What method is best for fueling your boat up at your dock?

[Evening Shade]

I'm looking for some ideas on what others have to be the best way to transport fuel to your dock and to fuel your boat?

I'm in the process of buying lake property with a dock so transporting fuel to the dock and fueling the boat with cans or a fuel caddy is new to me.

TIA

[jondavis08]

I highly suggest Vp racing fuel cans. No regulators in racing cans. I can just sit the can on the sun pad, let the pressure build and then release the vent and let it sit. Drains real quick and you don't have to hold it then entire time. You will also need to buy a hose adapter (only need one). I just carry two cans down every other ride and fill up.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003T...236_SY340_QL65



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[charlesml3]

OK, I can write you a book about this topic. I've gone around and around with this and here's where I am:

- I just can't do the 27-gallon gas caddies. Love the idea of moving all of it at once, but there are steps down to the dock and it would just be wildly impractical. Something along the lines of this: https://www.amazon.com/Gas-Go-GG-25P...ords=gas+caddy. If I had a path down to the dock and a reasonable way to get it to the station to refill, this would be a good plan.

- I'm still considering getting a "farm tank." Basically, you buy a 300-500 gallon steel tank that sits on a stand. The VAST majority of lakes will not let you run a permanent fuel line down to the dock. They really don't like fuel spills or leaks. The upside of this is you can have fuel delivered and (depending on which state you're in) it won't be taxed as road fuel. You still have the problem of getting the fuel from the farm tank down to the dock. I know someone on the lake here who has a 300-foot hose that he reels down to the dock, fills the boats, and then it retracts (electric). This is probably the very best solution but it certainly will not be inexpensive.

- Buying gas on the lake. I don't do this very often, but if I'm low and we're out and having a great time, I'm not going to come all the way back to the house and refuel. I'll just bite the bullet and pay the $3.79 a gallon price.

- So here's where I am: I have 10 5-gallon poly gas cans. Yea. TEN of them. I carry them down to the dock 2 at a time and refill the boat with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This little pump is just fantastic. I still haven't replaced the batteries in it and it's been used every weekend for 3 1/2 months. It'll drain a 5-gallon can in about 4 minutes. This situation isn't ideal but it's livable.

-Charles

[Evening Shade]

I highly suggest Vp racing fuel cans. No regulators in racing cans. I can just sit the can on the sun pad, let the pressure build and then release the vent and let it sit. Drains real quick and you don't have to hold it then entire time. You will also need to buy a hose adapter (only need one). I just carry two cans down every other ride and fill up.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003T...236_SY340_QL65



Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

So do you lay the can down on its side and just let the fuel run in by gravity?

[Evening Shade]

OK, I can write you a book about this topic. I've gone around and around with this and here's where I am:

- I just can't do the 27-gallon gas caddies. Love the idea of moving all of it at once, but there are steps down to the dock and it would just be wildly impractical. Something along the lines of this: https://www.amazon.com/Gas-Go-GG-25P...ords=gas+caddy. If I had a path down to the dock and a reasonable way to get it to the station to refill, this would be a good plan.

- I'm still considering getting a "farm tank." Basically, you buy a 300-500 gallon steel tank that sits on a stand. The VAST majority of lakes will not let you run a permanent fuel line down to the dock. They really don't like fuel spills or leaks. The upside of this is you can have fuel delivered and (depending on which state you're in) it won't be taxed as road fuel. You still have the problem of getting the fuel from the farm tank down to the dock. I know someone on the lake here who has a 300-foot hose that he reels down to the dock, fills the boats, and then it retracts (electric). This is probably the very best solution but it certainly will not be inexpensive.

- Buying gas on the lake. I don't do this very often, but if I'm low and we're out and having a great time, I'm not going to come all the way back to the house and refuel. I'll just bite the bullet and pay the $3.79 a gallon price.

