How do you fuel your bu'?

[Ronnie]

A neighbor uses these

5 gals in 10 secs. but there are pricey. He uses them for his dirt bikes.

I use 4 - 5 gal plastic cans and run up to the gas station (1.5 miles). I have a heavy metal funnel with a screen in the bottom. It's probably 5 or 6 inches wide at the top. I've attached about one foot of stiff clear hose to the funnel that is 1" ID. I just feed about half the hose into the fuel fill in the side of the boat. I completely remove the spout from the can and pour out of the opening. Since the hose is so stiff I can rest the gas can on the lip of the funnel without crushing the hose to fill it up. I drop the boat down some on the lift to a comfortable position to hold the cans on the funnel. Since the funnel is so close to the boat you can hear when it is getting full. It's easily a one person operation.

[Hman442]

When we are on a vacation lake, the family would be real disappointed if we didn't fill up at a marina & pay the extra $1.25 per gallon, cuz we wouldn't be at the marina to get ice cream.

[Green_Giant]

Another contraption I saw for quicker filling (also at a ski school) was a large funnel (6 - 8 qt) attached to a 1"OD thick plastic tube. The owner used elastic straps/bungies to attach the funnel to the inside of his thigh just above the knee and the tube just below the knee. With his knee slightly bent, the funnel stuck straight up with the top about 8" above his knee. He was able to put 2 cans of gas into the boat pretty quickly and spill free.

Sounds like a catheter...

How about this?

[

For me, boat stays on trailer so a quick trip to the station isn't a big deal. This tank is almost 3 times bigger than my last boat so I don't have to fill it up all that often.

[stewart]

A neighbor uses these

5 gals in 10 secs. but there are pricey. He uses them for his dirt bikes.

I have the 13 gallon ones. Just a little difficult holding the 13 gallons up and trying to pour it into the 247. Besides, after full day on the water I use roughly 30 gallons of fuel. Which would equal ~ 3 jugs. Seems like too much work to save just a few dollars.

I'm lucky though, my marina doesn't gouge. If I lived at a nearby lake we frequent (McClure) I would sell my boat vs. paying there gas prices. I think I filled up there last year for over $350 bucks

[CLOUT1]

...isn't a 35 gallon gas caddy a little heavy to get out of the back of your truck?!?!?!?

Let's see...35 gallons X ~7 lbs per gallon + ~5 lb container... ...250 lbs!!

That thing would have ~100 pounds on me.

Are they really 35 gallons? I've never even looked because I just figured if it was enough gas to reduce the hassle of gas cans then it would be too heavy to lift.

WOW...I think my name came up on NorCalBu's short list...Just because I'm too weak to pick up a gas can and I like Mac-n-cheese doesn't make me a bad person?!?!?!!??

[areamike]

We never buy gas on the lake, It's 50cents to a dollar more per gallon.

I have a dozen 5 gallon gas cans I fill. I plan to get one of those 50 gallon gas dollies next season.

[JAF1063]

I have you guys all beat. We don't have any business's on our lake at all. I have a 300 gallon overhead tank, like what farmers use. My neighbor had one and it worked very well and so I was able to get one and it hurts $$ when you fill it, but the convenience is Great!! I end up filling it two times maybe three a season. There are a couple of fuel companies that come out with a fuel truck, about 1/2 the size you normally see, and fill up the tank. They charge a delivery fee but price wise it usually works about the same that you pay at the pump, without all the trouble. One other person on the lake had one installed at the end of the summer last year and it is 500 gallons, this will be his first year with it.

It was just alot safer than transporting all those gas cans back in forth to the gas station, that is about 20 minutes away one way. I have a gas dock that I fill from the big tank and wheel down to the boat lift, pier.

Edited April 3, 2008 by JAF1063

[MalibuNation]

...isn't a 35 gallon gas caddy a little heavy to get out of the back of your truck?!?!?!?

Let's see...35 gallons X ~7 lbs per gallon + ~5 lb container... ...250 lbs!!

That thing would have ~100 pounds on me.

Are they really 35 gallons? I've never even looked because I just figured if it was enough gas to reduce the hassle of gas cans then it would be too heavy to lift.

WOW...I think my name came up on NorCalBu's short list...Just because I'm too weak to pick up a gas can and I like Mac-n-cheese doesn't make me a bad person?!?!?!!??

Me too ... I knew gas was just a little over 6 lbs/gallon. At least I'm in good company Clout1. Better factor in that I'm 732 feet above sea level

Edited April 3, 2008 by jchooper

[MalibuNation]

I have you guys all beat. We don't have any business's on our lake at all. I have a 300 gallon overhead tank, like what farmers use. My neighbor had one and it worked very well and so I was able to get one and it hurts $$ when you fill it, but the convenience is Great!! I end up filling it two times maybe three a season. There are a couple of fuel companies that come out with a fuel truck, about 1/2 the size you normally see, and fill up the tank. They charge a delivery fee but price wise it usually works about the same that you pay at the pump, without all the trouble. One other person on the lake had one installed at the end of the summer last year and it is 500 gallons, this will be his first year with it.

