5 gallon gas cans?  Marina?  Gas station while boat is on the trailer?

 

Most times I use 5 gallon gas cans while boat is at home.  Not a fan of doing that but I don't refuel that often.

I use ethanol free and not every place has that. Generally I use 4-6ish gallons in a normal weekend and use a 5.5 gal jug. I keep my tank full too so really I am just topping off. Now if I do run half way down I will usually take it to the station. 

I used ethanol free premium fuel as well.

 

I stop at the gas station and buy it, just like I would with my truck.  I just did this the other day, in fact.

 

I will admit that I try to go when it's "less busy" because I take up a lot of space at the pump and only 2 of 8 has the fuel I purchase.

 

My fuel tank holds 15 gallons and I buy fuel for my boat twice a season.  Ridiculously efficient given that I fish about 1-2 times/week for nearly 6 months.

I have a 90hp 4 stroke Merc and it is incredibly efficient - I rarely run it wide open - I don't use much gas.  I typically use less than a gallon per outing.  I have a 22 gallon tank,  I'll add five gallons from a can when it's gets below half a tank.  I'm much more concerned about the gas in the tank getting old than I am about running out of gas.

 

I only use ethanol free.  That other stuff is nasty. 😆

I’ve been using a 2 gallon can and topping up at home.  I have filled up by pulling up to the pump, but the gas stations here aren’t long enough  to let me do that and not be blocking something.  And on my boat the transom has to be pretty close to level with the pump based on where the tank access is.  It’s just easier to grab a 2 gallon can and fill the truck up at the same time.  

When I had boats I filled the boat gas tank at the same time as my tow vehicle at a gas’s station with high fuel turn over so it is fresh gasoline.

Added Stabil when I wasn’t using the boat as much and recycled the generator gasoline into the tow vehicle and filling the 3 gallon generator gasoline can at the same time, adding Staybil.

Did this routine for decades without any issues.

Tom

Edited September 17, 2025Sep 17 by WRB-2.0

Jet boats are terribly inefficient for fuel economy 😂😂

I always buy 91 octane ethanol free gasoline.  My tank holds 50 gallons and I like to keep it at least 1/2 full.  My typical purchase is 20 gallons which runs around $70 most of the time.  I haven’t run wot for a long time as my engine uses 1/2 gallon per minute at that setting.

My boat stays in the water most of the year, so I take 5-gallon cans non-ethanol down to the dock.... every 2-3 days lately.

At home, it’s at the gas station with corn free.  In Michigan, we are on an island and marina gas is stupid expensive so I carry a 14 gallon portable and 2, 5 gallon jugs that we fill right before we take the ferry across to the island.  Those with a full tank in the boat will get us through a week of running everywhere we need or want to go.  I use a portable pump instead of doing the monkey hang over the side of the boat with the 5 gallon cans.  The 14 gallon is on wheels and can be gravity fed from the dock with its own hose but it’s much faster to use the battery powered pump.  

I just got a 6.5 portable tank on the boat: the Meijer down the street is the only place to get Etoh free. I take the portable tank in my car fuel up and bring back home in my car. Easier than having the boat in that tight parking lot. 

I have used Top Tier rated 10% ethanol for my 2020 Mercury Pro XS 150hp engine since I bought it new.  I use Mercury  QuickCare and Quickleen additives.  The engine has performed flawlessly.  Prior to my current rig, I owned a Carolina Skiff for 5 years with a Yamaha 150 and followed the same routine except I used Yamaha additives.   It also performed without a problem.

 

I'm not saying non-ethanol gas usage is as bad thing.  There are a lot of good reasons to use it.  I'm only saying if you have a engine approved for E-10 gas it is a viable alternative.

 

 

I always fill at a station with non ethanol fuel. There’s only one within 20 minutes so I fill it (40 gallon gallon tank) when I get down to half. 

I use top tier 10% ethanol in my old 2 stroke. I always add marine stabil which claims to neutralize the ethanol and ethanol based problems. I premix by adding oil to 5 gallon cans and fill those when I fill up the truck. I have never had any issues, carbs stay clean and she has been running perfect for the last 30 years. I add quickleen about every couple tank fulls. I use Pennzoil marine XLF for my oil. This works for me so I will continue to do so. Ethanol free is a bit harder to find and would be fine for me, but it is much more expensive even with my additives and I do not see it used much, so not sure how fresh it would be at the pump.

I use the same fuel for my lawn equipment, with the marine stabil added. No problems.

I have been using rec gas in the boat since I re-powered in 2018.

I like it.

All the vendors up here offer it, as this area has a huge ATV, snowmobile, & boating presence.

The truck gets high-test corn gas.

I fill both often when I am making it happen.

Pre-dawn empty station visits usually allow me to refuel both at the same time.

(Both fill on the driver's side)

Always makes me feel like I'm winning something when I can do it.

All I am really winning is a chance to deplete my bank account. 

Gotta pay to play.

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

All of the above 

If the boat's in the water I take a 4 gallon can, can't wrangle a 5 or 6 gallon anymore.  If it's on the trailer a gas station is much easier.

Gas station on the trailer is my preference.   But, we purchased a battery powered transfer pump this summer and it's a game changer.  So much less spilled gas.  

Interesting.  Which powered transfer pump do you use?