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Fool-proof fueling:
Crew call fuel ships
convenient,
dependable, cheaper |
Being fortunate to jump
right into the South
Florida yachting scene
when I moved to this
southern climate about
three years ago, I was
put right by my friend
Capt. Nick and his wife,
Laurie, aboard their
charter yacht Eastern
Star.
Familiar with some of
the larger fueling docks
in the area, I asked
Capt. Nick one day if we
needed to head out for a
fuel-up. He mentioned
that there is a fuel
barge service that comes
right to the boat. Not
wanting to feel “Norman
Paperman-ish”, I nodded
like I knew what Nick
was talking about.
(Who’s Norman Paperman,
you ask? He’s a
character in Jimmy
Buffett’s “Don’t Stop
the Carnival” who didn’t
understand the need to
hail the water barge.
Long story. Pick up the
CD.)
Curious by nature, I
wanted to learn more
about these “barges” and
recently hooked up with
one of the area’s
largest fuelers,
Peterson Fuel Delivery,
for a ride-along. These
aren’t really barges but
self-propelled tankers
or, as Managing Partner
Robert Lambert put it,
fuel ships.
Why obtain fuel this way
as opposed to a fuel
dock? Easy. As most
yacht crew members told
me, it’s convenient,
more affordable and, at
least with Peterson,
dependable.
The day I tagged along,
Capt. Rick Gonzales was
behind the wheel. Capt.
Rick has spent a number
of years pushing real
barges on the
Mississippi River, so
this 61-foot fuel ship
is easy, comparatively.
We departed from
Lauderdale Marine
Center, where Peterson
keeps two of the
signature-yellow vessels
that serve Broward
County. (There is a fuel
ship in Miami for that
area.) Capt. Rick deftly
maneuvered the
single-screw (and bow
thruster-assisted) ship
outbound on the New
River. All five bridges
had to be opened due to
spuds that stick up
about 30 feet.
I asked Capt. Rick how
he wanted to tie up or
anchor, as our first
stop was all the way up
on the head dock at Hall
of Fame Marina.
“No need,” he said.
“We’ll never touch the
other vessel.”
The puzzled look on my
face must have spoken a
thousand words, with
Capt. Rick replying that
the spuds jutting up at
the bow and stern will
be lowered, essentially
anchoring us in any
place we wish. Capt.
Rick positioned the bow
about 2 feet from Pro
Diver II, a 60-foot
dive vessel, and lowered
the fore spud. He then
pivoted the stern around
and dropped that spud.
We were locked in place.
Within minutes, the hose
was over the rail and
the vessel was being
fueled with 300 gallons
of diesel.
Peterson fuel ships are
designed and built to
ABS standards and
certified by the U.S.
Coast Guard. These
double-hulled ships hold
up to 10,000 gallons of
diesel in several tanks,
with two pumping
systems. The pumps can
push up to 300 gallons a
minute through the
2-inch hose, a little
less through the
1.5-inch hose.
If it’s lube oils you
need, Peterson supplies
them via buckets and
barrels. Other products
can be ordered,
including fuel additives
and filters, oil
absorption and
containment items, and
cleaners and degreasers.
Peterson also can remove
waste oil and off-load
fuel prior to a
haul-out.
I chatted with a crew
member (out of earshot
of Capt. Rick), looking
for some pros and cons
of this type of service.
Basically, he didn’t
like tanker truck
service and noted it is
more convenient for fuel
to come to the boat, as
it fills up weekly.
With a quick signature
on the invoice and
thanks all around, Capt.
Rick picked up the aft
spud, swung the stern
out, picked up the fore
spud, and we were off.
Each spud is 40 feet
tall with a pointed end
for better hold on the
waterway floor, and
weigh about 3,000
pounds. Once they’re
down, they hold tight,
but raising them takes a
beefy winch and chain
assembly.
Next stop was the Best
Western docks – or
what’s left of them
during the renovation
period – off 17th
Street Causeway to fuel
the Nekton Pilot,
a 78-foot SWATH (Small
Waterplane Area Twin
Hull) vessel that
specializes in dive
excursions to the
Bahamas. Nekton
also offers trips to
Belize, Mona Island off
Puerto Rico, the Cayman
Islands and Silver Bank
to dive with the whales,
among other cool
destinations.
Nekton Pilot
was moored on the
outside at Best Western,
so we pulled up on the
inside of the dock and
spudded down. Since the
fuel inlet is up about
15 feet on the top deck
of Nekton, a line
was dropped and the hose
tied to it and hoisted
up by engineer Brad, who
oversaw the fueling.
Capt. Rick stayed on the
fuel ship, manning pumps
and valves in case a
quick shutoff was
necessary. Peterson fuel
ships typically operate
with one captain, who
handles all aspects of
vessel operation and
fueling.
When asked why his
vessel uses Peterson’s,
Brad mentioned the
convenience but more
importantly that the
service is always on
time, if not early. And
that’s important on a
charter schedule, he
said.
Remember that fuel ships
or other fueling
services are not allowed
in all marinas,
especially those that
sell their own fuel. For
yachts docked in one of
those marinas,
Peterson’s can arrange
to meet a vessel
somewhere along the ICW
where the fuel ship is
already “spudded down”
and waiting.
Peterson’s fuel ships
operate in the rain and
other adverse weather.
When a hurricane is
forecast, the company
will position one ship
up river and one down
river to ensure
continued service,
regardless of bridge
closings.
After pumping 2,000
gallons into several
tanks on Nekton,
the hose was lowered and
secured in the container
before departing. The
container is midships
and is a fully contained
metal box where all
pumps, valves and
connections are located.
Any accidental spill,
leak or overflow of fuel
will be contained
within, preventing fuel
from getting into the
water.
All Peterson fuel ships
carry containment booms
for spills and other
recovery gear, since
they also carry lube
oils and other
petrochemicals.
The cruise back up the
New River was eventful
for me, as we had to
buck a ripping outflow
and several cruise boats
and recreational vessels
running down current.
But Capt. Rick was cool,
calm and in control,
masterfully working the
wheel, thruster,
throttle and shifter
like he had four arms,
negotiating the bends
and bridge openings like
a seasoned professional.
Back at the dock, I had
a chance to speak with
Robert Lambert in
detail, as he explained
that Ted Peterson, who
founded the company, is
still involved a bit
with the business along
with Lambert and several
other partners. The
company has plans to
expand with a larger and
newer fleet and
additional locations
over the next one to two
years.
Asked pointedly how he
can run such an
operation while
charging, on average, 50
cents to $1 less per
gallon than dockside
pumps, he said it’s all
in the volume sold.
So with that,
convenience and
dependability, make sure
you don’t let the barge
go by, Norman.
Contact Capt. Tom
Serio through
editorial@the-triton.com.
For more information
about Peterson Fuel
Delivery, visit
www.petersonfuel.com or
call 954-764-3835.
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