Boat Storage, Full Tank or Empty Tank??

[john.wells]

Air is the enemy of fuel. Your best bet is completely drained or completely filled, and since a complete drain is not terribly practical, the latter is the easiest way to go. If you use regular gas with 10 percent ethanol, you won't have to worry about condensation due to alcohols' affinity for water. HOWEVER, that same affinity causes a premature degradation of the volatility (ability to burn). No need to worry for just one season, but if your tank sits with fuel for a year or more, the stronger the need to flush out the old stuff.

[Whoaru99]

I treat whatever is left, typically trying to get the needle pretty much on empty on the last trip out.

Come spring I add a few gallons of fresh E10 then run it out close to empty again and go from there for the rest of the season.

[leechlake]

don't forget the dryer sheets...oops that's for mice.

I go nearly empty and I use 91 non-oxy the majority of the year only use the cheap stuff when I know I will be burning it quickly. Fill it up with 91 in the Spring and never a problem. Yamaha 4 stroke.

My Arctic Cat snowmobile is much touchier than the boat. My kids kitty kat starts no matter what and no matter how it's treated. Go figure. I'd say to do what works and that can take a little trial and error until you have confidence in your procedure.

[Juan Grande]

My father-in-law has a 2005 Merc and had major fuel system problems this spring. Both of his fuel pumps went out and the marine place said the regular gas he was using was eating away at his fuel system. They said the inside of the hoses weren't made to handle regular gas and were basically disintegrating on the inside. I've since switched to non-oxgenated premium in my boat.

[Myrt]

2003 Yamaha 75 tiller, 20ft Lund Alaskan , 27 gallon tank, when I bought this boat I thought I would quit fogging on empty(which always worked on my old boat) and try the full tank with stabil until I had a problem, never have, but never had before either, however, for me it's much more convenient to know boat is treated and filled in case of an early open water opportunity. I also think it's easier to run the first tank of the season as low as possible before adding fresh gas, then trying time the last one or emptying it. I guess if you find a working routine you stick with it!?

[LMITOUT]

I like to store mine empty as possible so it can get a tankful of fresh non-oxy gas in the spring. Plus you don't have to worry about which additives or stabilizers work or don't work, either.

[Ufatz]

Yamaha 115 4-stroke, 2004. Filled with 91 octane right to the top of the gas cap. Some Sta-Bil in the fuel. Every spring sice 04 it has fired right up within a couple seconds and run for the summer.

Regular oil changes, impeller, lower unit of course. Can't get any more depandable then that!

[Cheers]

Just read instructions on a Stable jug and they say fuel tank 95% FULL

[Raider4ever]

Full tank with Star-Tron (my boat guy likes it better than Sta-Bil so that's what I use), drain/refill lower unit, Fog cylinders and turn over with old plugs in (but not connected), dryer sheets, charge the batteries one last time, unplug the TM, and off to the pole building about five miles from my house. In the spring I replace the old plugs with new ones, charge the batteries, pull as many dryer sheets as I can find, check the trailer bearing lube and she starts like a charm every spring. With it full, I feel like I have "free gas". It's a 1998 Crestliner Fish Hawk 1750 with a 1998 Evinrude 115 Intruder. Only problem I had last year was in July down in Iowa for family reunion. Filled it up with what they called "Premium" and it would SERIOUSLY bog down around 3500-4000 rpm (kinda stunk pulling the kids on a tube). Got back up north, put new gas in, and it's all good now.