Diesel on the hip

[Mike OReilly]

Interesting discussion. I view the issue of cans on deck as a calculated risk.

I certainly dislike carrying anything on deck while underway, but on occasion when my route means fuels docks are few and far between, I have carried extra tanks on deck. So far I've only ever carried three (two 20l diesel, one 10l gas).

I lash them around a stanchion, but not actually to it. I use an old chainplate which is no longer in use, but is still well backed. I purposely don't lash them to the stanchions, and definitely don't use the standard leeboard type of construction that many seem to.

My arrangement allows green seas to wash over and through the cans, without presenting any significant surface area. This means there is limited force against anything.

[Nicholson58]

We never leave fuel on deck. With 400 gallons of tankage we can motor over 1000 miles without sails. In a typical Caribbean season we burn about 150 gallons.

[Sailing Drummer]

Quite a few have mentioned sunbrella covers. We ended up buying t-shirts from Walmart for all the jugs. About $2 each and we replace when they show deterioration, about once a year.

[sanibel sailor]

I made a Sunbrella cover because I found a pristine gas tank with the pre-EPA spout that actually pours. I don’t know if this style is readily available outside the US, but here they are rare and worthy of preservation.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Sailing Drummer

Quite a few have mentioned sunbrella covers. We ended up buying t-shirts from Walmart for all the jugs. About $2 each and we replace when they show deterioration, about once a year.

Pillow cases work too.

I keep mine empty and in the lazerette. We use cans to deliver fuel rather than go to the fuel dock. I use a Baja filter as my funnel.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

...I found a pristine gas tank with the pre-EPA spout that actually pours. I don’t know if this style is readily available outside the US, but here they are rare and worthy of preservation.

Just buy new spouts. Readily available on line.

.

[donradcliffe]

I always prefer to lash the jerry jugs in the cockpit, but I did store the dinghy upside down on the foredeck and a kayak on the lifelines. When the jugs were empty, I transferred them to a lazarette locker. The dinghy was pretty well secured with 1/2" nylon line, but it would shift around in boarding seas, and I had to add another of hypalon where it chafed. The kayak was lightly secured and I planned to cut it loose if the weather got bad, but it was not a problem for 7 years and 50,000 miles from Malaysia back to Santa Cruz--I never saw more than 40 knots of sustained wind in that time.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Just buy new spouts. Readily available on line.

.

Those are crap, I’ve bought them, the gaskets are junk and the base isn’t wide enough where they attach to the can, so they leak.
Jugs sold in the Bahamas aren’t CARB compliant so they have normal nozzles, also dinghy fuel cans sold in the Bahama’s have a vent and aren’t therefore CARB compliant.
Interestingly if you look, some of the dinghy fuel cans on Amazon also aren’t CARB compliant

It’s the California Air Resource Board that we have to thank for all the unvented cans with stupid spouts that cause you to spill so much fuel if you use them.

On edit, you can also buy the vents too, they work well, just when you drill the hole for them you need of use a stepped bit, a regular bit will twist the hole and the vents won’t sit flush when installed.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I made a Sunbrella cover because I found a pristine gas tank with the pre-EPA spout that actually pours. I don’t know if this style is readily available outside the US, but here they are rare and worthy of preservation.

I always use a siphon to transfer diesel from jerry can to the boat. Takes a little longer, but far easier. Something like:

[sanibel sailor]

I may be wrong, but I don’t think diesel cans have to be carb compliant. Some gas cans have a different thread. I’ve tried switching spots around before I discovered that.

[a64pilot]

These flow fast, and are very easy to use. Eventually the hose gets hard, but is very easy to replace the hose.
https://www.amazon.com/Performance-T...4646427&sr=8-9

[Pete7]

[QUOTE=Mike OReilly;3184715]I always use a siphon to transfer diesel from jerry can to the boat. Takes a little longer, but far easier. Something like:
/QUOTE]

Or perhaps a jiggle pipe. There is a marble in the brass bit, so dunk it in the tank and jiggle up and down to start the fuel flowing. This go and put the kettle on and let gravity do the work.

Pete

[Mike OReilly]

[QUOTE=Pete7;3184724]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I always use a siphon to transfer diesel from jerry can to the boat. Takes a little longer, but far easier. Something like:
/QUOTE]

Or perhaps a jiggle pipe. There is a marble in the brass bit, so dunk it in the tank and jiggle up and down to start the fuel flowing. This go and put the kettle on and let gravity do the work.

Yup, these work just as well (a64pilot's too). No need to lift and pour heavy jugs, adding to the potential to spill and make a mess. Just set up a siphon, and go have a sip of coffee while it drains.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Those are crap, I’ve bought them, the gaskets are junk and the base isn’t wide enough where they attach to the can, so they leak...

On edit, you can also buy the vents too, they work well, just when you drill the hole for them you need of use a stepped bit, a regular bit will twist the hole and the vents won’t sit flush when installed.

There are a number of different types available. I've had some good ones, and some with thin gaskets which twist and leak. I now make sure to put them on straight before tightening. I use them all the time at home, and for the dinghy and sometimes for diesel for the mains.

Also note that the ones I pictured come with two different threaded caps, and the pop-in vents. I've installed them on about 8 different gas and diesel jugs and have been very satisfied. I have some which are wider and longer than the ones pictured which work great for my horizontal deck fittings.

California really blew it on this one. I bet if you started a fuel jug manufacturing company and sold jugs with "normal" spouts to the other 49 states you'd make a fortune.

[nortonscove]

Our Beneteau has two wet lockers on the swim platform and they can hold four standard jerry cans. Very convenient place for them. Especially when fueling the dinghy. I have tied them to the gates in the past.