TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Refueling at end of charter question

I will be on a Moorings 433PC power cat at the end of August. During the last couple of days of my week charter I plan to go from Jost and spend the last night on either Cooper or Norman. I'm a little stressed about getting the boat back to Moorings by 10am. Seems like their return for sail boats is noon but power cats 10am. I don't get that but it is what it is. My question is, is it reasonable to stop in Soper's or RT on my way over to Coopers/Norman for my last night and fill up then?? This way I could avoid the rush and some of the stress trying to do it in the morning. Would the tanks still be "full enough" if I really topped them off? Figure I wouldn't use much. I would assume the gauges would show full unless they use a dip stick. What else is commonly topped off? Water and dingy tanks too? What time do fuel docks typically open and how crazy is that process? Lot's of boats lined up? Hard to maneuver among a line of returning charters? If I have to do it in the morning, what time should I be up and off the mooring on my way?

The Moorings has their own fuel dock. I would ask them when they get there what they expect you to do. You don't need to top the dinghy fuel or water.

I didn't know that. I guess that would change everything! Thanks!

I've chartered 4 times with the Moorings on a PC each time. The way they work it is call them when at the mouth of the harbor they have one of their employees board your boat and take it to the gas dock and refuel. You can pay for the fuel and leave the boat there or if you prefer they take the boat to a dock for you and you can leave there. If you fuel someplace else you will still go through the same routine at the marina.. I don't see any advantage to fueling someplace else.

Just call the Moorings base, 5 min. before arriving, and they will sent someone onboard to take care of the docking and fuel filling.

You may want to call to ask the current price for fuel at sopers/moorings.

there might be a difference that would make it worth you while to top off at Sopers.

Do owners of the power cats with Moorings have to pay for fuel? Do sailboat charterers have to pay for fuel too?
If so, it's another perk of being an owner of a sailboat with them... no fuel expense. And another good reason to try and find owners time to use as then you wouldn't have fuel expenses either.

I would be amazed if any powerboat bareboat charter includes fuel, owner or not.

Depending on what day you are returning to the dock, there can be quite a line up of boats arriving ahead of you. On our last day, we were cooling our jets with 3-4 other boats for 15 minutes just off the docks while we waited for someone to come out and guide the boat in. The time leading up to that 10AM return can be quite hectic. We were not fueling up -- they may have a clause that allows you to return the boat with less than full tanks but, like a car rental, you pay for that service. I wasn't the skipper or organizer so I don't know what arrangements the flotilla made in advance.

I've never had a Moorings employee board the boat to put it on the fuel dock - you may need to request that when you radio the base on approach, if you need the assistance. They will provide docking instructions, and there will be dockhands there ready to help you. And yes, you may have to wait a bit while other boats fuel up, but as long as you're there and waiting by 10am, you should be fine.

Pretty sure they want to top off the tanks there at the base. I'd ask during your briefing to be sure.

Felix

Mooring, Sunsail, Footlose all have you call on #12 as you off the inner markers. They'll tell you which side to put the fenders on. Guy in a dingy will come alongside and jump on..some times with a buddy who will take your dingy away. He will then approach the fuel dock, then move to a slip. Always the same. Don't worry, let the pros do it. Watch and learn, it is a thing of beauty to see em do it.

I'm not entirely sure about the power cat dock at the very end, but the docks where our sailboats were generally kept had their own fuel pumps. Boats were refueled in their slip.

I also remember reading that power cats were exempt from the prepaid fuel arrangement - they are charged for actual usage.

Owners are expected to fill up fuel at the end of their use. If not, owners pay the same penalty (at least in my contract).

If you want, they will let you dock the boat. At least James always lets me dock on a sail cat. I imagine a power cat would be the same. There was only one time I wasn't allowed to dock and it wasn't James that was handling things at the time and it was pretty busy. I can dock anything, but I definitely take more time then they do.

I did find it interesting that the time we were on their 58' cat, they didn't offer to take it in for us

Charter at the end of August shouldn't make for much competition as you line up for the fuel dock. It's generally a pretty quiet charter time. If you have all your bags packed and are ready to roll you can disembark right there. The debriefers will come to you--if you let them know. If you have a tight ferry connection or flight, let James or McNeil know when you call on Ch 12 that you want to leave the boat at the fuel dock.