Pulling up to a gas dock question

[Texasmark]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

At least from what I've seen, it has never once been to reduce theft. (There isn't a single gas station around here that is even pre-pay on the auto side, gas station driveoffs are very, very rare.)

You are fortunate. Theft is directly proportional to price of gasoline and unemployment around here.

Mark

 

[Opnine99]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

ahhh yes the dock girls always make you forget about that overpriced fuel your throwing into your boat......eye candy can take the pain out of paying $$$$$$ for fuel. layful:

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

Marina diesel I'm not sure of cost. Gas is 90 octane ethanol free. Last was $4.50. Last year from $4.40 - $4.91. Filling 90 gallon this week,,, not fun.

Pull up to the dock on the side where your fuel fill is located, or the dock girl will spank you

Also, not standard procedure to bring the hose/nozzle across the boat, if you can avoid it.

How much $$$/gallon are we looking at per gallon in your area?

 

[sasto]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

I don't see how it matters which side you pull to. Maybe I'm missing something here. My personal boat has a tank and fill on each side. In a boat I was Captain I had four fills. To reach one fill I had to go through the pilot house to reach it. In my days as a dock hand fueling vessels, it didn't much matter to me which side you pull to. Maybe certain marinas have their own customs they are used to.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

.... My 19 footer always sits on the trailer. Not sure why you would close all hatches prior to refueling, but as long as you are running the fan for a good 4-5 minutes after fueling, you should be in good shape.

You are thinking like the captain of a 19 foot trailer boat. :joyous:
If you had a 28 footer that stayed in a slip and always had to be fueled on the water;
The concern would be the smell getting into the bedding and the food in the pantry, and the cloth seating in the galley.

If your 19 footer has a Porta-Potty, or even a hatch you can close, you out-class my 18 footer.

Some places will track your fuel usage and even submit the paperwork to the state to get your 17 cent/gallon refund.

It makes little sense...
If you are buying gas on the water, Why do they even collect State Highway Use Taxes on it?
Marina Gas should be LESS expensive!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

ALL Gas should be LESS expensive!

fixed it for ya

 

[aspeck]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

As a former dock jockey, to us it didn't matter which side you pulled into and we would pump for you, but if you reached for the handle, have at it!

where we did have issues is when hatches and windows were left open and blowers were not used after filling. I was involved in 3 different incidents where people refused to use their blowers and fire erupted in the boat at the gas dock ... Not fun!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

instead of taking guesses from around the country, why not ask the marina how they do it? finders, fixed lines, preferred side, who pumps, tax included amd rebate--all peculiar to each marina.

It is for liability reasons that many marinas make you pump your own gas into your rod holder, but they go as far as handing the pump nozzle to you.

Even if you have a preferred way to dock, good seamanship dictates that you be able to dock either side.

this makes no sense: "Many states have requirements that won't allow an individual to pump fuel at a dock." Do they have robots?

 

[aspeck]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

this makes no sense: "Many states have requirements that won't allow an individual to pump fuel at a dock." Do they have robots?

it actually does make sense. In New Jersey, for instance, there are no "self service" pumps. An attendant must pump your gas. It is the law. Different states have different laws. What you are used to depends on your state.

No, they don't have robots, but it is a paid employee of the establishment that must pump the gas.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

ah, "customer." An attendant is an individual; that had me wondering. Now that you 'splained it....

The New Jersey thing is just a racket to protect the gas stations, but with boats, it can make sense to have a (supposedly) skilled and insured person making the mistakes.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

You are thinking like the captain of a 19 foot trailer boat. :joyous:
If you had a 28 footer that stayed in a slip and always had to be fueled on the water;
The concern would be the smell getting into the bedding and the food in the pantry, and the cloth seating in the galley.

That may be a concern, but the reason for closing hatches is that those vapors can make their way to the bilge where they become an explosive hazard.

Fuel dock fires and explosions happen every season. Sometimes it's ignorance, and sometimes it's because people let dock attendants or waiting boaters rush them. The boaters are the worst. I've been yelled and cursed at for taking 5 minutes or more post fill to finally leave the dock. It takes time to to reopen hatches, pull the ER hatch and take a whiff, then run the blower for a few minutes.

If you're waiting for me, you're gonna wait until I'm satisfied.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

At my little marina its very rare that I ever have had to wait longer than 20 mins, I don't mind waiting at all. To me its all just part of the process. In fact the only issue I have ever seen at the gas dock is when some one just ties off there to go in to the store to get bait or drinks and stuff and blocks off the pump and even that isn't all that bad. 99 % of the time its only the people who slip there so its all good.
The 4.80 a gallon keeps the trailer boaters away.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

instead of taking guesses from around the country, why not ask the marina how they do it? finders, fixed lines, preferred side, who pumps, tax included amd rebate--all peculiar to each marina.

It would take a very long time to call all the gas docks at Lake of the Ozarks. There's probably 100 of them (or more).

They pretty much all work the same way; peak times they have dock girls, the rest of the time they're self-service. A handful of them are 24/7 unattended operations; just pull up, scan your card and pump....same as on land. I know of 2 that are manned 24/7 during the season and sell beer and ice. That's VERY convenient.

The OP is doing the right thing, asking about how things work at that lake. It's unique; unlike anywhere else I've ever been. When we moved there in 2009 we had some locals "take us under their wing" and show us the ways of the lake. That was extremely helpful. Hopefully he'll find the same sort of hospitality (and I'm sure he will).

Sure was nice waking up to this view every day. I miss it. :blue:

 

[emilsr]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

It makes little sense...
If you are buying gas on the water, Why do they even collect State Highway Use Taxes on it?
Marina Gas should be LESS expensive!

The marina pays the tax then passes it along to the customer. The customer then files a claim to get the refund but you can ONLY do this if you're a MO resident. That's probably why the fuel docks aren't tax exempt as they sell to everyone. Lots of folks from out of state boat there.

It makes sense if you know all the details.

 

[saumon]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

ah, "customer." An attendant is an individual; that had me wondering. Now that you 'splained it....

The New Jersey thing is just a racket to protect the gas stations, but with boats, it can make sense to have a (supposedly) skilled and insured person making the mistakes.

That must be to avoid the dreaded "gas in the rod holder" situation!

 

[Vista600]

Re: Pulling up to a gas dock question

Thanks for all the input. Lots of good info here to take into consideration.
I've pretty much decided I will do what is comfortable for me the first time or two and just ask the dock girls some questions while it goes down (insert comments here).
I'm not afraid to ask questions.
Thanks again!