Gasoline in the Caribbean?

[Number86]

I just bought a power boat and plan to be cruising the Caribbean (February's and November's) soon. My plan is to start in the Bahamas, explore (fish, dive, snorkel, island-hop) small, local areas and gradually move south over the years.
Of course, I Google locations to purchase gasoline, but I don't trust the information to be complete or exhaustive... My boat has a cruising range of about 300 miles. Is there an official guide I can obtain somewhere that has all the locations I can purchase gasoline and clean fresh water for my boat? I'm also wondering about dry storage for it. I don't like the idea of having it in the water all it's life unsupervised except for when I plan to use it in Feb and Nov. I admit I'm a rookie. I have lots of experience with lake boating, but none in the ocean. Thanks!

[tuffr2]

You may be able to use YouTube to piece some additional information together. Like pick an island name and YouTube it. I have not used it yet but others would recommend the app 'Active Captain'.

Good luck

[Number86]

Excellent, thanks!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, 86.

[Scout 30]

What kind of boat did you get? If it has I/Os you are right not to leave it in the water.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by Number86

I just bought a power boat and plan to be cruising the Caribbean (February's and November's) soon. My plan is to start in the Bahamas, explore (fish, dive, snorkel, island-hop) small, local areas and gradually move south over the years.
Of course, I Google locations to purchase gasoline, but I don't trust the information to be complete or exhaustive... My boat has a cruising range of about 300 miles. Is there an official guide I can obtain somewhere that has all the locations I can purchase gasoline and clean fresh water for my boat? I'm also wondering about dry storage for it. I don't like the idea of having it in the water all it's life unsupervised except for when I plan to use it in Feb and Nov. I admit I'm a rookie. I have lots of experience with lake boating, but none in the ocean. Thanks!

===

You'll be able to get gasoline just about everywhere but you'll find it to be much pricier than you are used to. It will also be called petrol much of the time. A range of 300 miles is more than enough to get you anywhere in the Caribbean. With some planning your longest hops will be less than 150 miles. Active Captain is just about the best source of up to date pricing and availability information.

[DMCantor]

By planning well, you can limit your longest passage to 100 miles or so, so range shouldn't be a problem. Gasoline is readily available throughout the Caribbean (I have no experience in the Bahamas), though on a couple of the less developed islands you will have to transport fuel in jerry cans from gas stations on shore.

There are also numerous places to haul out. In the hurricane season, the risk of storms goes down the further south you get, though it doesn't really get to zero until you get to Trinidad.

How big is your boat? Some passages are pretty challenging, with adverse winds and big waves. I'm thinking about the passage from the Virgin Islands to St. Martin. We've done this twice, once departing from St. Croix and the other time from Virgin Gorda. Really unpleasant seas, a total washing machine. It's the only time my wife has ever been seasick. Of course, we're a sailboat, so this is like a 20-hour passage for us. If you could complete the passage during daylight, it would be less stressful.

[inchcailloch]

Trinidad is definitely the cheapest if you hire a car to pick up the fuel in containers rather than fill up in the marinas. 2 years ago was approx 20 US cents per gallon. Yes possibly cheaper in Venezuela but could pay for it with your life. Others islands may give you tax free fuel once you've cleared out........check with customs or on web/Noonsite etc.

[jmschmidt]

There are websites on current fuel prices around the world. I've only check for diesel but I’m sure gasoline can be found as well. Don't know the accuracy or how current the info is. Try Venezuela, they are giving it away down there for US dollars.

[Hud3]

Explorer Chartbooks has a very helpful website with a lot of up-to-date information on the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos. Their chartbooks are first rate, too.

Here's a link to their listing of fuel prices...

Fuel and Dockage Prices

[grumpyboyz]

Try John Feola at... https://www.facebook.com/TriIslandEnergyLlc/?pnref=lhc..

good guy and a boat person!!