Putting gas in your Sea Ray while it's running - BOOM

trit21 said:
If you are fueling with diesel, there are generally gas pumps and vapors right next to your boat and you have to be just as mindful about gas vapors. They can easily be sucked into your engine compartment and BAM. Likely hood not very high, but possible yes.

I for one like diesel in boats, but I don't like the theory that once I get a diesel boat I will NEVER have to worry about gas fumes or CO again. From you boat, no worry about gas fumes or CO, but there are many others boats that will produce CO for you to suck into your cabin or gas fumes to settle in your engine compartment.

Bottom line, be vigilant when fueling (gas or diesel) and remember safety regulations are in place for a reason, probably because it is lesson learned from a previous event.

"You can never make anything idiot proof because they will always make a better idiot"
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I hope I don't get gas fumes in my bilge... I have no way of sucking them out. In fact, I have no way to suck out any heavier than air gas from the bilge... You have any ideas? I guess I could break out the shop vac...

I've never heard of a diesel boat blowing up because of gas fumes raising the bilge air (I guess it would sneak in through a 6" side vent) to over the LEL from some neighboring boat...

I do worry about CO (although my detectors have never gone off on this boat and this the 8th season I've owned it). I don't worry about gasoline as I don't carry it... and there is nothing I can do about it...

Here's one for you... I actually LEAVE MY GENERATOR RUNNING while I'm fueling up!!!! I love diesel.
 
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highslice said:
Man, the marina's on our lake are militant about controling this. They won't take the cap off of the tank until the motor and blower are off.
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Good topic. Not mentioned yet is the correct procedure. Two responses mentioned that the engine -and- blower need to be off.

Should the blower really be turned off? If off, at some point after the refueling process the blower will need turned on. All of the vapors will have settled into the bilge. I spark in the wire or at a connection when turning it on could be bad...

Or, do you turn on the blower prior to fueling? That way, vapors are being immediately removed from the bilge from the start.

Which is correct?
 
In a gas boat, blowers off, everything off, all cabin doors, portholes and hatches closed... after fueling, open the bilge and sniff the air, go in the cabin and sniff the air before turning on the blowers or anything else.

BUT... blower motors should be sealed so they should not produce any "sparks"... That's the point. But if you smell gas, leave the hatch open and get everyone away from the boat and let it dissipate as best you can before turning on the blowers.
 
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Four Suns said:
I hope I don't get gas fumes in my bilge... I have no way of sucking them out. In fact, I have no way to suck out any heavier than air gas from the bilge... You have any ideas? I guess I could break out the shop vac...

I've never heard of a diesel boat blowing up because of gas fumes raising the bilge air (I guess it would sneak in through a 6" side vent) to over the LEL from some neighboring boat...

I do worry about CO (although my detectors have never gone off on this boat and this the 8th season I've owned it). I don't worry about gasoline as I don't carry it... and there is nothing I can do about it...

Here's one for you... I actually LEAVE MY GENERATOR RUNNING while I'm fueling up!!!! I love diesel.
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If your Gen is running, how do you hear that your tanks are full? Or do you just let it squirt?
 
Turtlesboat said:
If your Gen is running, how do you hear that your tanks are full? Or do you just let it squirt?
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My generator is in a sound box and is extremely quit. The diesel fuel fills are up midway on deck (~25 feet) from the stern... I can hear the fuel just fine...

I would NEVER leave that thing on in a gas boat... I used to make everyone get off the boat when I had my 380...

If this was only diesel, it would have had a different outcome:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZRr9Cmt6DQ&NR=1[/youtube]
 
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So you let it squirt is what you're saying.

I have to stick my face right in the hole to hear it, and I listen for a living... well I pretend to listen.
 
Four Suns said:
......I do worry about CO (although my detectors have never gone off on this boat and this the 8th season I've owned it). I don't worry about gasoline as I don't carry it... and there is nothing I can do about it....
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Gary,
what about your dinghy? Are you implying that you re-fuel dinghy when it's off the mathership (not while it's sitting on your platform)? I guess, the same question goes for your PWC.:huh: B/c if you fill them up while you're on the trip and the dink or PWC is sitting on your platform you'll have to take similar precaution measures as any gas boat. Am I right?

Are you also implying that you don't carry spare fuel for PWC or dinghy?
 
Turtlesboat said:
So you let it squirt is what you're saying.

I have to stick my face right in the hole to hear it, and I listen for a living... well I pretend to listen.
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I don't! I can hear just fine. The fuel vent is right there and screams when it is close to full... You can fill it up in AC this year just so you can experience it.
 
Alex F said:
Gary,
what about your dinghy? Are you implying that you re-fuel dinghy when it's off the mathership (not while it's sitting on your platform)? I guess, the same question goes for your PWC.:huh: B/c if you fill them up while you're on the trip and the dink or PWC is sitting on your platform you'll have to take similar precaution measures as any gas boat. Am I right?

Are you also implying that you don't carry spare fuel for PWC or dinghy?
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I don't think I've ever filled the dinghy up while it's on the boat. I always make the kids go fill it up... and it has blowers... but it's also dangling off the back of the boat. I don't see how gas fumes get from the dinghy 25 feet uphill on the side of the boat, sneak into a 6" vent and settle in the bilge... while still maintaining the LEL needed to explode.

Like I said, I have no way of getting gas fumes out of the bilge on a 480 DB
 
I'm still hung up on the "flash explosion" that produced no fire and didn't blow the boat apart. "All it did" was blow the engine hatch and give a bad case of sunburn to a few people. Definitely time to buy a lotto ticket.....

John
 
I don't like to even fill my dink tank with it in the dink. I take it off the boat and set it on the dock and fill it there. I was filling up and pigdog decided she wanted off the dink and jumped, catching the hose. I had about a gallon of gas in the dink.
 
Sorry I brought the word diesel up....My point was that people ask what my rpm's are, what my wot is, how gph, etc....All valid questions when choosing your boat.....Sometimes "safety gets lost in the decison".....I loved my gas boats and took filling up very seriously. I pissed many people off waiting to pull in and marinas because i made everyone get off the boat, make sure all hatches were shut, all electrical items off (including bilge blowers and reversed the 5 minute process after making sure there were no fumes detected anywhere in my boat......
 
Dad always told me to leave the engine running so i can watch the fuel gauge... Gas is expensive and he didnt want to spill any.
NYUK NYUK NYUK
 
Four Suns said:
In a gas boat, blowers off, everything off, all cabin doors, portholes and hatches closed... after fueling, open the bilge and sniff the air, go in the cabin and sniff the air before turning on the blowers or anything else.

BUT... blower motors should be sealed so they should not produce any "sparks"... That's the point. But if you smell gas, leave the hatch open and get everyone away from the boat and let it dissipate as best you can before turning on the blowers.
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It would seem that in many boats, that the weak link is the electrically activiated engine hatch....it had better be sealed and in good working condition!!!!!

I guess you could just open the emergency hatch lift port in the floor to take a sniff....
 
Interesting that it is said to leave the blower motor turned off. In Canada, you are required to have the blower motor turned on or they will not allow you to fuel your boat.
 
Thats 100% WRONG !!! :smt021. You run the blower for 4mins AFTER refueling. :thumbsup:
 
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