THIS GUIDE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION:
Text is mostly done
I need to upload Screenshots
I need to upload workshop and attach links
This is not some filthy guide with youtube advertisment, altough i have a YT channel. If you want to know it, PM me. It's crap, but I'm trying.
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ACTUAL GUIDE
We all know it can be tough at the very beginning.
I am myself a new player with mere 53 hours as of writing this guide (25/05/2019), of which I only spent 3 hours in creative or afk.

In order to succeed in career, initially player (especially if starting like me with just 5k) need to create a cheapskate boat that will suffice for basic missions - that is to pack up few boxes, get from A to B. Therefore small boats are really sufficient, as long as we slap a pilot seat (or just stand which I do not recommend on small boats), 4 passenger seats and a bed. This enables us to sleep on boat which is great for health, RP and mission skipping.

Before we get to fuel itself, here are some tips:

-Build or download a small boat

-I believe that every island except for starter base that we discover has 1 lootcrate. While doing
missions, take a minute or two and get out of boat to explore all islands. It is extra income, research and parts for free.

-Some lootcrates appear on the sea. Be vigilant per every 1,5-2,5km and you should see one on horizon. Hold right mouse key to zoom in. I tend to stand on the high part of my boat, just in front of pilot seat to see in a stable manner.

Here you will find bullet points focused on fuel management:

-Do not overfill your boat with fuel, but carry enough so you don't run out.

-Instead of slapping medium and small tanks, create a custom one. More on that in Fuel Tank section.


-Think about the layout of fuel tanks and general design of boat to reduce drag - that saves you fuel consumption and gains speed for X of distance travelled.

-Get Spycakes terminal ASAP or at least any other area where you can build in the trainyard. You will need lootcrates to save up for some wheels, ideally with suspension. However, before you buy any other dock, bear in mind that your missions will become harder and will require larger vessel. I only bought my first island when I got 100k money, that is imo BARE minimum to keep going. You can always skip missions like Tow oil tanker.

-When you build your boat, remember to use Power Breaker (that lever) and connect all electrics to it, alternatively split your energy into different breakers. When you get off your boat and it is unused, TURN THEM OFF. I learned it hard way after doing stuff on land + AFK and ended up with dead battery. If you cannot do that or mess up like myself, KEEP ENGINE RUNNING AT LOW THROTTLE AND NEUTRAL/EASY GEAR with clutch set to zero to keep battery loading. My current boat requires me to shift lo-hi gears every so and often to keep engine alive as I messed up power circuit.

-In your research, I personally recommend to start with Fluid managment and rescue equipment. Do other things as well naturally as you will need all those fancy dials, compasses and so on. Prioritize start of your game on Fuel managment to ease your pain.

-Discover Fuels buy and sell point. Initially you want to find Diesel and optionally Crude oil buy/sell points. You will need to adapt your boat to be able to carry larger amounts of fuel, and small boats can do this task perfectly if well-built. My boat carries approx. 12000-15000 fuel and is stable on calm sea.


-You can go to any base you did not purchased yet and use their tanks as emergency fuel. Comes in handy!

UPDATE 28/05/2019
1. WATER TANKS:
You have few options here. You have to build 1, ideally 2 tanks within your tiny wee boat. First tank is purely for Diesel, and you can easily use it to refill your other boats, bases and tanks. Other tank can be used also for Diesel or any other fuel, either for refueling more stations and tanks, or to trade say Jet Fuel (Later on).


TOP TIP:
On your boat, you initially either would slap a normal tank and put a dial for it so you can see how much fuel you use, or get a custom tank and wonder when the fuel runs out. A quick-fix until you get fluid meter is, well, a window. Make a fuel tank on your boat in a place easily visible from either your seat or immedietaly next to it. Then remove few blocks from the top and slap on a window or two. Boom, now you see fluid floating in your tank. That's your diesel! That way you don't know liters, but you can visually see how much you use and still have left.




A) Construct fuel tanks in your boat. I like mine to sit at the bottom of boat on the sides, or spread it across whole boat but make it quite shallow. I rarely do deep and thin tower type tanks, but they are also reliable on big boats.


B) Consider constructing Floating tanks if you need to. Ensure they are stable yet buoyant, but you need a winch for that so u can skip just now.

2. LAND TANKS

C) Once you get Spycakes terminal, go to trainyard and using the loot from the crates (or having vehicles unlocked), build yourself a Cistern (Fuel tank on wheels). Make sure to slap on handles, make it large but light - cut out any unnecessary blocks from inside. Put some weighblocks at the bottom, where the axis of wheels is. This prevents tipping it. You will initially pull it, so put some handles.

UPDATE 28/05/2019
The point of Terminal Spycakes is simple. There are 2 Station Fuel Tanks, each has just over 13k fuel in it. That sums up to a healthy 26000 liters+ to start playing with.
You want to make either a simple or complex Fuel Cisterns in the trainyard, suck the fuel out of both station tanks, and park your cisterns somewhere where you like, ideally within reach of the dock fuel tank. You need handles to pull the thingy, and there are ways to lift and turn even the heavier ones. Just don't overdo. I try to make my cisterns have less than 30k capacity. Yes, they are pushable.

Small, easy tank made from blocks


And a heavier one, which I personally prefer as soon as I am not forced to use the cheap one.




Once you suck all the fuel out, your Oil tanker or any other unit can unload fuel into station, and from station to a tank, unless you research winches and you then will be able to unload straight into cisterns. Easy peasy!

1. Find Buy/sell points as mentioned before.


2. Get your fuel tanks on wheels on Spycakes, then drag them somewhere close to the dock Tank. BE CAREFUL not to despawn them as they are technically in workshop area. You can later move them out if not needed. Have at least 1 15k capacity cistern as this is handy.

3. Remove ALL the diesel from station tank into your little cistern. Then you can drag it away as mentioned in previous section on land/water tanks.


4. Ensure that you have enough fuel on boat to get to Diesel buy point. You won't need more. Also make sure weather is ideal.

5. Get to Diesel buy point and load your boat up to the cork. If you have a winch with connector, Consider taking a Diesel Buoy - small immobilized ball with fuel in it. Alternatively you should be able to carry a simple construction of Blocks and piped standard gas tanks, altough I do not recommend that option.

6.Head back to base, Drain your ship to the station tank, and then drain station tank to your Fuel Tank on wheels.

7. Repeat above until you stash up alot of fuel.

8. Now you can consider buying Diesel or Jet Fuel (if you know how to reach Jet fuel sell point) in large quantities, and sell it as you go and loot the crates and/or do missions. Ensure to later have a ship with 3-4 tanks so you can buy Crude Oil, Diesel, Jet Fuel and have a spare tank for either of those, ideally Diesel for topping up your base.


9 Bonus:
Consider using Workshop constructions of other folks or myself ( i will upload some models in very near future).