Extra gas cans on board

[rockn'reel]

I have a few cans that I take with me when I go but the first time I went to take them with me they leaked at the nozzel and breather. What do you guys use for extra tanks if you use them at all. I want some that are around 5 to 6 gallons and I want to place them up front. I just really need to find some that are sealed and preferably around the portland area for purchase. Let me know whatever you can! Spilled gas is not something I want to have to deal with out on the ocean let alone the contamination factor and the flammability factor.

[Reel Creel]

Try those cans you see on wave runner trailers. Any bike shop has them. There square, tall and have thick sides i have three of them. Get an extra cap with the fill tube so fueling is a snap. they hold 5 and cost about $25 each.

[Sea Jypzee]

I carry 8 5 gallon cans in the boat for extra fuel. I've never had one leak. I got them from Walmart? Fred Meyer? One of those two...had them several years, can't recall exactly which one I got'em at.

[rockn'reel]

Yea, I know of the ATV cans but I cannot see of spending 25 on each one and they are not really the size I am needing. Thanks for reminding me about them I already have two for my raptor. If worse comes to worse I might just use them. Until then I will try to go to Fred Meyer or Walmart and find some other ones. The new one I purchased is supposed to be spill and leak proof but that was a joke! I need to try to take it back to Sportsman's and see what they will do for me. I have never tried to return anything there yet but i hear it is a pain in the rear. oh well, I guess i will find out on my own. Thanks for the help guys!

[WP]

I second John's thoughts. Last year I had three jeep cans on board for fuel.
1: They are hard to handle
2: They are even harder to pour into the tank
3: They are inherently dangerous
4: They enhance the potential for fuel going into the water
5: They are just generally a pain.

I bought two 12 gallon above deck tanks last winter and built a "box" to hold them at the stern of the boat. I installed a quick connect fuel line and a three way valve so that fuel management is relatively simple. This year I hope to install a second belly tank for better weight distribution and more deck space. Until then, I like the spare tank set-up I have. I designed it after John's ideas and advice. Way better than spare cans and the cost was not too bad.
WP

[Mr. Fisherman]

Yep, I have a 12 and a 6 gallon spare tank with connectors for both engines. Works like a champ and no gasoline rodeo. It dosen't pay to take chances out there and sooner or later you will be forced to refuel in bad conditions. That's when things tend to go from bad to worse in the blink of an eye. Be safe.
Hope to see you out there soon...
reel soon

[Badger]

I take 20 gal of spare fuel in 4, 5-gal red plastic fuel cans, but am looking for a safer and larger capacity solution. Make sure to have extra caps, gaskets and NO SMOKING. Take more than you think you could need and know you fuel gauge if you haven't been out considerable distances much before. I stop and dump in an extra 10 gal. within 5 miles of shore if I'm ever less than a 1/4 tank. Running out anywhere is stupid, embarrasing (least concern) and costly (the CG will charge you if its not a mechanical problem); running out of fuel near the little hole in the wall or at a bar crossing could easily turn into a quick and fatal mistake, regardless of sea conditions

My fill hole is in the worst place for accessing out on the water, right outside the helm window where you can't access it from inside the boat. Be cautious with the flimsy yellow extendable spouts, had one break while holding fuel can upside down over spout, in 6-7 ft. seas, that really sucked. We've since gone to an extension hose (with hose clamps) so you can stand inside, tip the can while resting it on the bow, and get a siphon started -- much better but not as good as second above floor tank. Will have that next year with either a fuel transfer pump or plumbed into the main piping.

[Sea Jypzee]

Just a quick word to add to my post earlier about carrying 8 5 gallon cans. While I do carry them I also have a 'blow-start siphon' that I use for transferring the gas to the main tank. This way there is minimal pouring involved, as the siphon will drain nearly all the gas out of the cans. Also, my fuel tank is inside of the transom of my boat where there is a wide and stable area for me to set and hold the cans while transferring gas.

Hopefully this year, I will be able to eliminate those cans, by adding additional saddle fuel tanks, but in the mean time this is my best alternative.

The Blow-start siphon I got from Serven Marine. It has a hose that you blow into to get it started, so there is no gas contact with your mouth. When the can is nearly ampty and the siphon stops, it is very easy to pour the little remaining gas into the tank without any spillage.

Safety should always be a primary concern when carrying extra gas like this no matter how you choose to do it.

[Hook-up]

We have had the same problems with cans leaking. Do not buy the Blitz brand or any others with the yellow snap close lid for the vent hole. Get the ones with the screw on vent caps. We use both the red plastic square types and the red plastic jerry can types. But we take a chunk of plastic (the thick kind from freezer ziplock bags works good, if you can not find the thicker plastic just double the thinner plastic, like the kind from a garbage can liner) put it over the spout/vent and screw the caps on tight over the plastic. We have only had a problem once or twice and we just take the cap off, put on a new piece of plastic, tightener back down and off we go. You do have to get them really tight. Nothing fancy, just rip an oversized piece of plastic (it needs to hang out from under the cap after it is tightened). The plastic seems to be the only thing that keeps them from leaking. Before we tried the plastic, we tried lots of different gas cans, gaskets and other stuff, but the plastic seems to work for us. Try it and let me know if it works for you.
Good luck.

[rockn'reel]

Thanks, that seem like a nifty little fix. I will be getting different cans/tank for my boat but I will use it when I take cans ineh back of my truck.

[Pilar]

Rock n Reel, you might try the red plastic deck tanks they have at west marine. There are several sizes. 12, 19, 27gallon. This is a better approach than trying to pour fuel into the boat with a jerry can. Use the snap on type connector for outboards.

My tank is 19 gallons and sits on the deck in front of the engine cover. In the year and some months that I have used it there have been no problems. We burn that tank out first and at some point early in the TUNA! slaughter it goes empty. We then switch to the main tank and put the very light empty under the bow.

A word of caution about location of the spare fuel. The bow of the boat takes the biggest pounding and the hydrostatic shock on a full fuel cell is pretty high. If it hit hard enough the tank or can could burst and spill the whole load. For this reason it is specifically recommended against locating the center of gravity of fuel tanks forward of the center of pitch on a boat.

[Metal Manipulator]

I had this discussion earlier this year and I opted for the idea that John gave and bought a 27 gallon Tempo portable tank. The Coast Guard requires that a tank over six gallons must be secured. On my boat the tank had 25 gallons in it and was empty 100 Yds. from the waypoint at the chicken ranch and I was happy to stow the empty up front out of the way. Cost from West marine with hose and connectors was right at $200. Seems pricey for a platic tank but with fuel gauge and quick disconnect it worked well. My boat has a 307 and had no fuel flow problems.

[rockn'reel]

Ouch! $200? I know I shouldn't balk at the price--we are talking about a boat here--but I did want tot stay down under that. I run 1 150 hp 2-stroke I already have 74 gal fuel capacity and run 6 gal/hr at full throttle. I just wanted a little something extra. I was hoping to get away with 2 12 gal cans on each side of the boat to hopefully stay out of the way. I don'e suppose there is a bigger discount...well, I am goign to go to boater's world and see what they have. I get a discount there! maybe that will save me some money! Thanks for all the help guys

Build a tank out of a plastic 35 gal drum.