Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

[johndavidross]

I am at a marina on Lake St. Clair and was wondering if it is legal to refuel my boat by purchasing a gas can rather than paying for the upcharge at the marina gas station? Does anyone have any experience with this on Lake St. Clair (Michigan side) and what are your recommendations?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

No idea on legality, but do yourself a favor and buy one of these if you fill from cans. Zero mess and you don't have to be physically holding and dumping the cans.
http://www.superjiggler.com/

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

Best to check with your marina or read the fine print on your slip lease agreement. Up here in Ontario, I have yet to find a marina that allows you to refuel your boat with jerry cans.

 

[Scorpion210]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

I have seen more people doing it this year, but it is forbidden in our marina agreement. Signs posted throughout the marina too

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

Check with your local authorities, as THEY are the ones who have the power to write you a ticket, not us. Having said that, I will tell you that I know for a fact, that all Army COE and state DNR owned properties prohibit this action. It's not worth the fine or potential jail time.

Or maybe I should put it another way...it's not worth saving $10 to fill up the boat, then die while doing it. (Vapors, ungrounded fuel fill, static electricity...BOOMerang!) YMMV...:facepalm:

 

[johndavidross]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

That jiggler is pretty cool and I will order one if I find that I can refuel at my dock. They also say that it is safe to use for gas and I don't think that I would have to worry about grounding or vapors anymore than at my local marina gas station. If anything, the jiggler seems to make it safer.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

That jiggler is pretty cool and I will order one if I find that I can refuel at my dock. They also say that it is safe to use for gas and I don't think that I would have to worry about grounding or vapors anymore than at my local marina gas station. If anything, the jiggler seems to make it safer.

My FIL uses one all the time to fill up his ski boat, but he is on a private dock. Main thing when filling with cans/jiggler is that there is no auto shutoff like a pump, so make sure you have space for what ever you are trying to put in.

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

I would think that filling at your dock would be just fine and no one would say mum about it...

Ask if you can do it however.... nope gas at the gasdock only please, sorry.


easier to ask for forgiveness, then permission...haha

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

Most marinas say no way, insurance issue I think. I used to use a gas caddy until they caught me doing this. My boat was near 16 mile road, I have no idea if it's legal or not.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

That jiggler is pretty cool and I will order one if I find that I can refuel at my dock. They also say that it is safe to use for gas and I don't think that I would have to worry about grounding or vapors anymore than at my local marina gas station. If anything, the jiggler seems to make it safer.

I've used one in the past and they work fine. Pretty fast and zero spillage.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

You may want to consider filling at the gas dock as part of the price you pay for the convenience of having your boat on the water... just add the additional price you pay for gas to the marina bill and see how good of a deal you're getting and if it wouldn't be cheaper to trailer your boat instead.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

We boat several weeks on a remote lake with no marina. All our fuel comes in via 5 gallon jerry cans. It's very tricky to load 30 gallons of gas from those jugs; that jiggler thing would definitely be worth looking into for me.

 

[Lakes84]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

This is what I use for gas. It works great, easy to use and is fast and reliable. I pulled twenty five gallons out of my boat with almost no effort. With this you could put the gas can in your boat and run the hose up to your filler tube and no one would know and it's way less noticeable.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200407825_200407825

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

May or not be legal but you could be held liable for the cleanup of any spilled fuel. In certain heavily patrolled waters, this can be a big deal. Hazmat cleanup costs and fines can be staggering. That said, perhaps you are not in that type of area. But it is tricky pouring fuel into the tank of a bobbing boat and that tattletale rainbow that forms on the water when you spill gas or oil can rat you out. That Northern Tool pump looks pretty neat, must be pretty popular as it's on a back order.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

Marinas around here have it clearly posted, "no fueling in the marina area". I would expect it to be forbidden everywhere, for several reasons, including pushing business to the overpriced marina fuel.

 

[Boats-A-lots]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

In Oregon the fine is (drum roll) $10,000 if you spill any gas, oil, diesel or anything that can harm the sea animals or plants in coastal bays. Take a look at this pic. While RVing and boating over the 4th of July in Newport, a guy sank his 33 ft fishing boat. When I was taking these pictures the port of Newport, and Coast Guard were talking about the fines. It was ten thousand dollars a day for every day that boat sat on the bottom. It was there for 3 days.

 

[johndavidross]

Re: Refueling with gas cans on Lake Saint Clair

Here is the verdict everyone. I cannot fuel at my own dockspace. It is prohibited by the agreement. I'm sure I wouldn't get caught if I did it at night because the marina strip I am at is very private but I don't think I'll chance it. Thanks for the info everyone! I love these forums.