling my Ford Excursion.

Tortuga's Lie · 04-05-2012, 08:50

My marina hates sailboats...the nerve of them, only filling up once or twice a year! They want those big ol' guzzlers that take on 1000 gallons at a time!!!

**SkiprJohn** · 04-05-2012, 12:33

Marine diesel, road diesel and farm diesel. Road diesel gets taxed so that you can pay for road maintenance. Marine diesel gets marked up because its sold to rich boaters and farm diesel is the cheapest because its sold to poor farmers. Go to a farming area and buy your diesel from a farm coop or outlet and save some money.

It's all the same stuff and don't count on a marine station to add anything to kill bugs that might cost them money.

kind regards,

**mdvick** · 04-05-2012, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarafina

lol... insult to injury.

Sometimes I think about when we used to, back in the day, pull in at the marina pump, every time we embarked, to fill up the cavernous tanks in the bilge of the Chris Craft.

100 gallon tank and we used to squeal at the 100 buck bill...

Those were the days.

Makes me happy everytime I raise a sail ; -)

I used a place in Marathon that sold both gas and diesel for boats WITHOUT adding any increase and in fact reducing the price by the road tax amount. Yes they were the good old days!!!

**newt** · 04-05-2012, 15:26

Now wait a minute guys. I got some road fuel- it had ethanol in it. I do not think the stuff I feel up with at the dock has any. I know because it made the entire engine room smell different.
Ran just the same though.