Fuel Prices

kennharriet · Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:13 pm Post subject: Fuel Prices

All the indicators are that fuel prices will significantly increase. This will obviously impact some of our boating plans. We can all decide for ourselves what led us here. My interest was not to start a political discussion but rather to keep current on marine fuel prices.

Our tentative plans are to trailer from Idaho to Valdez and spend June through mid July cruising Prince William Sound. Gas Buddy is a good source for current land prices but I don’t know of a product for current marina prices. I just thought it might be valuable for everyone if some current prices could be posted, particularly as fuel prices increase. Below zero the past couple days so looking forward to spring. Thanks, Ken

C-Wolfe · Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:34 pm Post subject:

Marina/Harbor in PWS are very limited in number, It will be more about what is within your range then price. I will recommend that you get a copy of cruising guide to Prince William Sound before your trip and explore the book before you start exploring the sound. Also recommend you become a sea tow member if you are not already.
It is a amazing place with lots to explore but very remote for the most part. Keep us posted of your whereabout and if timing is right I'll come by and say Hi

ssobol · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 11:29 am Post subject: Re: Fuel Prices

thataway · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 11:47 am Post subject:

Yes fuel prices are going up. But in the greater scheme of life, they are a minor expense when owning any boat. What is important is your adventure-pleasure. For example now many Hotel Rooms, or resorts are $250 to $1,000 a night. How much fuel would that buy? Or consider the $10,000 Cruiseship, for a week or two--and you have a far better experience for a few dollars more than last year.

Do it now--while you can. That is true of all stages of life. It is what you didn't do which will haunt you when you are old. (What ever than means today.)

DayBreak · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:03 pm Post subject:

Hunkydory · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:09 pm Post subject:

Yes, go & do, while you can. My worry is no fuel or gas lines like the 70’s. When fuel prices are high the best way to lower the cost is more time if available at hull speed.

Jay

bshillam · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:42 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 3:54 pm Post subject:

I'm also of the belief, fuel is cheap in the cost of life. Don't miss out now on what you'll regret later. I'm getting ready to haul my boat down to Florida, currently with an empty 100 g fuel tank. I'm watching gas buddy and up till a week ago I could still fill the tank in Paducah, KY for just under $3.00/gal. Still one BP showing at 2.90 but I'm guessing that's a false report... Last year Clarksville, TN had the cheapest reported gas on my route down and back. In past years, between Birmingham and Montgomery or Troy or Dothan (AL) was my stop to fill locations. Right now, leaving out a few higher priced outliers along the way, looks like I could just say screw it, and wait until Ocala only spending $30 more for the fill up, and probably saving close to that on truck fuel costs for carrying the additional 800 lbs of weight in the boat... I'll see what mood I'm in as I go through Paducah as it seems right now the gas keeps going up daily. (I probably should have filled the boat up here at home when I pulled it from the back yard to the front yard in preparation for the trip...) I'm just figuring this will be a more expensive summer to boat... BTW, back to your question. I've found around here fuel on the water costs about a buck more a gallon than it does on land. And you probably don't have as many choices on the water, especially in Alaska, on where you can fuel. Better to cry at the pump, then out of gas in the channel. Sad

Colby

hardee · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:14 pm Post subject:

I just drove from NM back to home NW WA and gas prices were essentially the same as when I went down 2 weeks ago, for 87 or 88 octane, they were 3.59 to 3.89. Some states offer cheaper gas, but it is for the 85 or 86 octane. I never put anything below 87 in. so I pay a bit more in some places for the lower middle grade (8 Cool

---> 85, 87, 89, 94.

Gas is only a side expense. What it buys is worth a lifetime of memories, good experiences and always worth it.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

gulfcoast john · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:46 pm Post subject:

[quote="thataway"] It is what you didn't do which will haunt you when you are old. /quote]

I wonder if Mark Twain was paraphrasing Bob when Twain noted:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Current marina gas and diesel prices are crowd reported on the online edition of Waterway Guide. Also has the best current marina reviews.

Happy Cruising!
John

Tug · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 7:02 pm Post subject:

Fuel prices in Canada are very high as well. Around $7.00 dollars a gallon in some places. Canadians are lined up at Native Reservations to buy gas at a lower price.
Like " thataway " said , we will still go boating.

Pacificcoast101 · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 7:06 pm Post subject:

Gas at the Mobil station near me is $5.59 as of this morning. I shudder to think what it is at the fuel dock. I have about 80-90 gallons in our boat, so that should last until we get the new outboards.

T.R. Bauer · Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 11:40 pm Post subject:

There are really only 3 reliable places to get gas in PWS - Valdez, Whittier, and Cordova. And somehow they are almost each exactly 100 miles from one another. It's like they planned it or something. I have filled up at each and the prices are roughly similar to the price at the pump on land - more as you'd expect, but not exorbitant. With how things are going, I would suspect $4.75 to $5.75 per gallon gas prices up here this summer at the dock. When I cruise the PWS, which is very frequent, I usually pack 65-75 gallons of fuel in my 22 because there just isn't gas out there - be aware of that as you plan your trip. And have fun - no better place to boat than in PWS in the summer months. There are so many amazing anchorages and places to explore. The good news with high prices, I have a feeling many of the remote places will be incredibly quiet and peaceful. I also suspect the closer in ones will be busy - especially on the 2 weekends when sunshine is forecasted. I hope this helps.

kennharriet · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:35 am Post subject:

Thanks for all of the good discussion. I like the theme of just paying the price without regrets for not having gone on the adventure. Boating is defiantly a privilege we are fortunate to be able to enjoy. Being brought up by frugal, depression era parents, at times I feel a bit guilty about the extravagance of boating. Usually that feeling dissipates when another yacht pulls into your quiet cove with a helicopter on the deck and a dingy larger than your Cdory.

We do have a copy of Lescoe’s cruising guide for PWS. Having grown up in AK, exploring PWS has always been on the bucket list. Even though I retired 16 years ago, this will be the first year I’m not working summer fire seasons.As it turns out, with evolving world events, fuel prices may be the least of our worries but still planning to go.

C-Wolfe · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 12:35 pm Post subject:

Are you planning on renting a slip for part of your stay? I'm a local weekend warrior so I have limited knowledge on this, but I do know that it gets very busy during commercial fishing season and transient slips are very hard to get, at least for Whittier. You might want to call the harbor master to inquire sooner then later.