Disposing of unwanted old diesel fuel

[clockwork orange]

My son and his gf have bought a catamaran that is located in the Riverside marina in Ft Pierce, Fl. We are converting it from diesel inboards to outboards so will be needing to dispose of the 4 year old diesel fuel in the 4 built in tanks so I was wondering if anyone can recommend any services in the area that can do this. The marina says that we will have to pump it out into barrels and they can have someone take it away. We would rather have someone pump it directly from the tanks to their truck or trailer and cut out the extra step, much like fuel polishing but without pumping it back into the boats tanks. I have found a couple of companies nearby but have not contacted them yet, will do so tomorrow but thought I would see if anyone on the forum has any personal recommendations or knows of someone I may not find on the internet that performs this service or someone who may want the fuel after polishing. Any help appreciated.

Steve.

[Capt Phil]

This thread reminds me of when I went down to Barre Navidad, MX to pick up a delivery to bring back to San Diego. When I stopped at the Marina office, the manager threw his arms around me and welcomed me when he found out the name of the vessel I had come to pick up. Evidently, it had a leaking fuel tank and the couple who owned her were living aboard but unable to deal with the leak which drained into their bilge and then pumped overboard into the harbor. As soon as I arrived, they left but she had been scooping the fuel out of the bilge into a bucket and taking it up to the parking area in the dead of night to dump out onto the gravel! All it took was transfering fuel out of the leaking tank into another and problem solved.
Not that I am recommending this as a solution but folks minds work in mysterious ways when they are under strain. She thought as long as no one saw her all was OK.
Quick trip up to PV and got the tank repaired and back up the coast. They sold the boat at a significant loss in San Diego. End of story... Phil

[Hudson Force]

Ask around for someone who would pump out and take your valuable fuel at no charge. I've done this. Many automotive shop bays, construction sites, and boat yards use diesel heaters to warm their work areas. The fuel for these heaters need not be as free of contamination as required for a marine engine.

Your fuel is valuable. You should not need to pay someone to take it!

Of course, you'll have fewer options for this in your mild winter area.

[clockwork orange]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Ask around for someone who would pump out and take your valuable fuel at no charge. I've done this. Many automotive shop bays, construction sites, and boat yards use diesel heaters to warm their work areas. The fuel for these heaters need not be as free of contamination as required for a marine engine.

Your fuel is valuable. You should not need to pay someone to take it!

Of course, you'll have fewer options for this in your mild winter area.

Yes, this is one of the better options, where we don't have to pay and someone else can get some free fuel. We are going down from Minnesota next week and will be working on the boat for 3 weeks and if we can get someone else to do the work of removing it at no charge to us or them that would be ideal. We will have more than enough on our plates so if we can not have to round up drums an pump it out that would be great. This is why I posted on here hoping to find a local forum member who may know someone who would want it. With polishing it could still go back into a boat, just not ours. We will be bringing a 12v fuel transfer pump with us just in case so it will be available for use by anyone who wants to take the fuel.

Steve.

[thinwater]

And just how long will that big truck have to sit there (at $75/hour) while he waits for this unknown fuel to pump? Driving time counts too.

No, it really isn't worth anything, as is, where is. Fuel recycling was a part of my business for many years, and with diesel where it is now, I would not have been interested unless there was a fee and it was in drums. No more value than used oil.

Why not another boater in the marina? Seems easier. I'm guessing you know the answer.

[Island Time O25]

I would just run an ad on Fort Pierce Craigslist (both "free stuff" and "boat parts" sections) re: "free diesel, you pick up, blah, blah" and see if I get any reasonable non-Nigerian responses. And go from there.

[Jim Cate]

I'd imagine that many trawlermen or other commercial operators would take the fuel. There's likely nothing wrong with it that pumpong it through a filter wouldn't cure. After all, many of those chaps dispose of old engine oil by putting it in their fuel tanks.

Jim

[hellosailor]

Coupla notes on bulletin boards, at the marina or a local chandlery, that say "Free diesel fuel, come and get it" and you should find plenty of takers. But. If one of those takers isn't so neat and creates a fuel spill, odds are you will be left holding the bill, literally. So it might be worth buying a cheap transfer pump and at least one large container (some food packaging plants and photo processing shops literally throw away 15-gallon and larger containers that work perfectly well) and then just do it the hard way, instead of gambling on who shows up. There are always businesses that specialize in removing home heating oil tanks, and they are equipped to pump and dispose of diesel, at a price. If you can tell them "any time this week" or something similarly flexible, they may be able to cut you a deal for their slack time.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by thinwater

And just how long will that big truck have to sit there (at $75/hour) while he waits for this unknown fuel to pump? Driving time counts too. ............................

I agree,- that's different than I pictured. Of course, when my fuel was gratefully taken at no charge, there was no big truck, no one had to sit anywhere, no $75/hr wage earner and no unknown fuel.

Like so many things,- it works if it's easy and convenient. Sometimes it is. I only had about 70 gallons to deal with and I used my own time to pump it out myself and pour it into the yard's tank on a pick-up truck a few yards from my slip.

I can also imagine scenarios where it would not be worthwhile.

[clockwork orange]

I agree that the best scenario would be if some other boater in the marina could make use of it. To be clear,I did say that we would be bringing a fuel transfer pump with us in case we end up pumping it ourselves, the biggest problem is that we don't have room in the trailer for the 2 or 3 50 gallon drums we may need so we have to source those down there which always takes more time when you are in an unfamiliar place. The marina may or may not have some. There is a charter fishing boat next to us who we will offer it to. It is not exactly "unknown fuel", it is, as I said earlier, 4 year old diesel fuel so I would have to assume it would need polishing before I would run it but it may be worth it to someone. Hell, if it were not so far from home I would run it in my truck as is. I would have no problem at all disposing of it at home but that's just the way it is when you are local. We can always leave it in the tanks and deal with it when we get the boat home this summer but would prefer to not carry around the extra weight. Just shopping for ideas.

Steve.

[Island Time O25]

Is the diesel you are replacing still there or had been removed? If still there perhaps whoever buys it would also want that fuel?

[Kenomac]

Sell it or give the diesel to any powerboater with a fuel polishing system.

[Pelagic]

How much fuel are you talking about?

[ErikFinn]

Post a note on the marina notice board "free diesel, bring your own jerry cans" and folks will be glad to oblige. 4 years old means nothing with diesel. If there's contamination just tell it needs to be filtered and polished. No need to make it a big issue.

[Badsanta]

If your reusing the tanks I would have them cleaned along with a pump out. My marina has a large tank for used oil and diesel gets dumped in it regularly. Which is where he wants it.