Traverse City marina fuel prices rise $1.50 a gallon

A 20-gallon fill-up at Duncan L. Clinch Marina now costs about $30 more than it did at the end of last season. For a family boat that burns 40 gallons over a weekend, the jump adds about $60, and repeated outings quickly turn a higher pump price into a bigger summer bill for Grand Traverse County boaters.

The price increase hit as Traverse City’s municipal marina moved into the heart of boating season. Duncan L. Clinch Marina, owned and operated by the City of Traverse City and governed by the Michigan State Waterways Commission, generally runs from May 15 to Oct. 20. Its fuel dock offers diesel and mid-grade gasoline, serving boaters heading out from Clinch Park and across West Grand Traverse Bay.

The marina is built to handle heavy summer demand. It has two storage tanks, one holding 8,000 gallons of gasoline and the other 4,000 gallons of diesel, and fuel deliveries arrive two to three times a week at peak season to keep up with traffic. That steady supply line matters in a place where launch days, charter schedules and weekend family outings all compete for fuel.

City bid records show the market was already moving before the season opened. In an April 20, 2026, bid tabulation for marina fuel, Crystal Flash quoted $3.9918 a gallon for unleaded gas and $4.3774 for diesel, while Blarney Castle quoted $4.990 for unleaded and $3.920 for diesel. A May 5, 2025, tabulation showed lower prices: Crystal Flash at $3.6628 for unleaded and $2.419 for diesel, and Blarney Castle at $3.3756 for unleaded and $2.3054 for diesel.

The city has had to adjust marina operations before when outside projects affected access. On April 1, 2025, Traverse City opened Clinch Marina early for slip holders because of the Michigan Department of Transportation project, a reminder that waterfront logistics in town depend on more than weather and demand. The latest increase lands during National Safe Boating Week, which ran May 16 to 22, adding another layer to the start-of-season push for boaters preparing to launch in Traverse City and across Grand Traverse County.