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Offshore bunkering

Discussion in 'Yacht Captains' started by Codger, Jul 9, 2006.

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  1. Codger

    Codger YF Wisdom Dept.

    Joined:
    May 29, 2005
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    923
    Location:
    Western Canada
    Anyone with any experience dealing with offshore bunkering?
    Aside from the politics and economics/tax implications..;)
    Safety issues? Fuel line couplers? Insurance implications?
  2. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2005
    Messages:
    513
    Location:
    Lighthouse Point, FL
    Do yourself a favor and contact one of the fuel bunkering services, I recommend either Global Yacht fuel or National Marine. I used this type of service for years while traveling the med and carib and really made my life easier.
    If you have a standard perko type fuel fill that the hose nozzle goes into, get your self a threaded pipe that fits into the fill and have the ability to attach an 1.5" or 2" cam lock fitting of the male type. I would also have a the ability to attach a peice of flexible 2' hose as well, sometimes they have a pipe nozzle that will not fit very far into the perko connection.
    Usually while filling off a truck they will have this type of fitting, sometimes and yacht areas like Ft. Laud. they will have a regular hose nozzle but in foreign countries it usually a can lock fitting.
  3. Codger

    Codger YF Wisdom Dept.

    Joined:
    May 29, 2005
    Messages:
    923
    Location:
    Western Canada
    Thanks.
    Guess that I wasn't specific enough. Looking more at bunkering when out at sea, miles away from port.
    As to the couplings, there has always been a variety in use on shore. Is there actually a standard fitting that the industry is moving to world-wide, or will there always be "been using this for years' so no need to change :)
  4. Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,352
    Location:
    Coral Gables/Ft. Laud., FL
    Some years ago, a client invited me to go fishing on a Buddy Davis moored in Pinas Bay, Panama, which is close to the Colombian border and out in the middle of nowhere. We flew in and were dugout-canoed to our boat, then later that afternoon motored on over to the "Madam" ( "Madam" & "The Hooker" were a large supply vessel--the mothership-- and G&S 50' sportfish, respectively). My guy knew the owner or captain, evidently, and we took on quite a load of fuel with equipment looking like it was from your local fuel dock: no drama.

    Codger, I don't know what boat you were planning on doing this with---bunkering offshore---but I believe with a bit of planning in advance with someone you know who has a 'large' ( bigger than yours :D ) yacht equipped with a fuel transfer pump & typical nozzle, why not.

    Of course, anyone who has had to transfer fuel from a bladder or apple juice drum to their own deck-fill in anything less than 'millpond' conditions knows this to generally be a fairly nasty job.