Recycled cooking oil fueling charter boat
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: NBC
Published Fri Oct 10, 2008, 11:33 AM MDT
Updated Fri Oct 10, 2008, 11:33 AM MDT
A Florida charter boat captain is proving one man's trash is another man's treasure by fueling his boat with used vegetable oil.
Ramsey Drummond makes his living off deep sea fishing charters. The record high cost for fuel a few months back almost forced him to close his business.
Since then, he's found a way to run his boat off used vegetable oil, or bio-diesel. A neighboring restaurant gives it to him for free. Restaurants often have to pay to dispose of used cooking oil, so it helps the restaurant, too.
After an initial $2,000 investment in equipment, the bio-diesel only costs Captain Drummond about $1.35 a gallon.
"You figured on your trips when fuel peaked up there, three fourths of the money you get for your trip was going to just purchasing fuel," he said.
