For boats on the lake - How do you gas your boat?

[Waternut]

Trying to see what kind of creative solutions people have come up with to simplify filling their boats up with gas.

 

The guy at our ski lake uses a 5 foot section of 4" PVC pipe with a hose at the bottom. We just pull the cap off the 5 gallon can and dump into the pvc pipe. Pretty cool system but the PVC doesn't hold all 5 gallons so you end up waiting for the gas to drain so you can continue pouring.

 

I just put a piece of hose over the pour spout on the gas can. Then shove the hose down the boats fill cap and hold the can upside down until it's empty. Works well unless it's cold and then the hose doesn't stretch as easily so getting on the pour spout is more difficult.

 

I'm happy with my system but my pour spouts are beginning to crack and I need a better solution. 3 have broken this year and replacements are like $15-$20 which is more than I paid for the gas can itself. I've found myself using the funnel more than I'd really like.

[skier2788]

@Waternut‌ I have done a 12 volt fuel pump. Take a little bit but it works great. Mounted it to my lift post and put a solar battery charger on the roof. Pumps around 3 gallons a minute. That or a syphon hose. Harbor freight has one with a glass ball in the end. No need to suck just shake the hose up and down until the syphon starts. That way works in a pinch. Pump is much nicer. I think I ended up with about 100 bucks in mine.

[Waternut]

@skier2788 Do you just have a large tank you pull from then at your boathouse?

[Chef23]

I have a funnel with some PVC on it that stands up in the gas opening. Then I can take the tops off the cans and dump it in.

 

A friend uses a length of 1.5" hose and some pipe insulation around the outside of it. You create a seal then press on the gas can and let suction get it going. It works pretty well.

[Commuterfisher]

I like these racing fuel jugs from VP. They are listed as 5 gallon but I get 6 gallons in them.

They dump fuel fast. You can make a ply wood rack and haul 4 on a dolly.

 

Amazon.Com. VP racing. Can find them for as low as 27 each

[crashman]

X2 on VP or scribner jug.- gas it like a NASCAR. Back to skiing in 30 seconds.

[Waternut]

I know the VP cans are very popular in just about every powersport. However, I've never used a VP gas can that didn't dump fuel on everything. Seriously, who puts the vent hole right next to the pour hole?

 

I have considered something like a VP can with the bottom cut off though and mounting it near the boat. Would just need to make the hose a little longer so it reaches my boat....and make sure the vent hole is plugged.

[Commuterfisher]

Mine never dumps fuel. Put the hose in the orifice(couldn't pass this one up). Put the can on its side vent up and then open the vent slowly. I never have had gas come out the vent.

[Commuterfisher]

These are a little pricey at $ 329. Almost 3x the cost of 4 VP jugs. Overtons Fuel Daddy.

 

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Overtons-Fuel-Daddy&i=98279

[GregHind]

Why wouldn't you use a jiggler hose. The 3/4" ones are really fast and very easy. The link below shows what they look like and how they work. In the video, the hose is out of round, kinked etc. That is a rubbish version, you want it to stay strong and round with stiff walls so it works fast. But you get the idea?

 

[oldjeep]

Yup. Jiggler. $15 , clean and fast. If you get 2 you can be filling from one can on each side. Cans just sit on the locker

[skier2788]

@Waternut‌ no I have one hose coming off that I put into a five gallon can. Take the top off and let it sit on the dock.

[Waternut]

I have a 1/2" jiggler hose that I bought to fuel some things but wasn't patient enough to try that for the boat. Didn't realize they made them bigger than that but apparently they have a 1" super jiggler.

 

edit - Scratch that. The 1" super jiggle is 1.75" at the widest so it won't fit in the gas cans...

[crashman]

I've used both the VP and the scribner and the vent on the scribner seems to work a little better. Instead of a twist vent it flips open with the thumb, so once the gas starts flowing you flip the vent open with your thumb to dump a tasty 5 gallon load of petrol in your favorite go boat. I sometimes liberate 1 or 2 mls with the flip vent but that just seems to break the surface tension coming through the gates.

 

I have a buddy that got questioned one time when he was filling up his jugs about them being legal containers. He less than politely told the lady that he's a race car driver and she should mind her own business. I wonder if they would refuse to fill them in some place like Oregon where they have to pump gas for you.

[oldjeep]

I don't know off hand what size mine is but it empties a can in around 5 minutes. We just get it started on the lift while everyone is loading their stuff.

[BRY]

I have a jiggler for when people bring 5-gal cans but I use a 15-gal cart from Todd.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA05F0PP4629

http://www.toddusa.com/productdetails.aspx?id=207

I can lift the 15-gal out of my truck (F350 4x4, tailgate is up there) myself without too much trouble. Couldn't wrangle the 25-gal by myself without ramps or something. Added a 1-ft length of hose on the end so its flexible to go into the fill. My dock is higher than the boat so I just open up the valves and do something else till its done.

[oldjeep]

@BRY‌ Must fill faster than these:

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Moeller-14-Gallon-DuraMax-Flo-N-Go&i=74913

 

We've got one sitting in the garage that we only use for the snowmobiles any more because it flows so slow.

[Waternut]

Every time I carry 10 gallons of gas to the dock, I really wish I could use one of the gas carts but I've got about 70+ stairs between my house and the water plus my boat usually sits at or slightly above the level of the dock.

