While half of Friesland was buzzing about Blue Diesel in the summer of 2018 (fueled by the Elfwegentocht), Marijn was tinkering with the boiler in 90-degree heat. It runs on the red diesel that’s been in our tanks for over 10 years. There’s probably about 500 liters left, a quarter of what we can carry on board.
500 liters of diesel seemed like a nice little extra when we bought it, but now that the boiler has quit (and with it, the hot water supply) because the diesel is past its shelf life, and Marijn has spent a full day overhauling the entire heating system including the boiler, we’re starting to hatch a plan to get rid of it. The sediment we’re finding while draining the diesel doesn’t bode well for the quality of the rest of the stock.
During our trip from Urk to Harlingen, we didn’t hear the DAF engine complain, but sailing another leg like that with this moldy (?) fuel isn’t very appealing. Especially not now that the sails are all off the boat and in storage.
Luckily, a few weeks ago, we already had a representative from the Frisian Blue Diesel supplier on board (not entirely by coincidence, my cousin Mark). The recycled, carbon-neutral, and biodegradable diesel fits perfectly, of course, with our wish to equip the ship with an electric (auxiliary) motor and solar panels, so we can sail as sustainably as possible.
So, for our next fill-up, we’ll be pumping in 2,000 liters of fossil-free Blue Diesel / Neste My. Now we just need to find a way to get rid of that old junk. Maybe cousin Mark has a solution for that too.
