When do you pull your freshwater boat?

[aspeck]

I know this doesn't help you, but I run mine mostly all winter long (if/when the lake freezes over it will be towards the end of January). I keep my boat in a heated garage, so I only have to worry about from the launch ramp to the garage (6 -8 miles).

 

[Grub54891]

I’ve been storing either 1/4, 1/2,3/4, and full. Going on 40 years, never an issue. The only water in the fuel comes from customers. Either their cap leaks, or they got water from the local fuel station.

 

[aspeck]

I’ve been storing either 1/4, 1/2,3/4, and full. Going on 40 years, never an issue. The only water in the fuel comes from customers. Either their cap leaks, or they got water from the local fuel station.

Same ... I do use non-ethanol petroleum, however, and if I know I am not using the boat for a few months will add some Stabil.

 

[thedinz]

I’ve been storing either 1/4, 1/2,3/4, and full. Going on 40 years, never an issue. The only water in the fuel comes from customers. Either their cap leaks, or they got water from the local fuel station.

Usually a half tank or under for me, i usually just dont add more fuel towards the end of the season run it pretty low, but just recntly heard about having more fuel in tank to help with condensation and from a scientific perspective it makes sense. I do live in the northeast....sadly.

 

[ScottinAZ]

I personally don’t care about condensation. One tank is aluminum, the other is plastic, so tank damage isn’t a concern. What little water that accumulates over the winter easily gets caught in the fuel filter or mixes with the ethanol in the spring and gets burned off. I just don’t like leaving gas to sit for months unused for several months. If for some reason “spring” never comes and the boat sits for some reason, I know I don’t have 20 gallons of rotten gas to dispose of when “spring” does come.

 

[flashback]

@tpenfield did an in depth study on the fuel/water condition it's on his website. Interesting write-up.

 

[tpenfield]

My boat is moored. I take it out any time between mid-September and mid-October, depending on my travel schedule, hurricanes, etc. Freezing temperatures typically are not until November.

I usually off-load the fuel and use it in the vehicles.

 

[bruceb58]

Mercury says as empty as possible with ethanol fuel and you treat what is left. Full if non-ethanol.

 

[thedinz]

My boat is moored. I take it out any time between mid-September and mid-October, depending on my travel schedule, hurricanes, etc. Freezing temperatures typically are not until November.

I usually off-load the fuel and use it in the vehicles.

So you run what little is left through the engine with treatment in it? then take as much out as you can?

 

[tpenfield]

So you run what little is left through the engine with treatment in it? then take as much out as you can?

Actually, I off load the fuel (until I get bubbles), then add back some of the fogging cocktail to do the winterization. Then what little is left stays the winter.

 

[rolmops]

I pull my Lake Ontario salmon fishing rig in the beginning of September. Not because of the weather, but because when the salmon starts running for the rivers, so do fishing boats, by the hundreds. Salmon fishing turns into combat fishing with aggressive inexperienced boaters trolling lines right through other people's lines. It is not something I enjoy. I usually get back in the water in October for brown trout fishing until Thanks Giving at which point I pull and winterize the boat.

 

[3rdtimesthecharm]

I did one of mine thanksgiving day. But it was garage kept.

 

[JimS123]

Mercury says as empty as possible with ethanol fuel and you treat what is left. Full if non-ethanol.

I looked this up again so I could post a link to what Merc had on their website back maybe 5 years ago. I couldn't find it. What they post today is a little bit different.

Before: Run the tank as low as possible and stabilize what's left. Fill in Spring. If that's not possible, second choice, fill the tank and stabilize the gas. They didn't specify "how" full, just fillerup.

Now: Most fuel systems NOW are 4-stroke and are non-vented. Stabilize the gas and it doesn't matter how full because moisture can't get in anyway.

As I said before, my old woodie is kept in a dry garage. The portable tank is aft of the back seat. Due to weather and health problems she didn't go out last Summer, though I filled the tank in anticipation. So, the gas this year was a combination of 1-2 year old fills (stabilized of course). This month she fired right up and ran like a champ.

 

[cyclops222]

Midwest college did a WINTER LONG test of amount of water the tank collected by changes of temperature and Humidity. They said the amount of condensation was almost nothing. Tank was almost empty at start.

 

[JimS123]

Midwest college did a WINTER LONG test of amount of water the tank collected by changes of temperature and Humidity. They said the amount of condensation was almost nothing. Tank was almost empty at start.

If you have "almost nothing" condensation and are using E10, problem solved. If you are using E0 you have no ability to take care of the problem and you have water collecting on the bottom of the tank.

A "little" amount of water can be handled. A "lot" of water is another problem. Phase separation amounts to a lot of water. You are screwed either way.

What did we do in Winter in the old days? Added Dry Gas (alcohol). The oldsters forgot and the youngins never knew.

 

[airshot]

If you have "almost nothing" condensation and are using E10, problem solved. If you are using E0 you have no ability to take care of the problem and you have water collecting on the bottom of the tank.

A "little" amount of water can be handled. A "lot" of water is another problem. Phase separation amounts to a lot of water. You are screwed either way.

What did we do in Winter in the old days? Added Dry Gas (alcohol). The oldsters forgot and the youngins never knew.

Never been screwed after 60 plus years of boating. Added stabilizer long before E fuels ever came out. Have used E10 since it hit the market, maintain my equipment as recommended by the mfgr, never an issue. Have had issues buying fuel that had excess water in it, so I check often where I buy my fuel.

 

[airshot]

In response to the original post.."when do you pull your freshwater boat"..
I pull mine every time I want to go out on the water, otherwise it sits in my barn ! Lol...

 

[nola mike]

Tough call for me since I started keeping it on a lift. Less concern for the temps, more for the storms. Huge pucker factor if a hurricane/tropical storm if projected and I'm not around for it.

 

[tpenfield]

Midwest college did a WINTER LONG test of amount of water the tank collected by changes of temperature and Humidity. They said the amount of condensation was almost nothing. Tank was almost empty at start.

@cyclops222 The link below is one 'test' of the empty tank theory, showing no water condensation. I wonder if you have links to other tests?

https://marinehowto.com/does-an-empty-marine-fuel-tank-condensate/

 

[Dubed]

@cyclops222 The link below is one 'test' of the empty tank theory, showing no water condensation. I wonder if you have links to other tests?

https://marinehowto.com/does-an-empty-marine-fuel-tank-condensate/

(Quote from posted link) For many years, likely exceeding 37, I have always drained our boats fuel tank each winter and re-filled it in the spring with fresh fuel. I would simply burn the old fuel, or what was left, in our homes oil-fired boiler.

Apparently the fuel in his tank was diesel not gasoline. Would it make a difference with ethanol?
Every year, I fill my tank and treat it prior to our last outing. When that trip is done, I just fog the motor and winterize. Whatever is in the tank, stays for the winter (Rhode Island). I have never had an issue