Thoughts on extra fuel storage

[breausaw]

Every year I think about better ways of bringing extra fuel for extended journeys, but every year I end up doing the same thing; bring along multiple 5 gallon jugs. The jugs wouldn’t be so bad except the newer pour spouts are slow and cumbersome. I have a couple of the old jugs with easy pour spouts but most have these ridiculous slow pouring cumbersome no-drip environmentally safe tree hugging back straining dribble spigots.

One idea I’ve been kicking around is fuel bladders. http://www.atlinc.com/rangeextender.html#FBPS1
Major drawback is price, about $900 for a 50 gallon pillow bladder kit delivered to Alaska. I would also have to either keep it full of fuel or empty it entirely. I don’t believe the fuel bladder would be stable partially full with fuel sloshing around, another drawback in flexibility.

On the plus side I could secure it out of the way under the radar arch with its 4 way cam strap system, and then just gravity feed the contents into the main tank. I’ve given this a lot of thought and believe a full +/-350lb bladder would ride just fine on top of the house given its 55" x 35" foot print, and I would still have room for the dink.

My other idea is remove the spouts and pour directly from the jugs into a large funnel like the Mr. Funnel AF8CB. http://www.mrfunnel.com/Mr._Funnel/Models.html

I don’t really have a problem storing up to 8 gas jugs, the empty jugs go under the radar arch out the way.

So now I’m thinking the large Funnel approach would be way cheaper and more convenient then slow pouring spouts.

Thoughts, concerns, insight,………….

More than anything spring is approaching and Boating is on the brain; it becomes difficult to keep the wallet closed this time of year.

[bcassal]

I carry 5 gallon gas cans as spares. I transfer the gas with a self priming syphon tube. You jiggle the end with a little glass ball one way valve thingy in it. The can needs only to be above the tank, easy on the back. I have been using these on every thing that uses gas for years. You can drain a can and not spill a drop. Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Siphon-1009-1-Hose/dp/B000ZOT39A/ref=pd_sim_sg_23

The politically correct gas cans that are sold today are total crap! Not only will they make a mess if used in the "proper" way but they will leak through their crappy little no-drip nozzles if the can sits in the sun and heats up a bit.

I have taken the spouts from the lids and fashioned a plug with gas resistant "rubber", an appropriate sized metal disc and gasket seal. Works great.
I keep looking for old gas cans a yard sales, but without much luck.


Bruce Cassal
"Carpy"

[bcassal]

I just took a better look at the bladders.

I would be reluctant to have that much weight high on the boat, i.e. raising the center of gravity.
More-so the thought of a puncture gives me the heeby-geebies!

Carpy

[Rob & Karen]

I have been taking off the standard nozzle on the new-style 5 gallon cans and dumping straight into a large funnel. The funnel is not the same make as you are looking at. Mine came from a local sporting goods store and is probably just a little smaller than the F3 model in your link. You still have to be careful about spilling, but it is much better than the standard nozzle.

Rob

[Sunbeam]

Like Carpy, I have used siphoning. This was not on my C-Dory (yet), but on a "big" boat with diesel and a below-decks tank. We carried spare fuel in jerry jugs, and as the old-fashioned fuel jugs wore out, they had to be replaced with "new style" ones. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no way to pour from the new style ones without spilling fuel all over (never spilled from the old jugs though).

So, what we ended up doing was using a length of tubing and just taking the caps off the jugs (leaving them upright) and using the tubing to siphon the fuel from the jugs into the on-deck fuel fill. This worked like a charm with the only downside being that we had to store the diesely tubing between jobs.

PS: Although, thinking about it, keeping the jugs above the tanks was easy, since they merely had to sit on deck. I guess on a C-Dory you would have to hoist them up onto a splashwell table, lazarette lid, or dock (etc.) in order to keep them higher than the fills - so not quite as easy.

[localboy]

[BrentB]

As of January of 2009, all new portable fuel containers in the US must meet new Mobile Source Air Toxic regulations based on the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) regulations, and they must meet the requirements of the Children’t Gasoline Burn Prevention Act.

jic you wanted to know

I like but dont have Nato 20L cans

see
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009HIMVLW

These are taller and less width than the typical 5 gal gas cans

[Hunkydory]

The two blue containers that the seats & camouflage covered Honda generator are sitting on in this photo contain 8, 6 gal gas jugs. They are the new type & I have got the hang of how best to keep them flowing at a reasonable amount with this set up working well for me. We've now made many runs between taking on fuel of over 300 miles & one over 400 while cruising in Southeast Alaska. I use a small funnel that the nozzle of the 6 gal plastic jug spout fits into well & have found with the spout passing through the funnel & on into the tank access tube located on top of the gunnel the jug is supported & I can let it be flowing while setting another one up on the other side. I can only do it this way on calm water, which is not a problem because refueling like this is generally done while at a anchorage. The funnel's only use is to prevent fuel spillage as the jug is first lifted up & tipped forward to start fuel flow.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=Southeast-Alaska2012&id=009_G&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

This is the only way I know how to show the photo using my IPad.

Jay

[Hunkydory]

I see the link to the photo in my C-Brat album still isn't working & with only the IPad & no computer access at present maybe someone else if interested can post the photo from our 2012 Alaska cruise.

Jay

[Rob & Karen]

How about this Jay?

[Hunkydory]

Yes, that's it, Thanks !

Sure like using the IPad & wish the photo use with it here to be better.

[jkidd]

I second the safety siphon. Set the can on the on the Lazerette cover shake the ball and let I go. When it gets close to empty tip it so the siphon is in one corner and it will not leave a drop in the can. The best ten bucks I ever spent. Hold the hose up to drain it and put it back in the ziplock bag. I never use the spout that came with the cans.

[breausaw]

[Captains Cat]

Why not just move the good spout to the jug you want to pour from?

Charlie

[breausaw]