Open those gas caps

[TOGA]

Since we are all sitting at home doing our part not to spread the WuFlu, I'd figured I'd share my lesson learned...again.

So you think I would have remembered after owning our great boat for 6 years, to loosen my gas cap while in winter storage.

I always add my fuel stabilizer and fill my tank when I complete the boating season to ensure that condensation doesn't build in the fuel tank and lines.

This year I did what I normally do and parked the boat in the back yard.

Here in NW Georgia, the last couple of days have been nice and warm.

Sunday we decided to finally enter the world of puppies again and brought a beautiful Mini Australian Shepherd home. Cooper seemed to stick, so that's his name.

We are back in that world of taking a family member out to do his business numerous times a day. My wife, daughter and I are all engaged since we are all currently at home, for obvious reasons.

As temps started to rise well into the 70's the other day, my wife tells me she smells gas around the boat.

I explain that its ok. It's understandable as we have a full tank of fuel and as temperatures rise, the gas will expand and the fumes will exit through the vent.

She tells me again yesterday, "it really smells like fuel around the boat."

I calm her and tell her it is the warming temperature and the fuel will expand and the fumes will be expelled from the vent.

Today we are out walking Cooper around the boat and I notice a drip from the rub rail. I touch it, sniff it, and yep, it's fuel. Gas is visible on the side of the boat.

For a bit of how I store my boat, I have a cover/tarp covering, or tenting if you will, the entire boat. All compartments are open and I keep two fans running through the winter along with 4 containers of DampRid. Works well to make sure air is moving and nothing mold or mildews.

I pull the cover off and investigate thinking I have a left fuel leak in the filling or vent line.

Turns out, I didn't vent the filling cap. As the temperature rose to nearly 80 over the last couple days, the fuel expansion was pushing gas up the vent line and running down the side of the boat.

When I cracked the cap, it gasped and released the pressure allowing a bit of a surge of fuel out the vent line.

I inspected everything inside, and its all fine.

I just forgot to vent the cap when I parked her. When you put 'em up in November, it's a bit colder than when you're read to pull 'em out.

So go out there and vent those caps if you filled 'em up. I hadn't forgot to do that since the first year I had the boat.

Praying everyone stays safe. Self-quarantine on a boat if can.

Now if anyone has a good way to de-yellow the what gel coat from the fuel seepage, let me know. If I can get out of having to buff it out (again), I'd prefer the easy way.

 

[Chappy215]

Magic eraser?? Those things work on everything else!! Just a guess but prob worth a try

 

[Elliott]

If your boat has/had a good coat of wax (hopefully synthetic), the discoloration might just be in the wax. If so, you could clean the stain off by removing the wax, and the easy way would be to use a cleaner/polish and wax product like Griot's One Step. With a buffer, it should just take a few minutes. If the stain is in the actual gel coat, you will need to buff it out with compound then finish with something like One Step.

I would not use a magic eraser, it is a fine sanding sponge. It might remove the stain along with the wax and smooth/glossy surface, but the area would then need to be polished and protected.

 

[Jgorm]

Was it super full? I've never had an issue and mine sees 120+ in the summer.

 

[Hike]

That happened to me the first year I winterized when I tried to top off the fuel tank 2 or 3 times at the pump. Now I just fill it until the pump stops once and I'm done. No leakage since.

 

[TOGA]

Was it super full? I've never had an issue and mine sees 120+ in the summer.

Yes. It was topped off well.

 

[2kwik4u]

My '98 Rinker did the same thing. Went and found the picture.....this was in 2011. Much longer ago than I thought. I tried 101 different ways to get this stain to go away and just never could. Even did a "wet sand" starting around 800grit, then 1000grit, and all the way through to polishing.......Stayed yellow Sure hope you can find a way to solve yours. Good luck man!

Here's what mine looked like after polishing the dammit out of it.

 

[Tjw961]

Have not tried this on a boat, but Bar Keepers Friend in liquid form I used once to get a red stain out of a almond color bathroom sink once....I found it at walmart in cleaning supply aisle...only a few dollars. I just put it on and let it dry out on the surface, did that a couple times. It drew the stain right out for the sink. Again I haven't ever tried it on my boat but thought it might be worth looking into.