fueling

[zach103]

Re: fueling

i read the similar threads but none answer my previous quesion. i have an outboard and just use the portable tanks.. but restoring the one built in.. but i just just let the air run the thru the boat on the road.. can you do the same with an inboard??

 

[cbavier]

Re: fueling

i read the similar threads but none answer my previous quesion. i have an outboard and just use the portable tanks.. but restoring the one built in.. but i just just let the air run the thru the boat on the road.. can you do the same with an inboard??

Zach: Sure you can on the highway, you don't need the blower. Because your not trying to start the boat engine. That's when the spark and explosion can occur, at start up when the key is turned on. The Blower runs without the key turned on. That's why you turn the Blower on at Pre-launch. By the time you get the inside and outside ready to launch more than five minuets will have passed and the compartments will be vented safely. Even if the boat stays in the water overnight. BEFORE you start the motor the next day. Turn the blower on and let it run five Minuets. I even let it run probably five min after start up and even starting out slowly just to be safe. There are no second chances after an explosion. With an outboard tank you don't have the enclosed problem of fuel vapors unless it's enclosed in a compartment.

 

[zach103]

Re: fueling

makes sense.. thankss

 

[180shabah]

Re: fueling

The big difference is the location if the starter, IB and IO have the starter in the bilge with the fumes, OB starters ar up high in the fresh air.

 

[cbavier]

Re: fueling

The big difference is the location if the starter, IB and IO have the starter in the bilge with the fumes, OB starters ar up high in the fresh air.

Boats with an Outboard don't have blowers. Do they? None of mine ever did and I've had three boats all with an outboard engines. I was just looking at new pontoons today all with built in fuel tanks, and they must have been vented but none of them had blowers. They were all outboards too. Now I'm sure a pontoon with an I/O would have a blower.

 

[180shabah]

Re: fueling

You are correct sir.

The need for the blower is determined by the type of propulsion, not simply the location of the tank.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: fueling

My .02 cents
at the dock:
shut everything down, close all hatches,refuel, open engine compartment and LOOK and SNIFF for fuel leakage,turn on blower ,smell exaust of blower for any fumes, start engine.
on trailer:
before fueling check gauge to estimate fuel quanity needed, refuel, inspect engine compartment for any leakage or odor of fuel. launch boat, check and SNIFF engine compartment, turn on blower, check blower exaust, start motor.
It may sound like a lot to do but you wont get blown out of your boat
skip a step and you a candidate for the "Darwin Awards" provided they can find enough to give to your survivors

 

[Boatist]

Re: fueling

US Coast Guard Aux and the US Power squadrons in their boating and safety classes say. I have take coast guard class 3 time and Power Squdrons 2 times.

TURN THE BOLWER OFF, CLOSE ALL HATCHES AND COVERS THEN FUEL.
AFTER FUELING TURN THE BLOWER ON AND OPEN ALL COVERS AND HATCHES.

The idea is when you fuel gas fumes come out the vent line and you do not want the blower causeing them to be sucked in the air input and filling the bilge with fumes. After fueling open everything and sniff for fumes.

Another interesting fact is most boats do not blow up when they start up at the dock after fueling because, there is not enough air for the fuel to burn. Instead they blow up about 150 out from the dock when enough air mixes with to fumes to have a very good fuel air mixture.

 

[cbavier]

Re: fueling

US Coast Guard Aux and the US Power squadrons in ther boating and safety classes say. I have take cosdt guard class 3 timew and Power Squdrons 2 times.

TURN THE BOLWER OFF, CLOSE ALL HATCHES AND COVERS THEN FUEL.
AFTER FUELING TURN THE BLOWER ON AND OPEN ALL COVERS AND HATCHES.

The idea is when you fuel gas fumes come out the vent line and you do not want the blower causeing them to be sucked in the air input and filling the bilge with fumes. After fueling open everything and sniff for fumes.

Another interesting fact is most boats do not blow up when they start up at the dock after fueling because, there is not enough air for the fuel to burn. Instead they blow up about 150 out from the dock when enough air mixes with to fumes to have a very good fuel air mixture.

Boatlist: Your absolutely correct about fueling at the Dock. The question was fueling at the gas station and whether to run the Blower while fueling. The hatches and covers should always be closed while fueling no matter where a boater fuels.

 

[my86seville]

Re: fueling

I'd like to tell you something that could have happened but I'm still here today. In the early 70's I had a boat with 2- 50 gal tanks. My friend wanted to go fishing for a couple of days out past Catalina Island so took the boat to the service station (gas cheaper) and filled up stopping at 75 gal. because one tank read 1/2 full when we started and the other tank still read empty, Thinking the fuel guage was faulty. Pulled out of the station and was going to New Port Beach when I remembered some little thing I forgot. Stopped by the house, put whatever it was on the boat and thought I smelled gas. Removed the engine cover and seen approx. 30 to 40 gallons of gasoline in the bildge. I think I turned snow white. Removed the fuel, ventilated the whole boat with big window fans from a distance until I thought was safe. Opened the cover to the tanks and found the cross-over hose to the second tank had rotted and all the gas went into the bildge. From that day on and every boat I've owned since then, before I do anything else I remove I remove the engine cover and look into the bildge. It only takes a couple of minutes but believe me I still shudder when I think of what would have happened when I would have hit the start button. I still thank Jesus for having me remember something that I needed along.