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USCG
Auxiliary column
Is
there ethanol in your gas?
Much has been written in the
past year or so on the subject of ethanol as an additive to gasoline
to boost its octane rating and also to make a cleaner burning fuel.
A mixture of 90 percent
gasoline and 10 percent ethanol fills the bill and is becoming more
available at service stations around the nation and in the Atlanta
area. Automobiles seem to handle the mixture pretty well, but what
about boats? There is considerable concern in this area and tests
have been done and are continuing to be done to help answer this
question.
The Coast Guard and the Coast
Guard Auxiliary are heavily invested in the safety of recreational
and commercial boaters, and it is from this background this article
is being written. Ethanol has two characteristics that make it
troublesome for boaters. It is a solvent and it attracts water. As a
solvent, studies have shown that it can dissolve gunk off the inside
of gas tanks, clog filters and stop engines. It also has the
capacity to dissolve fiberglass fuel tank walls, and many older
model boats have fiberglass tanks. Having the potential to attract
water through the tank’s vent (car tanks don’t have vents) and
separate itself from the gasoline, means that it will settle to the
bottom of the tank, where the fuel line feeds from the tank to the
boat’s engine.
The state of Oregon passed a law
in 2007 requiring that all fuel contain 10 percent ethanol, but the
law was amended, and effective January 1, 2009, gasoline sold in
Oregon for use in boats, aircraft, gasoline powered tools and
classic cars will be exempt from the 2007 law.
We teach in our safe boating
courses that approximately 90 percent of boats are trailerable,
meaning that the owners have the capacity to buy their fuel at
service stations. This is where you are most likely to find the
“E-10” fuel. Marinas will most likely continue to carry the
gasoline without ethanol. I have noticed that some service stations
offering the E-10 have a label on the pump. Even if there is no
label on the pump, one would be prudent to ask before pumping. If
your boat does not have a water separating fuel filter, you should
probably consider having one installed in your fuel line. If you
have an aluminum fuel tank and elect to use E-10, and don’t use your
boat often, water will find its way into your fuel tank and the
filter will help.
I urge you to watch boating
publications for additional information on this important safety
subject.
Boating courses set for the
summer
Boating safety classes are now
available for recreational boaters. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Flotilla 22, Marietta.
The Boat Georgia/About Boating
Safety course is set for the Roberts School Community & Education
Center, 4681 School St., Acworth.
The eight-hour course is
certified by the National Association of State Boating Law
Administrators. It is designed for new boaters and experienced
boaters who would like a refresher on safe boat operations, federal
and Georgia state legal requirements, and basic boat parts and
terminology.
Cost is $30.
The course is recommended for
boaters age 12 and up.
Boat Georgia/About Boating
Safety classes will be offered on August 2 and September 6.
For more information or to
register for the course, please e-mail
boatingclasses@usa.com
or call (770) 421-9902.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
provides safe boating classes to the public, provides free vessel
safety checks to boaters and personal watercraft operators, patrols
inland waters, and supports the U.S. Coast Guard’s missions.
Membership in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is open to citizens of
the United States and its territories who are at least 17 years old.
For more information on the
Auxiliary, please visit the Flotilla 22 website at
http://a0700202.uscgaux.info/ or the Flotilla 29 web site at
http://a0700209.uscgaux.info/index.htm.
Roy Crittenden is public affairs officer, Division 2,
member, Flotilla 29.
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