It was just alot safer than transporting all those gas cans back in forth to the gas station, that is about 20 minutes away one way. I have a gas dock that I fill from the big tank and wheel down to the boat lift, pier.

Judy, do you need a permit for that ... what about insurance? When I bought my place 16 years ago I had them yank an old gas tank out of the ground (next to my well) as part of the sales agreement. Previous home owner was a rural mailman.

[MUpde]

First I rob a bank....

Seriously though, I usually fill up at the station. Most local lakes don't have gas at the dock.

If we go somewhere that has gas at the marina, we'll fill up in the water, if need be.

[Sippi]

We have a 400 gallon tank that's next to our dock. we fill it up at the beginning of the year, the middle, and usually about the end of the year too depending on how much we ride. Its hooked up to electricity to it pumps out just like it does at the gas station. Actually ends up saving us money b/c when you buy it in bulk, they come out and fill it up for you, but you get it for a good bit cheaper/gallon buying it this way.

Edited April 3, 2008 by Sippi

[D-GOOSE]

We never buy gas on the lake, It's 50cents to a dollar more per gallon.

I have a dozen 5 gallon gas cans I fill. I plan to get one of those 50 gallon gas dollies next season.

Will you leave it in the truck or take it out? How do you get it out when full?

[NorCaliBu]

WOW...I think my name came up on NorCalBu's short list...Just because I'm too weak to pick up a gas can and I like Mac-n-cheese doesn't make me a bad person?!?!?!!??

My short list?

No way I could pick up a 35 gallon tank. And Mac-N-Cheese is good stuff especially with a can of chili mixed in. Chili-Mac.

[grnautique]

I have a gas caddy, its 28-29 gallons. When full it is very heavy but if you fill it while its in the vehicle then you just kind of let gravity lower it to the ground its not too bad. However, it is still a pain to manuever and I have had problems with the hose getting kinks in it so for the last 2 years the gas caddy has set in the garage and I have gone the 5 gallon can route.

One item of note, when I bought my gas caddy (at West Marine), they told me that they are illegal to use in the state of Michigan. I'm guessing that law is not widely enforced but something to think about.

If you do fill gas cans while they are in your vehicle make very sure that the nozzle is making contact with the container. This will help to ground it and reduce the potential for static sparking.

[JAF1063]

Jim,

No we did not need a permit, also the tank is above ground, not in the ground. My neighbor checked into all the insurance details before installing his and we just followed. Also, another guy on our lake put in the 500 gallon tank and I think the gas company came out and installed his. But yes you do get a better price because of bulk quantity, witch offsets the delivery fee.

Judy

[JAF1063]

I have a gas caddy, its 28-29 gallons. When full it is very heavy but if you fill it while its in the vehicle then you just kind of let gravity lower it to the ground its not too bad. However, it is still a pain to manuever and I have had problems with the hose getting kinks in it so for the last 2 years the gas caddy has set in the garage and I have gone the 5 gallon can route.

One item of note, when I bought my gas caddy (at West Marine), they told me that they are illegal to use in the state of Michigan. I'm guessing that law is not widely enforced but something to think about.

If you do fill gas cans while they are in your vehicle make very sure that the nozzle is making contact with the container. This will help to ground it and reduce the potential for static sparking.

We bought our gas caddy in Michigan also and nothing was said to us. Must depend on the station whether or not they want to hassle people. They probably just want the sale.

Judy

[electricjohn]

I do not live on a lake or keep my boat at a marina, but we (large extended family) spend 3 weeks on a lake vacationing (camping). There is gas up the north end of this lake about 9 miles away but he is like a dollar above normal prices. I just pull my boat out in the evening after dark and take the 1 mile ride to the gas station to fill up. I wait till the tank is empty or low enough that there won't be enough gas for tommorrow. I do not like jerry cans because I do not want to spill any gas in the water like everybody else who uses them. Prior to the Bu, my Winner had portable tanks. The gas tank in the Bu is large enough to last two days normally. On a good day, only one. I get about 8-10 hrs. out of a tank.

[CLOUT1]

WOW...I think my name came up on NorCalBu's short list...Just because I'm too weak to pick up a gas can and I like Mac-n-cheese doesn't make me a bad person?!?!?!!??

My short list?

No way I could pick up a 35 gallon tank. And Mac-N-Cheese is good stuff especially with a can of chili mixed in. Chili-Mac.

Now I'm thinking about a 35 gallon bucket of Chili-Mac!!!!!!!! Who's with me?!?!?!?

[Sippi]

Jim,

Also, another guy on our lake put in the 500 gallon tank and I think the gas company came out and installed his. But yes you do get a better price because of bulk quantity, witch offsets the delivery fee.

Judy

Went ridin tonight, checked out our tank, its a 500 gal. too not a 400 like i thought. We don't have a delivery fee though. My company uses the same company to fill up our tanks at the office, so they don't charge it. And I just checked out my receipt from the last time i got it filled up (3 weeks ago) and I payed 1494.20 for 482 gals of High Octane (93 octane) fuel. that's 3.10/gal. At a normal gas station in MS. 93 Octane fuel is 3.47, that would have been $1672.54. So I saved 178.34 which is over a period of 15 to 17 or so tanks in the boat. Since i keep my boat on a lift the majority of time at my house, filling it up on the water would be aloooot more than that. Plus i'd have to take it out each time to get a tank of gas if i didn't want to do that. But the added convenience of not having to go to a gas station each time i wanted to go out, and having the "on the water" refill during those long days already paid for and not having to go to the few and overly priced pumps on the lake...IMO is priceless!

