Fueling Your Boat The Green Way
Unless you are a true purist with no engine onboard, fueling your boat is a fact of life. This simple act that we usually take for granted has more potential than just about any boating activity to cause real environmental damage.
Walk the docks near any fueling facility and you are guaranteed to see a deadly rainbow sheen on the water. Just a few loose drops of gas or diesel can spread across the water in no time. Turn your head away while filling your tanks and the accidental spray that heads over the side can contaminate an area many times larger than your boat's footprint. Let a few gallons loose and you can destroy an ecosystem.
For boaters who trailer their boats each time they head out, it is easy to fill up just like you do your car. After you fill up a quick wipe down of your boat's exterior will make sure you don't carry any stray fuel to the water with you.
For boaters who keep their vessel in the water most of the time there will be a lot more effort required to avoid a spill.
However, like most modern day tasks requiring the use of nasty stuff near the water, there are some simple precautions you can take to get the job done without causing any harm.
First and foremost, pay attention. More fuel spills are caused by the neglect of a busy skipper than anything else. It is imperative that you take the time to devote all your focus to fueling your boat. This is not the time to be carrying on multiple conversations or doing two things at once. You can afford to daydream when you are washing your boat, but not when you are fueling her.
If you fill up at a marina with traditional fuel pumps take a minute to do it right. Keep the hose nozzle elevated in such a way that the last guys left over fuel doesn't hit the water. Also, keep a few paper towels or a dedicated fuel rag handy as you handle the hose and insert it in your fuel tank. Being able to wipe up those few accidental drops right away is a must.
Unfortunately, many novice boaters fuel their boat on the water as if it were a car. They jam the nozzle down the fuel intake pipe and let er rip. Unlike car's however, most inboard marine engines have venting systems to allow condensation and fumes to escape the fuel tanks. If you try to fill your boat like your car you run the very real risk that these vents will overflow with fuel, right into the water. To avoid this unnecessary mess consider a few things.
One, keep track of your engine's fuel requirements. With some third grade math you should be able to figure how much fuel you use every hour your engine runs, giving you a good idea how much you will need at each fill up. Write these facts and figures down in your ship's log (yes, even small boats should have one of these) so you know when to slow and then stop your fueling.
Two, consider using spill prevention devices. Several exist and they are easy to use. One option is a No-Spill system that is a sealed catch basin you place over your exterior fuel vents to catch any overflow. These inexpensive tools are easy to use and stow easily. My only complaint about them is that you must deal with returning the overflow fuel to a proper container, not always a foolproof task. Compared to causing a spill, however, this minor inconvenience is a no-brainer.
Another nifty gizmo is called a fuel whistle. These simple devices have no moving parts and are permanently installed so you don't have to mess with them each time you fill up. First, you locate the hose leading to your exterior fuel vents. Then you make a simple cut in the vent hose, insert the fuel whistle and clamp the hose back down. Total time to install is less than 15 minutes for even the mechanically challenged. Once in place, the fuel whistle works according to simple physics. As you fill your tanks the air inside them is pushed up the vent hose, through the fuel whistle, and out the vents. As your tanks fill, the pressure on the expelled air increases. The fuel whistle is engineered to begin making noise once the air pressure reaches a point that corresponds with a nearly full tank. When the whistle blows, shut off your fuel source and you are good to go.
These prevention devices work great for fueling in a marina, but they also help the boater who must bring fuel to their boat. For those of us unlucky enough to deal with this chore there are some simple guidelines to follow. Please don't bring the same cheap fuel container to your boat that you might use for your lawnmower. You know the ones I mean, either plastic or metal with a simple spout on the end that may or may not have a plug in it. The moment of truth with these containers comes when you make the initial pour. All that fuel rushes down the spout and usually makes a splash. It is nearly impossible not to spill these old fashioned containers. Instead, spend a few extra bucks on the newer flow control containers out there. Usually made from a thick plastic, the flow control models let you positions the container and insert the spout before a drop of fuel comes out. Once ready, push a little gravity switch and your fuel goes where it is should and nowhere else.
For more details on fuel prevention devices please check out our retail website at
http://www.greenboatstuff.com/fuspprcluppr.html
For boaters with deep pockets or a desire to be extra precise, there are numerous electronic gauges that regulate your fuel status too. If installed properly these devices work great. Unfortunately, such gauges are often out of sight when you are bent over filling a tank, so they can be useless unless you have a partner within earshot watching them.
Regardless of how you fuel your boat, the key is to fuel your boat and nothing else. Common sense and patience are the key to doing the job the right way.