- So here's where I am: I have 10 5-gallon poly gas cans. Yea. TEN of them. I carry them down to the dock 2 at a time and refill the boat with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. This little pump is just fantastic. I still haven't replaced the batteries in it and it's been used every weekend for 3 1/2 months. It'll drain a 5-gallon can in about 4 minutes. This situation isn't ideal but it's livable.

-Charles

I agree about the 25 gallon fuel caddy. That would be about 200# when full. I couldn't lift that out of my truck with out help from another person and it would still be heavy. I was looking at a 14 or 15 gallon fuel caddy and a few 5 gallon cans. I may look into the VP Race fuel cans like Jon Davis mentioned above, but I don't really know how to use those cans. It looks like fuel would leak out of the vent if you tilted it up too high.

So does the pump empty the cans faster than pouring or does it just keep you from having to lift the can and pour?

[jondavis08]

Yes, because of the pressure build up it'll drain the majority of the can and fast. Once I open up the vent(only have to open slightly) I just let it be and continue getting the boat ready. You'll have to hold the can up to drain the last little bit but it's pretty light at the part.

[jondavis08]

I can get a pic/video later this week. The majority of my crew using the same process. Works great!

[NautiqueJeff]

I have eight of the VP Racing jugs, and they are great. They flow fast, and each one can hold six gallons safely.

[Evening Shade]

I can get a pic/video later this week. The majority of my crew using the same process. Works great!

Thanks. That would be great.

[Kmayotte]

I have a similar process to charlesml3 .

10- 5 gallon cans (they fit 5.5 gallons actually if you top off) combined with one of the cheapest and best tools on the market a Shaker Siphon

This method saves me about $40/tank over buying on the lake. And it really isn't all that painful. I just put 10 gallons in ever ytime we go out. My boat is always full!

[charlesml3]

So does the pump empty the cans faster than pouring or does it just keep you from having to lift the can and pour?

It's about 4 minutes to empty a 5-gallon can. I think that's faster than pouring, but the pump has 2 advantages. 1) You don't have to hold the can. 2) It has an auto-shut-off sensor. Works like a champ, too. I don't worry about walking up to get another can while one is emptying.

-Charles

[Kmayotte]

charlesml3 's pump is cool and reasonably priced. The shaker siphon is about the same speed.

The new DropNFill bucket is a cool low tech alternative (invented by pro wakeboarder Cobe Mikacich). Although it should have a shut off valve should you have an issue mid-fill.

[homer12]

Part of the reason I buy at the lake is ethanol free gas. Do you all fill up at a station with ethanol free gas or whatever's closest and cheapest?


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[swankster]

I like the idea of the racing cans but I use the shaker siphon and cheaper 5 gal cans. I got a 50gal tank off an older delivery truck before it was scrapped and am trying to figure out how to transfer the fuel from it to the boat when the tank would be in the back of my truck.

[SANonTellico]

My solution:
- Get a very large funnel at your local auto parts store (https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...rchTerm=funnel)
- Get an 8-10 inch length of clear tubing from your local Home Depot. (1" ID, 1.25" OD) It needs to fit around the outside of the funnel.
- Use a hose clamp to secure the hose to the funnel
The hose is a mildly snug fit when you push it down into the filler neck on the boat and holds the funnel solidly in place.

With this setup you can pour gas in VERY fast, don't use the spout on your gas can, just open the gas can and pour directly.

I have four VP Racing gas cans and put 6 gallons in them, I can empty all four cans in under 5 minutes.

A couple FYI's:
- I love the VP gas cans, very large mouth that pours fast and no need to open the vent cap but they're tall and don't fit in most car trunks. Also tend to tip over much easier than typical gas cans, you'll want to secure them in your vehicle.
- If you have the newer style gas can without a separate vent cap (thank you California), then you can easily add them yourself. This will make it pour much better. I also recommend drilling the vent cap itself out to give it even better flow, it makes a big difference. https://picclick.com/60-Yellow-VENT-...660506006.html