Top gear

I'm amazed at the lack of insurance etc. needed to actually take a boat out into the shipping lanes. He's a Manx though......

Heh, there is very little legislation surrounding small pleasure craft in this country. VHF set and ticket is a good idea but it's not compulsory, apart from that all you need is the money to buy and fuel the thing whether its a rowing boat or a 500bhp twin 3.5 V6 engined snorty splashy thing.

I wish I could remember how much he told me it costs him to go from Peel to Douglas in fuel, it was in the hundreds I'm sure....

My father has a RIB, which, driven conservatively (~20kts) in the flat calm with no wind, I think he can squeeze about 4 or 5 mpg out of.

Petrol stations are frustrating places in a boat, I don't know if it's still the case but most road pumps used to stop at £100.

If only there was "red" petrol...

If only.

My father in laws boat is running twin Volvo 270hp Penta V8s. The fuel that thing uses scares me.

Fraser

AVgas?

Umm no, it's subject to duty and costs over £1.50 per litre in most places. AvTur isn't but that's just about the same as red diesel. It's only the arcane type approval and certification processes in aviation that stop diesels becoming the standard engine because then pilots could fill up on the cheap.

Really? Well, there you go. I thought that no aviation fuel was subject to tax. Ho hum.

Heh. I imagine most commercial pilots driving Porsches, for no reason that I can think of.

I did suggest that to him but we couldn't come up with anyone to ask about where to get it and we've no idea how much it costs.

Any suggestions?

YOu can buy it at most airstrips and as previously posted it costs about £1.50 a litre. At present pilots are reckoning themselves lucky if they can find AvGas at £1.00 a litre. Many new(er) aircraft use MoGas rather than AvGas because it's cheaper.

Sorry, I forgot, now you understand why *proper* boats have diesel engines.

...are 60ft long, 4ft wide, sleep 8 and are subject to a 4mph speed limit?

(c:

No ignition system, easily marinised?

Richard