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Philip Heaton - 30 Aug 2022

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Dick - 29 Aug 2022

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Philip Heaton - 20 Oct 2019

Having co-authored the anthology of erudition that is the OCC Practices Guide to Laying-up, I now have a question re the received wisdom on completely filling the fuel tank over winter in a Mediterranean-type climate. Clearly the issue is condensation but while I understand it in colder climes, just what are the risks??

Hi Philip,
It is my take with both research and experience, that good quality diesel fuel can and does last a long time: years for sure. Stabilizing and dosing for biological growth does make a difference. Temperature likely does as well, but remember that a boat in the water has fuel that is likely the same temperature as the surrounding water, not the air temp.
With covid, my fuel was 2+ years old and stored in Newfoundland (so it was cold much of the time) and was fine when I re-commissioned the boat.
Googling research, from memory, confirmed long term storage and the comments were mostly to do with trucking diesels.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Yes, agree re good quality diesel, but the case is being made that changes in sulphur content and adding bio elements have reduced the "shelf life" of diesel and made it more susceptible to bug and other unwelcome gunge and crud. See here https://www.marine16.co.uk/editorials/winter-lay-up-to-fuel-or-not-to-fuel 
Nevertheless,  as our boat will be out of the water over winter and temperature is generally moderate, although there were a couple of very cold spells last winter, plus given our "polishing" kit, the boat being left for 6 months, and adding some fuel treatments, I am planning to go for the full tank approach.