Liquid Gold...Fueling Our Fun Ain't Cheap

 "I was watching that movie Mad Max, you know that movie where gas is so precious that people are killing each other for a few gallons. It was set in the future -- I believe it was August." ~Jay Leno

 

$40…$41…$42…Oh how fast those tiny little numbers on the LCD at the gas pump do fly!  It has become downright painful to fill up for a day of fun.  And the more remote you are, the closer to a resort area you are, and the more performance specifications your vessel has, the more expen$ive it is to top off the tanks. 

Living in the Florida Keys, I neatly fit into all three above-mentioned categories.  Yay Me!  I have to run 93 Octane for optimal performance on my supercharged engine.  What used to cost $20 for a day on the water now runs $40 or more.  Is there ANYTHING that can be done to minimize the wallet gouging and stop me from putting out the For Sale sign on my beloved water therapist?  Yes, there is, and it does not involve shutting off the electricity and water to the house or resort to eating tree grubs and salamanders!

Rule of thumb #1…avoid filling up at a marina AT ALL COSTS (no pun intended!).  Marina gas is expensive, is often limited to 87 Octane and diesel, and is notorious for poor quality, water-mixed fuel.  I was cruising through Boot Key Harbor in Marathon last weekend and rode past 3 different fuel docks.

The cheapest Regular Unleaded…was $5.45 A GALLON?!?!  WTF, are they using precious metal additives?  No thank you!  It is nice to know these places are there in the event of an emergency, but I avoid marina fills whenever possible.  There are different ways to tote your own extra gas around.  Everything from primitive to elaborate.  There are all kinds of long-distance adventurers that regularly travel remote stretches of waterway who have engineered various types of high volume fuel carrying devices.  Many are even piped right into the fuel lines so that switching over to reserves does not require any stopping and pouring.  I am a bit of a Neanderthal; I just throw 1 or 2 two-gallon cans into a soft cooler and ride them on the rear platform.  If I need to actually use them, I just pull over on a sandbar or some place out of the wind and current and dump them in.  

Fancy-Schmancy

My cheapskate method. Hey, it works!

Rule #2…slow it down.  Those of you riding high performance machines might cringe at the thought of traveling somewhere any slower than As Fast As You Can Possibly Go, but trust me, it makes a huge difference in fuel consumption.  I have tested this again and again.  On my Seadoo GTR 215, I can get as much as 85+ miles from a tank if I keep it at 4500 rpms.  My ski even has an Eco Mode, which when activated, limits your rpms and acceleration.  You must learn to discipline yourself (and control your insatiable need to beat every other ski in the vicinity) and ease up on the throttle.  This rule may only apply to trekkers that want to cover some distance more affordably.  If you just prefer to launch and ride around like a rabid lemur within sight of the dock all afternoon, fossil fuel away.

Rule #3…FUEL PERKS.  Many supermarkets are offering fuel rewards points with local participating gas stations.  For every so many dollars you spend on groceries, you get discounts on gas.  Mine offers $0.05 per gallon for every $50 spent on groceries.  When you have as many guests as I do, that adds up quickly.  I have saved as much as $1.20 per gallon on a fillup.  So I guess I am sort of giving you the green light to be gluttonous!  The more you shovel down your gullet, the more you will save on jet ski gas!  Anyone getting hungry?

Rule #4…Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.  Like any other engine, a poorly tuned engine runs crappily, has a shortened life span, and eats more fuel!  Keep up on oil changes (4-stroke), spark plugs, and fuel filter replacement/inspection.  Anything that makes your engine work harder will also consume more gold, er, petrol.  

Summer is loaded with pesky holidays, which are really just a convenient excuse for vendors to jack up prices.  Everything is more expensive, from airfare to hotels to gas.  If you are planning to hit the water for one of the big long weekends, consider buying your gas a week or so beforehand.  There are also apps and websites devoted to helping consumers find the cheapest fuel in their area (Try www.gasbuddy.com).  It might be worth driving the extra distance to load up.  While you are there, fill the ski, your gas cans, and your truck.  Believe me…none of that gas will go to waste!

Your partner in weekend fun

If you simply must pull out all the stops, there is always the highly undesirable option of riding less (Yoiks!).  In this day and age, it is sometimes the way it goes.  Having a fuel-dependent sport gives us a bit of a short straw.  You do not have to give it up completely!  But staying dry will keep some more cash in your pocket.  Perhaps one day skis will run on french fry grease, but until then, we are at the mercy of the petroleum tycoons and various world political events that control prices.  Doubling up on rides could help defray costs if you split fuel costs and piloting time with a friend.

Well there you have it!  I have run down what you can do to stretch your budget over the growing costs of depositing fossil fuels into your floating burn bin.  If none of these appeal to you, there is always overturning the US Federal Reserve and reestablishing the value of US currency in the global marketplace.  But if you ask me, it might be easier (and tastier) to go for that Buy One-Get One Free Doritos offer and build up your fuel perks instead.  Bon appetit!

Share the fun (and the fuel costs) with a friend!