Transporting gas?

[Uncle Bob]

Hi, I can't speak for the marina fuel supplies over there in the states, but here in Aus all too often the waterfront fuel supplies tend to sit in the tanks for an extended time (low turnover) acquiring moisture along the way, whereas the high turnover road suppliers tend to supply a higher quality product. And cheaper to boot.
This can be easily and safely transferred, without spillage, using a jiggle siphon.
This is my preferred method, although admittedly slower.

[Jim Cate]

TooCoys, you did say "gas" didn't you? As in gasoline or petrol?

You will note that essentially all those who admit to using jerry jugs to fuel their boats were talking about diesel fuel, not gasoline. There is one hell of a difference in potential hazard between the two. Diesel, not a worry about explosion, gasoline, a very big worry about explosion... and the cause of the explosion may well be not on your boat and under your control, for the vapors can drift quite a way and still be within the explosive limits.

With diesel, the worry is spillage. Spilling diesel into the water is a bit uncouth, but in small quantities not all that harmful to the environment... but it sure can be harmful to your wallet. There have been times when I had to jug diesel to the boat, and I've been pretty careful about spilling,, but I can't say that I have been totally successful. No harm, no foul so far, but I don't often succumb to the urge to save a few bucks on diesel prices.

You may feel that the risk to your boat and yourself is acceptable, 'cause you are saving money. Your neighbors in a marina will feel differently. And considering the potential harm from your actions, I would feel no shame in dobbing you in if you made a practice of it next to my boat.

Jim

[valhalla360]

Marinas: They don't like it primarily because it's competition but it also may be tied into their insurance. That said, they make the rules at their marina. But often you can go to a boat launch and have someone meet you with the car and fuel jugs.

It's Dangerous: If you've ever looked at the safety equipment and spillage at a typical fuel dock, it's silly to say it's more dangerous to do it in your slip. It may even be more dangerous at the fuel dock as other boats have their motors running and you typically start your motor shortly after fueling when fumes may still be present. Filling in the slip, is usually done when the motors aren't running and there is no pressure to leave quickly to make room for the next boat. Assuming you use the same safety procedures, I see no additional risk.

You are guaranteed to spill: We have a syphon built specifically for petroleum products (including gas). The jug sits securely in place on the cockpit seat. There's no reason you would have any more spillage than at the gas dock.

Filling up 80 gal in one go is a lot of work but a couple of 5 gal jugs don't cost much and if you bring them down once a week, you can keep topped up unless burning a lot of fuel.

We find street side fuel to be better quality as it turns over far more quickly than many fuel docks. No issues with ethanol but we actually use the fuel and don't let it sit for months (also we have multiple smaller fuel tanks and if not using a lot of fuel, drop back to using one tank so it turns over more quickly).

[Fore and Aft]

Today I was at Tin Can Bay marina Queensland and noticed a big sign on the dock gates clearly stating that the marina rule is that boats can only be fuelled up at the fuel dock and not in their berths.
Sounds a bit harsh, but I can see how it could keep the potential pollution down.
I personally like using BP Ultimate diesel for my Yanmar and use a 10 litre container with a jiggle hose to transfer the diesel. So far no spilt diesel.
Cheers

[transmitterdan]

And a recent example of how bad a boat dock fire can be:

No injuries in massive fire at Lake Texoma marina - KTEN.com - No One Gets You Closer

[Cheechako]

Yes, marina fire last week here burned up 4 boats. Happens often but little to do with refueling. Boats just sitting and either propane or gas in tanks. Often no one aboard.

[rwidman]

1) Many marinas prohibit fueling of boats except at the fuel dock. If the marina sells fuel, they are unlikely to let you bring your own. Perhaps you can get away with sneaking it in at night.


2) In many areas there are laws regarding the transportation of gasoline, specifically, how much you can transport in an ordinary car or truck. You probably won't get caught but you might.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Yes, marina fire last week here burned up 4 boats. Happens often but little to do with refueling. Boats just sitting and either propane or gas in tanks. Often no one aboard.

I will try to find out what the root cause of this fire turns out to be. But the risk that even a small fire will rapidly engulf many boats is the issue in my mind. The savings of a few dollars (<$100) against the huge cost of a dock fire isn't worth it. If someone has a boat too big to trailer it to the gas station then they probably can afford the extra price of fuel safely delivered to a floating dock. If not then just drive the boat slower and save $ that way.

[CaptTom]

I've had to bring gas (petrol) in cans a few times when no dockside fueling was available. While I don't recommend it (see all the above) there are some practical considerations.

1) In most US states, the largest hand-portable tank you can buy is five gallons. It used to be six, and sometimes you can still find them. I have no idea what the authorities think we're going to do with that extra gallon.

2) You can buy larger, rolling tanks (as in the above post) but they are expensive and a little more unwieldy to get around with.

2) All US portable gas tanks now come with no vent and a California CARB nozzle which is guaranteed to dribble, slurp, splash and otherwise make an mess. And take so long to dispense that you risk dropping the tank when your arms get tired.

3) You can buy a retro-fit vent and nozzle kit for like $12 on Amazon. Get the one with the two-piece extended nozzle; it's wider to allow a faster flow, and is easier to get into the fill pipe without spilling.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

1) In most US states, the largest hand-portable tank you can buy is five gallons. It used to be six, and sometimes you can still find them. I have no idea what the authorities think we're going to do with that extra gallon.Have you ever carried 2 5gal cans? They don't make them bigger because 2 10gal cans will rip your arms out of their sockets.

2) You can buy larger, rolling tanks (as in the above post) but they are expensive and a little more unwieldy to get around with.They are expensive but that mostly because they sell in small numbers. I have borrowed one and it was very convenient if you need to move a lot of gas.

2) All US portable gas tanks now come with no vent and a California CARB nozzle which is guaranteed to dribble, slurp, splash and otherwise make an mess. And take so long to dispense that you risk dropping the tank when your arms get tired.As stated by a couple of us, simply get a syphon. No drip, slurp, splash and likewise plus you don't have to be a weight lifter.

It really isn't a technological issue to transport gas and can be just as safe as the fuel dock.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

It really isn't a technological issue to transport gas and can be just as safe as the fuel dock.

Well, it is and there are dangers involved. I suggest going back and reading the other posts.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Of course! I have six 5-gallon jugs for a total of 30-31 gallons. My tank is 53 gallons, so I can easily do 2 diesel trips and it's worth the time and money, in my opinion. I go to a nearby gas station and fill up all the jugs with diesel. Works great and I've done it a bunch of times. Would anyone not recommend it in my case? I'm curious. And definitely will listen to any input from others.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Attachment 152317

Of course! I have six 5-gallon jugs for a total of 30-31 gallons. My tank is 53 gallons, so I can easily do 2 diesel trips and it's worth the time and money, in my opinion. I go to a nearby gas station and fill up all the jugs with diesel. Works great and I've done it a bunch of times. Would anyone not recommend it in my case? I'm curious. And definitely will listen to any input from others.

Your jugs are the wrong color for diesel![emoji41]

[TooCoys]

I love how polarized this discussion is.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Marinas: They don't like it primarily because it's competition but it also may be tied into their insurance.

Every marina we've ever rented a seasonal slip at over the last 10+ years has had a policy prohibiting re-fueling in the slip. Non of them had fuel services, so lost revenue was not a motivator. For them it was 100% a liability and safety issue. Non of them specified Gas vs. Diesel. Just a flat "Not Allowed".

They did not prohibit carrying jerry cans or dinghy tanks down the dock. The rule was specifically prohibiting 're-fueling'.