 

Short of running 150 ft of pvc pipe down to the dock (which I have seriously considered), I think I'm going to be carrying my gas.

[A_B]

A couple methods. One guy has the 30 gallon tote tank on wheels with a hose and nozzle. Backs truck down to the water.

 

Regarding 5 gal cans, we use a jiggler sometimes. Other times we dump right out of can. I add about 18" of clear hose witha stopper on each can. This lets you easily feed it and then dump pretty quick.

[BRY]

@oldjeep Yea, it's not quick but I wouldn't say slow. My dock level is about a foot, maybe a little less, above the boat. Stand it up, take the cap off and gravity does a pretty good job. Way faster than three cans with the jiggler. And I never spill a drop.

That hand pump on that Moeller must be like taking a set or two to pump 15 gallons. Seems some sort of rotary pump would be better if gravity not enough or not available.

[oldjeep]

Its not a pump, just a squeeze valve. Works with gravity

[GregHind]

@waternut if I had that job I'd be running the pipe! Wouldn't be that hard to have a standard gas station type filler with trigger on the lake end. A bigger tank at the top or just hook it up with a quick release to a 15 gallon tank in the back of your truck. With that much head height, even with that distance, you probably only need 3/4" hose....

 

Oh and the 1/2" jiggler hoses are seriously slow. The 3/4" hoses are really, really quick. Like more than 4 times the speed.

[6balls]

A 19% increase in hose radius will double the flow rate. I have VP cans and also use a jiggler at times.

[BraceMaker]

I bought one of these - http://ezpourspout.com/

 

I typically just toss the spout from the can and use that.

 

I need to reverse the lift cable so I can put the fuel filler on the dock side, then I'd do a beer bong boat funnel.

[Waternut]

@bracemaker Yeah those are the spouts I've looked at. It's just tough to stomach paying like $65 with shipping for 4 plastic spouts to attach to a gas can I already own.

[BraceMaker]

4!!! why 4?

 

All the cans I have the spouts flip inside the can and have a weird plastic cap.

 

Cut the spout off so you keep the lid and the plastic disc and its seal. Keep the one spout in the side pocket or rear deck.

 

You then keep one good spout in the trunk/side skins of the boat for fueling.

[Waternut]

Ok where can you purchase a 3/4" jiggler? I have a 1/2" jiggler with a 3/4" hose that I tried last night and it takes about 2.5-3 minutes to empty 5 gallons which is way too slow in my mind. The jiggler website only sells 1/2" and 1" sizes.

[oldjeep]

@‌Waternut http://www.amazon.com/AES-Industries-6434-Anti-Static-Jiggler/dp/B002HMUCZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411560604&sr=8-1&keywords=3%2F4%22+ball+siphon

[eleeski]

Jiggler? Really? Everyone knows it's called a Gasturbator.

 

The Harbor Freight version is cheap, has a hose that kinks if you store it wrong and rusts after a while but is quick and easy.

 

The VP style cans are questionable legally. I've heard of the CHP targeting offroaders for their cans. The sun ruined mine in a summer - but I abused it. I saw a red VP can so maybe that is legal now - and better for UV.

 

I used to pump from a 55 gallon tank on a trailer. Great when I burned a lot of fuel. I used all fuel rated pumps, filters and hoses. The local fuel jobber carried all the right stuff.

 

Exercise extreme caution transferring fuel through plastic pipe! Static is real. Sparks around fuel are BAD! I once got hose that was not fuel rated and sparks were flying (fortunately the diesel didn't flash on me). I fixed it by running a bare grounding wire down the inside of the entire hose. Difficult and expensive but I lived.

 

Use fuel rated hoses, NEVER PVC. Moving fuel generates static charge. Simple things like grounding the jugs either with a static line or resting the jug directly on the boat helps (wiping down the upholstery is better than burning it up). Lots of gas gets transferred safely but don't get too fancy unless you carefully engineer things.

 

Eric

[DW]

@waternut: 1" jiggler at Harbor Freight flow rate of 5 gpm & does not look large in diameter:

http://www.harborfreight.com/self-priming-copper-jiggler-pump-47334.html

 

It is from Harbor Freight so QC is not the best & will probably kink per Eric, does have a ground lead in the tube.

[gsm_peter]

Plus ten points for Erics warning about static Electricity.

Always have everything grounded.

Always use approved plastic/rubber.

Containers are at least in Europe labeled with an UN number for petrol.

Electricity will be created when gas is 'free falling more than type an inch'

 

Be careful out there!

[PatM]

Put 3/4" hose in the boat the other in the gas can. Put you hand tight around the hose and gas can opening. Blow into the vent of the gas can (if there is no vent make one). Faster filling than a jigger with only the occasional taste of gas.

[Razorskier1]

Carrying cans. 12 gallons at a time.

[bogboy]

@waternut, this has worked for me. Pictures speak ... Hope this helps.

 

[Waternut]

@bogboy That is actually the hose I use on my spouts and the funnel I use when I have the wrong spout on the can. Never thought about using them together. Do you cover the funnel when you aren't using it or just store it somewhere?

 

I've heard of using your style vents and it's really cool but I modified mine for golf tee's and they work good enough. Thanks for the details.

[bogboy]

@Waternut‌ thanks, glad to help. I store mine in a dock box, but storing it any way out of the weather, so it doesn't get all mucked up from rain, dirt, Sun, and spiders I think would work fine.