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<p>With temperatures starting to drop across the country, it's time to get your boat ready for storage. But, before you fill up the fuel tank and cover it for the season, there are some things you should know about ethanol-blended gasoline and the potential impact it can have on your boat during storage.
<p><b>Understanding How Ethanol Affects Boats During Storage</b>
<p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-1.jpg" border="0" />
<p>Majority of the gasoline sold in the U.S. contains some ethanol, but the percentage varies by region. It's important to note that research has found that as much as 75 percent* of boats serviced at the beginning of boating season, after long periods of storage, require carburetor cleaning due to build-up from degraded fuel. Oxygenated fuel is gasoline that contains oxygenates usually, ethanol. This fuel is particularly susceptible to degradation.
<p>When you store your boat for more than three weeks with ethanol-blended gasoline such as E10 (10% ethanol) or E15 (15% ethanol) in the tank, you may encounter one or all of the following:
<ul>
<li><p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-2.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" border="0" />
<b>Clogged Fuel Filters</b>- This is the most common problem associated with ethanol blended fuels. Often a clogged filter is a sign of possible greater damage and one you shouldn't take lightly. Even if you clean and replace the filters, you should still inspect the inside of your fuel tank for possible sediment or corrosion.
<p>Oversight of any of these issues could lead to bigger and costly problems after storage. It's easy to replace your filter. Check your engine manufacturer and owner's manual for directions and the right filter.
</li>
<li><b>Water in the Engine</b>- Ethanol is alcohol-based, and alcohol absorbs water that enters the fuel tank as a vapor in the air, causing fuel system corrosion. If enough water is present, this mixture of gas and water will separate, and sink to the bottom of the fuel tank, creating two separate solutions. When this happens, it's called phase separation, which can cause serious issues with your boat engine. When a boat first starts moving, it tends to rise at the bow flooding the engine with the water-laden ethanol solution, which could lead to misfire and costly repair fees.
</li>
<p><li><b>Rubber Deterioration Issues</b>- Ethanol is a known solvent and can affect the interior of rubber hoses and cause deterioration of the materials. Tubes that run to the fuel tank overtime can become brittle, break off or flake, and broken pieces could end up in the fuel lines and eventually clog the fuel system. For boats with fiberglass fuel tanks, ethanol can also corrode and even dissolve the fiberglass resin that holds the material together, causing major issues.
<p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-3.jpg" width="550" border="0" />
<p><b>How to Avoid Issues During Storage</b>
Most of the country now has gasoline-blended with ethanol (E10) at their local gas stations, and finding non-oxygenated fuel is very difficult and expensive.
<p>But, before you empty your wallet and pound the pavement looking for ethanol-free fuel, there are some things you can do to prevent the side effects of gasoline that contains ethanol and help ensure your boat stays protected while in storage.
</li>
<li><p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-4.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" border="0" /><b>Do a Thorough Checkup</b>- Before you put your boat into storage, make the time to look over all systems of your boat, especially your fuel hoses and primer bulb. Look for any stiffness or signs of the hoses becoming brittle. Visually check as well as ?feel? for leaks as they can sometimes occur in out of sight locations. Also, smell for fumes or possible leaks. It is common to experience a small amount of gas fumes, but if you smell a very strong odor of fuel, there's probably a leak somewhere.
</li><ul>
<li><b>Prepare Your Tank</b>- Always store your boat with a fresh tank of fuel, do NOT drain the tank. Before you lock the garage doors for the winter, make sure to fill your fuel tank 95 percent full (to allow for expansion) and add a fuel treatment and stabilizer like STA-BIL 360° Marine.
</li>
<p><li>This will help prevent the fuel from degrading, separating, and causing corrosion. By adding a treatment before storage, you will protect your system from potential long-term problems.
</li>
</li>
</ul>
<p><i><b>Tom Bingham</b>
Tom is senior director of marketing at Gold Eagle Co., industry pioneer and maker of America's No. 1 selling fuel stabilizer, STA-BIL®, and 303® Products protectants and cleaners, where he spearheads the company's outreach efforts to ensure consumers are educated and informed on how best to leverage its award-winning products to protect and preserve their cars, boats, yard equipment and more. Tom has six years of experience in the performance chemical industry and seven years in the outdoor power equipment industry and is a certified small engine mechanic.
