Boating season has started

[Donald]

Fork lift service started April 1 so I now have access to my my boat. They can pull it off the rack to the water or to work rack.

I decided to order 2 AGM batteries from Walmart as I found them for just under $200. Try and sell my two flooded ones. So all 3 now will be AGM.

On the fence about pumping out the old gas.

 

[paulswagelock]

How old is the gas? If it is from last season, run it.

 

[Donald]

How old is the gas? If it is from last season, run it.

I have re-stabilized it every year but more line 2 or 3 years.

 

[nwjones18]

If it was non-ethanol to start with I'd run it, but I'd make sure to burn it this season.

I had my Jon boat out last week and was happy that I had no issues with my 2 stroke 25hp Mercury.. Last year I was rebuilding a carburetor on the picnic table when we got to the lake.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

How much gas is in it? Like mentioned non ethanol and stabilized "should" be OK. Getting stuck on the water with old poor gas and running issues sucks.

My co-worker has dual tanks and was always running just one. The "spare" got a lot of moisture and when he did need it it wouldn't run. He ended up getting some Phazer 2000 and added it. He said it helped incorporate the water and it actually ran, he ran it out.

Consider maybe getting BG Ethanol Shield, add it and run it out IF you are on the water where help or tow is not a big issue. Fuel Right said their additive works for gasoline also. I use it in my home heating oil tank. Over a couple fill ups it got rid of about 2-3" of water on the bottom when I checked with my stick and water indicating paste.

 

[Donald]

The old gas is probably 2 to 3 years old.. maybe 30 to 40 gallons. Not E0.

I have Sea Tow.

 

[mk378]

Hard starting is the main effect of old gas. If it starts OK you should be good to use it.

 

[Donald]

Does restabilizing gas each fall keep the gas usable? Marine Blue StaBil.

 

[daniel327]

On the fence about pumping out the old gas.

Just freshen it up by adding 10% or more fresh gas.

 

[AZjeff]

You have 40 gallons of 3 year old gas on board, how much does it hold?

Don't worry Donald the second happiest day of your life is still ahead of you.

 

[Donald]

You have 40 gallons of 3 year old gas on board, how much does it hold?

Don't worry Donald the second happiest day of your life is still ahead of you.

I cannot remember. Maybe 75 gallons

 

[IndyFan]

I have a 2012 Tracker Pro Guide V1750 with a 115 Optimax. It ran perfectly. I bought it 2 years ago with only 18 hours on it.

I took it out Wednesday and it ran perfectly. Two issues cropped up...the fuel gauge is not working and the trolling motor is not working. I'm having the trolling motor checked next Friday. The fuel gauge will have to wait until next fall when I take it in for 3 year servicing. I'll probably have a tracker dealer do it.

But it was a perfect day!

 

[Donald]

Hard starting is the main effect of old gas. If it starts OK you should be good to use it.

You are suggesting that if it starts OK and runs fine on muffs on a a work rack then go ahead and put it in the water and run it?

 

[mk378]

Or put it in the water and see if it starts, if it does put it in gear and go somewhere. You like to make boating more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[Ranger83]

//

Don't worry Donald the second happiest day of your life is still ahead of you.

Think you have it backwards?

There are definately people who should not own boats.

 

[AZjeff]

Think you have it backwards?

There are definately people who should not own boats.

No, I heard the saying "The 2 happiest days of your life are the day you buy your boat and the day you sell it." from a guy who just sold his first and last boat. Boating must be like RVing, you have to like working on it and using it equally.

Over the past couple of years Donald has spent far more hours working on his boat than using it if his posts are any indication. Over half a tank of 3 year old gas?

 

[Ranger83]

No, I heard the saying "The 2 happiest days of your life are the day you buy your boat and the day you sell it." from a guy who just sold his first and last boat.

The saying is “Buying a boat is the second-happiest day of a boat owners life.” Implying selling it is the first.

This is probably true for people who suck at buying boats. The first boat we purchased we sold five years later for what we paid for it.

Having lived less than 300 yards from the harbor for the past 40 years, perhaps I’m not a representative case.

 

[AZjeff]

My understanding was the boat was more work than expected and the work/fun ratio wasn't acceptable. Of course the town in Pa was far from any boatable water.

 

[4wd]

The saying is “Buying a boat is the second-happiest day of a boat owners life.” Implying selling it is the first.

This is probably true for people who suck at buying boats. The first boat we purchased we sold five years later for what we paid for it.

Having lived less than 300 yards from the harbor for the past 40 years, perhaps I’m not a representative case.

There is a 3rd. Sell to BiL cheap. He lets it sit for years - brings it back for me to restore - I have done nothing !

 

[alarmguy]

The old gas is probably 2 to 3 years old.. maybe 30 to 40 gallons. Not E0.

I have Sea Tow.

Donald, that boat has been sitting up on racks for a few years now that same old gas is in it. Do yourself a favor siphon most of it out into 5 gallon containers or something.
It’s way too old.
Depending if you’re going to use the boat this season either fill the tank up or fill it back up halfway and when you do, add a small dose of stabilizer.

The above is what I would do. Hopefully repairs are all done now and you can enjoy your boating season.

Technically, a full tank of gas is better because there’s less room for condensation, however, and this is big if the boat is not going to be used much, it is not a good idea to store a boat on a rack long-term with a full gas tank. Being the boat does not have equal support like when it sits in the water a heavy fuel tank in the subfloor could theoretically curve the hull or the supporting structure not that you’ll ever notice it but ….