[NorCaliBu]

...I do not like jerry cans because I do not want to spill any gas in the water like everybody else who uses them...

Not everyone spills when using gas cans. The Wonder Pump™ siphon hose is the hot ticket for fueling when on the water. I usually fuel up in my driveway.

Now I'm thinking about a 35 gallon bucket of Chili-Mac!!!!!!!! Who's with me?!?!?!?

I'm in.

[MalibuNation]

...I do not like jerry cans because I do not want to spill any gas in the water like everybody else who uses them...

Not everyone spills when using gas cans. The Wonder Pump™ siphon hose is the hot ticket for fueling when on the water. I usually fuel up in my driveway.

Now I'm thinking about a 35 gallon bucket of Chili-Mac!!!!!!!! Who's with me?!?!?!?

I'm in.

Fill one of those 500 gallon tanks down by the lake with the Chili-Mac - you could make your own gas.

Wondering why the Gas Caddy is illegal in MI ... though I've heard (but not verified) that it's illegal to fill your boat with 5 gallon cans because of spillage ... but I do it.

At my lake if I had a 500 gallon take the grouchy neighbors would complain that it would block their view of the lake. Grouchy people should be allowed to live on lakes ... that should be the law of the land.

Edited April 4, 2008 by jchooper

[Sippi]

...I do not like jerry cans because I do not want to spill any gas in the water like everybody else who uses them...

Not everyone spills when using gas cans. The Wonder Pump™ siphon hose is the hot ticket for fueling when on the water. I usually fuel up in my driveway.

Now I'm thinking about a 35 gallon bucket of Chili-Mac!!!!!!!! Who's with me?!?!?!?

I'm in.

Fill one of those 500 gallon tanks down by the lake with the Chili-Mac - you could make your own gas.

Wondering why the Gas Caddy is illegal in MI ... though I've heard (but not verified) that it's illegal to fill your boat with 5 gallon cans because of spillage ... but I do it.

At my lake if I had a 500 gallon take the grouchy neighbors would complain that it would block their view of the lake. Grouchy people should be allowed to live on lakes ... that should be the law of the land.

Agreed on the chilli! haha...

and down here in MS ... rememeber things are alot more spread out than most. But where ours is. its actually between the house and the neighbors fence. Its not stickin out or anything. We do have to keep a lock on it, or everybody would be getting free gas!

[malibuwaterdog]

We use the 5 gallon cans. Usually if we go out at night after work, we'll go through about 5 gallons of gas, so one can fills it back up to full each time we go out. On the weekends we'll bring down a couple cans and it's usually enough to get it close enough to full after being out for a few hours.

We trailer and keep the boat in dry storage. Gas station is about 10 m inutes away. So this is exactly what we do, usually fill 3-5 5 gallons cans a weekend. I does take a little time.

[malibuwaterdog]

I use five 5-gallon cans to buy gas at a local station. That saves me around $1.50 per gallon from on the water. I would be curious to hear about the various methods people to get the gas in the boat. I use a large funnel with a 2 foot extension hose. I was at a ski school in Orlando last week and they were using siphon. Any other methods out there?

I don't have any gas available on the lake, so I have to buy at a gas station. I have a gas caddy (13 gallons, I think). The thing is heavy and doesn't roll well. We have quite a few steps from the driveway down to the lake and it's not easy to move. On top of that, using the gravity method takes a good 15-20 minutes to drain the entire 13 gallons.

I saw something last year at a ski school near me and I'm going to try to build one. A summary is that a unit that looks like a box kite was built out of two plastic milk crates. The top milk crate had a plastic carboy type water bottle attached with the spout facing down. The top of the carboy (opposite the spout) was cut off to create a giant funnel. There was some hardware and a clear tube connected to the spout.

Here's how it worked. Set the box kite contraption next to the boat. The bottle "funnel" is high enough for gravity to do its work. Insert the clear plastic tube (pretty big, say 3/4 ID / 1 inch OD) into the gas tank. Pour gas from the five gallon container into the bottle funnel, no need to use a spout just pour from the open container. The contraption puts the gas into the tank as fast as you can pour it.

I haven't built it yet, but it's on my project list for this year. That way I can fill up manageable 5 gallon containers.

When we are on a vacation lake, the family would be real disappointed if we didn't fill up at a marina & pay the extra $1.25 per gallon, cuz we wouldn't be at the marina to get ice cream.

My problem is that my boat is on the trailer and gravity comes into play. I feel that the little pain it takes is worth the savings. I would like to see pictures of all these gas cans.....As for the Ice Cream (Hman442),LOL. Aren't kids great!

[Hack]

Gas cady for me. it is slow but it works well. I may try the hand crank with it this year to see if that is faster.