</I>
<p>* According to BoatTEST.com
<p><b>Understanding How Ethanol Affects Boats During Storage</b>
<p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-1.jpg" border="0" />
<p>Majority of the gasoline sold in the U.S. contains some ethanol, but the percentage varies by region. It's important to note that research has found that as much as 75 percent* of boats serviced at the beginning of boating season, after long periods of storage, require carburetor cleaning due to build-up from degraded fuel. Oxygenated fuel is gasoline that contains oxygenates usually, ethanol. This fuel is particularly susceptible to degradation.
<p>When you store your boat for more than three weeks with ethanol-blended gasoline such as E10 (10% ethanol) or E15 (15% ethanol) in the tank, you may encounter one or all of the following:
<ul>
<li><p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-2.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" border="0" />
<b>Clogged Fuel Filters</b>- This is the most common problem associated with ethanol blended fuels. Often a clogged filter is a sign of possible greater damage and one you shouldn't take lightly. Even if you clean and replace the filters, you should still inspect the inside of your fuel tank for possible sediment or corrosion.
<p>Oversight of any of these issues could lead to bigger and costly problems after storage. It's easy to replace your filter. Check your engine manufacturer and owner's manual for directions and the right filter.
</li>
<li><b>Water in the Engine</b>- Ethanol is alcohol-based, and alcohol absorbs water that enters the fuel tank as a vapor in the air, causing fuel system corrosion. If enough water is present, this mixture of gas and water will separate, and sink to the bottom of the fuel tank, creating two separate solutions. When this happens, it's called phase separation, which can cause serious issues with your boat engine. When a boat first starts moving, it tends to rise at the bow flooding the engine with the water-laden ethanol solution, which could lead to misfire and costly repair fees.
</li>
<p><li><b>Rubber Deterioration Issues</b>- Ethanol is a known solvent and can affect the interior of rubber hoses and cause deterioration of the materials. Tubes that run to the fuel tank overtime can become brittle, break off or flake, and broken pieces could end up in the fuel lines and eventually clog the fuel system. For boats with fiberglass fuel tanks, ethanol can also corrode and even dissolve the fiberglass resin that holds the material together, causing major issues.
<p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-3.jpg" width="550" border="0" />
<p><b>How to Avoid Issues During Storage</b>
Most of the country now has gasoline-blended with ethanol (E10) at their local gas stations, and finding non-oxygenated fuel is very difficult and expensive.
<p>But, before you empty your wallet and pound the pavement looking for ethanol-free fuel, there are some things you can do to prevent the side effects of gasoline that contains ethanol and help ensure your boat stays protected while in storage.
</li>
<li><p><img SRC="http://www.iboats.com/mall_marketing/newsletter/nov15/images/art3-4.jpg" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="10" border="0" /><b>Do a Thorough Checkup</b>- Before you put your boat into storage, make the time to look over all systems of your boat, especially your fuel hoses and primer bulb. Look for any stiffness or signs of the hoses becoming brittle. Visually check as well as ?feel? for leaks as they can sometimes occur in out of sight locations. Also, smell for fumes or possible leaks. It is common to experience a small amount of gas fumes, but if you smell a very strong odor of fuel, there's probably a leak somewhere.
</li><ul>
<li><b>Prepare Your Tank</b>- Always store your boat with a fresh tank of fuel, do NOT drain the tank. Before you lock the garage doors for the winter, make sure to fill your fuel tank 95 percent full (to allow for expansion) and add a fuel treatment and stabilizer like STA-BIL 360° Marine.
</li>
<p><li>This will help prevent the fuel from degrading, separating, and causing corrosion. By adding a treatment before storage, you will protect your system from potential long-term problems.
</li>
</li>
</ul>
<p><i><b>Tom Bingham</b>
Tom is senior director of marketing at Gold Eagle Co., industry pioneer and maker of America's No. 1 selling fuel stabilizer, STA-BIL®, and 303® Products protectants and cleaners, where he spearheads the company's outreach efforts to ensure consumers are educated and informed on how best to leverage its award-winning products to protect and preserve their cars, boats, yard equipment and more. Tom has six years of experience in the performance chemical industry and seven years in the outdoor power equipment industry and is a certified small engine mechanic.
</I>
<p>* According to BoatTEST.com
