Is this the result of a full tank of gas sitting in storage?

[prorider17]

I noticed this today when I went to check on my boat and top off the batteries.. It's been sitting for a good 2 months.. And I topped off my fuel tank before putting it away.

Smells like fuel, and ran down the side of the hull... Thoughts?

 

[Speedling]

Probably fuel. Bounced around on the way there and spilled out but is clear and could discolor over time from sitting there.

 

[Scottintexas]

definitely, I've had my cover in that area get soaked with gasoline because of that,

 

[bumpy]

Differences in temperature can cause the volume to expand and contract; I have seen this in my boats often. I do get greater differences than you do in FL!

 

[jlcj7]

This happened to me... i filled my tank in winter, when the weather got warm i guess it expanded and came out the vent. peeled off my decal right there...Now i make sure not to fill ALL the way up

 

[4x15mph]

Definitely. Magic eraser will clean that up.

 

[itsdgm]

Yep. Happened to me too.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If the stain does not come off with a degreaser or a cleaner wax, hit it with Davis FSR. Personally, I wouldn't recommend using a magic eraser on gelcoat as it will cause micro marring (scratching).
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/davis-instruments--fsr-fiberglass-stain-remover--P004_129_002_509

 

[jawsf16]

Happened to me in Texas so now I never store with a full tank and no problems since.

 

[YamahaForMe]

I had the same problem with my old boat. Topped it up in the fall @ 50 degrees. Next summer it was stored in my garage the entire summer without using it (wife was pregnant). Garage probably made it past 100 degrees on occasion. The boat spewed gas out the vent all over the floor.

 

[Volffas]

It's happened to me on several occasions with different boats. Now I just fill the fuel tank to 3/4 before storing it for winter.

 

[Speedling]

I start empty and put a full dose of sta-bil. When gas is on sale i fill up cans and fill the boat during winter. Fresher gas at best prices! Still ready to go in the spring.

 

[Seadeals]

I am curious how many people are filling until the auto-shutoff on the nozzle trips? Concern of overflow has always led me to pump "by gallons" to get near full based on the fuel gauge reading and awareness of my 50 gallon capacity. At the end of every season, I pull the floor and fill until gas covers nearly all of the top of the tank. This keeps fuel out of the filler and vent lines but full in the tank to prevent condensation. I learned what a full reading looked like with this process but the accuracy can't be that great. I ask because on trips like Bimini, I would think my practice would not fly. Being a couple gallons short could be a big deal.

Wait for the shut-off?
Go by sound?
Aim for almost full?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[tdonoughue]

Personally, I go for auto-shut-off. To fill more than that is overfilling. But I do watch the number of gallons, as recently the auto-shut off has been triggering at like half a tank... Very annoying. But anyway, I digress...

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I don't store mine for winter but I always stop the second I hear the sound change coming out of the fill neck.

 

[Bill D]

I always go by the "gallons used" reading. But there has been the occasion when I wasn't paying attention and it filled until the click... By the next week that side of my cover had gas on it.

 

[OperationROL]

I store bone dry. As a matter of fact. While I was working on the boat in my driveway, Connext kept reminding me every couple minutes (with a loud annoying beep) that my fuel is low.

On my first fill up, I will put 2 cans of Seafoam in the tank before pumping then I will fill her and let the Seafoam mix well on the ride home. By the time I am home, I turn the switch and she has always started right up. I expect the same this year as well.

 

[DJMattyT]

This happened to me in my jetski. Exactly what was said above, the weather made the gas expand