Boat U.S. - March 2008 - (Page 6)

BoatU.S.reports New Energy Bill Increases Ethanol Usage A mandate to increase the use of biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, which could affect the way many of us boat, is part of the new energy law enacted in Congress late last year. The new law requires 36 billion gallons of biofuels to supplement petroleum-based fuels by 2022. The U.S. currently consumes around 140 billion gallons of gasoline and about six billion gallons of biofuel per year. Ethanol is expected to make up a large portion of the biofuel requirement, with up to 15 billion gallons a year to be derived from corn-based production. Currently, about half the fuel pumps in the U.S. dispense gas blended with 10% ethanol called E10. This fuel has caused headaches for boat owners in some regions. As production of ethanol is stepped up to meet the new requirements, it is expected that a larger portion of the country will begin using E10. Boaters who have not yet encountered E10 in their gas, particularly those in the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions, should take steps to prepare themselves for the transition. (See BoatUS. com/Seaworthy for more information.) Filling up with E10 shouldn’t be a problem in a new, just-off-the-showroomfloor boat. But a boat’s fuel tank accumulates varnish, gummy deposits, and other gunk over time. Since ethanol is a solvent, it dissolves the gunk in the fuel tank, which then travels through the fuel lines and clogs filters, carburetor jets and fuel injectors. As in numerous cases reported to BoatU.S., this can result in an engine that won’t run properly, or at all, potentially necessitating a tow back to port and/or expensive rebuilds. High-pressure, direct-injection twostroke engines, such as those built by Mercury and Yamaha, have particularly fine tolerances in their injectors, which are easily clogged by fuel deposits. Check your engine manufacturer’s web site for revised fuel filter recommendations. Ethanol has also been shown to remove resin from the walls of fiberglass gas tanks not specifically built to withstand it. If you own a boat with fiberglass gas tanks, they must be removed and replaced with ethanol-resistant tanks before using E10 gas. Serious engine damage and/or 6 BoatU.S. Magazine March 2008 Expected Biofuel Production 40 35 Billion Gallons 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 08 20 10 20 12 20 14 20 16 20 18 20 20 20 22 20 YEar Biofuels leaking gas tanks will result if E10 gas is used in such boats. Boaters who live in regions that make the transition to E10 should be prepared to change fuel filters much more frequently than in past seasons, at least until the E10 has time to clean out the fuel system, which can take a couple of fill-ups. It’s wise to carry spare filters aboard along with the means to make a filter change while away from port. Keep the gas tank close to full when not using the boat for extended periods of time to prevent moisture from accumulating in the tank. Adding a fuel stabilizer is also recommended. An important note: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not require gas stations to label pumps with ethanol warnings, although individual states may have laws requiring them to do so. When in doubt, check with the manager. Another important provision regarding ethanol and boats concerns the introduction of “mid-level blends” of ethanol and gaso- Ethanol line, such as E20 and E30, which are being pushed in corn-growing states. A coalition, including BoatU.S., succeeded in adding language to the legislation that requires the EPA to test the effects of these higherpercentage blends of ethanol and gas in boats, snowmobiles, lawnmowers and other engines where more ethanol might have a detrimental effect. In fact, research has already shown that outboards using E20 will experience significant performance issues and that air-cooled two-stroke engines such as those in many chainsaws and weed whackers can be damaged by E20 even during light-duty use. The use of biodiesel in marine diesel engines has not been shown to be as problematic, particularly when limited to B5, a blend of 5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel. Several marine diesel manufacturers have endorsed their products as safe to use B5 blends. Check with your engine manufacturer to be sure B5 is safe in your engine.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - March 2008

Boat U.S. - March 2008 Contents Behind the Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum Cap'n Drew Sailing the Sidewalk Aviators Ahoy Docking and Duffing Waterfront Living: Charleston Waterfront Marketplace Grady Right 2nd Time Around DIY: Keeping the Water Out Hot Tips Boat Smart Ask Chuck Foundation Findings Tangled Line At Your Service Good Foundations BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - March 2008

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