Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

My past pontoons were always in a slip so I just zipped to gas dock and filled her up.
Well Harvey washed the gas dock away. My new boat I picked up was bought at the marina so I need to see how to get 23 gallons of gas in her
The closest station is about 5 miles away. Do I use 5 gallon cans till she full then just top her off weekly ?

I trailer mine to a local gas station that sells Ethanol free fuel... fill 'er up there and off to the lake.

Where are slip is at no gas, nearest marina is probably 10 miles or so (will gps it next weekend )

So cans are possible, or i may put an extra fuel tank in back of truck and park it at our marinas ramp and fill from there, owner actually thought it was a great idea...now how long to transfer 10 or 15 galons through 3/8 hose...dunno...but i bet waaaaayyyy toooo long

Its either that or lug a couple 5 gallon cans to boat while at the "loading" docks, probably best bet only have to walk about 30 ft or so

Transfer pumps run 8 to 15 GPH. 3/8 hose is really going to cut down the flow, I would recommend using 3/4 inch fuel hose. Fuel hose has a ground wire running through it to reduce the risk of a static spark. Transfer pumps put out about 35 feet of head, about 15 pounds of pressure. You need to know how long your hose is and the pressure flow curve on the pump. to figure it out exactly. I had a 12 GPM on my transfer tank and about 20 ft of 3/4 hose to transfer hose and filled my tractor tanks fairly fast. I added an automatic shutoff nozzle. I was pumping Diesel which has a higher viscosity than gas so would pump slower. Most transfer tanks are rated for diesel only, not gas.

ROLAND wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 21, 2018 12:43 am

I trailer mine to a local gas station that sells Ethanol free fuel... fill 'er up there and off to the lake.

This! it's it the entrance to the ramp!

I keep my boat on a lift and we have two marinas that have fuel but I don't like paying the high price. I have a roll-around 15 gallon tank and fill with cheap gas then put some Blue Stabil (Marine Stabil) in it before I fill up.

As for speed, check out the Super Siphon. Easy and does 3 gallons in one minute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XLY87zaot4

I have some buddies that swear by the Quick Fill 5 gallon jugs used for dirt bikes but I have never used them....not sure I have a good angle to use it. Here is a YouTube video of one in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BfcURSY21o

Our boat is on a lift at our dock. I use 5-gal cans filled in town with non-eth gas. Put the gas can on the back fishing seat and use a jiggle-tube siphon to put the gas in the tank.

I pull her out whenever the hulls need a good cleaning, so while on the trailer, tow to the nearest station and fill up w/ ethanol-free regular. A fill-up usually hits 46 gallons and saves a couple bucks a gallon over marina pump price.

I have tried the Super Siphon and went back to the Quicksilver Blow Start. It will will transfer faster and I think it is easier to get the transfer started.

http://www.marineengine.com/newparts/pa ... -827497A+1

I fill up at the marina that's about 1/4 mile from my slip (w/ lift). They have ValvTect fuel, which has always kept my boats running well. It's 10% ethanol but their additives seem to do the trick. The only time I add Sta-bil is the last fill up of the year before the boat sleeps for the winter.

For me, the convenience of pulling up to the fuel dock trumps any savings I might get from lugging gas to my slip. A typical fill-up for me is 20-25 gallons so I can't imagine lugging 4 or 5 five gallon cans from the parking lot to the boat (about 100 yards). During the season I burn about 40-50 gallons a month and even though I pay about a buck more a gallon than I could buying fuel on land, there's no way I'd trade the convenience to save $40 -$50 a month.

rbtnt wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:27 pm

I have tried the Super Siphon and went back to the Quicksilver Blow Start. It will will transfer faster and I think it is easier to get the transfer started.

http://www.marineengine.com/newparts/pa ... -827497A+1

Cool! I often start a siphon by blowing into a 2nd short hose while trying to seal off the tank with a rag.
I had no idea anyone made an adapter like that. I would think that would flow faster than a jiggle tube since the fuel doesn't have to get around the jiggle ball.

Lately I've been using one of those battery-powered fuel transfer sticks. It's a little slow at about a gallon per minute but I only have a 6-G tank. I use it at the end of the season to empty all my various gas tanks, too. Harbor Freight now carries it at $9--less on sale or with coupon.

I use five gallons cans and one of these transfer pumps:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V ... UTF8&psc=1

I have four five gallon cans that I fill up whenever I run to the station. If I go through two cans I always have two extra waiting to go. Fill up the used cans whenever I make a run to the station so I'm not scrambling at the last minute.

The pump works great and maybe takes 3 minutes tops to empty the can. I use that time to tidy up the boat.

I'm a younger guy so I can easily carry both cans the 100' down the dock to the boat. I have a fold up wagon that I use to cart around baseball equipment at the balls fields - thinking about using that to carry the cans down the dock this summer instead.

We will be seasonal for first time this summer (leave in three weeks). The boat dock does not have gas, but the camp we’re at does. I plan on filling up five gallon gans (I have three), and filling up when tank gets around half. We did buy one of those fold up wagons which fit three cans. Then I’ll have to hold the can up to fill via funnel. The off road cans empty fairly quickly, as long as the funnel can take it. Hope it doesn’t get old too quickly.

Steve7 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 25, 2018 7:52 pm

Then I’ll have to hold the can up to fill via funnel. The off road cans empty fairly quickly, as long as the funnel can take it. Hope it doesn’t get old too quickly.

I fill my boat from two 5 gallon jugs every weekend. No way I would ever use a funnel. Get a jiggle siphon (some call them shaker siphons). A little slow, but you rest the gas can on the sunpad or the top of one of your seats and let physics do the work.

You can get them at Lowes (In the plumbing dept), Wal-Mart, Harbor Freight, Amazon, etc.

sunedog wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 26, 2018 4:59 am

Steve7 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 25, 2018 7:52 pm

Then I’ll have to hold the can up to fill via funnel. The off road cans empty fairly quickly, as long as the funnel can take it. Hope it doesn’t get old too quickly.

I fill my boat from two 5 gallon jugs every weekend. No way I would ever use a funnel. Get a jiggle siphon (some call them shaker siphons). A little slow, but you rest the gas can on the sunpad or the top of one of your seats and let physics do the work.

You can get them at Lowes (In the plumbing dept), Wal-Mart, Harbor Freight, Amazon, etc.

I’ll look into these. Thanks!