TheLurker
06-14-2006, 12:52 PM
Article copied and pasted from the Wall Street Journal
First I have seen anyone thinking about this. I wonder how much of it is true?
Ethanol Poses Problem for Older Boats
By David Bird 686 words 14 June 2006 The Wall Street Journal
ServiceLine (Copyright (c) 2006, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Even by those that love them, a boat is often referred to as "a hole in the water that you throw money into."
With the advent of ethanol-based gasoline, that hole has gotten even bigger -- in some cases thousands of dollars bigger, in order to replace fiberglass tanks put at risk by a new fuel recipe.
Along with gasoline prices that have U.S. motorists paying 37% more than a year ago for a fill-up, the boating community is facing a raft of extra costs associated with the new fuel mixture.
"All boats will be impacted in some way by ethanol," said Chuck Fort, an expert on boat maintenance at BoatU.S., an Alexandria, Va., organization representing 625,000 U.S. boat owners.
In the worst-case scenario, owners of boats that were built 20 years ago or more have to replace fiberglass fuel tanks. Gasoline blended with ethanol can damage the tanks, causing leaks that could lead to explosions. Even boats with aluminum fuel tanks may have problems, because ethanol's water-absorption qualities can have serious consequences.
Unlike those on cars, gasoline tanks on boats take in moisture that eventually condenses in tanks. That wasn't a problem with previous fuels, but water can cause the ethanol to separate from the gasoline and sink to the bottom of the tank. That leaves a lower-octane fuel on the top of the tank and a mix of water and ethanol on the bottom, Mr. Fort said.
"Boat engines won't run well on either, and some two-stroke engines can be ruined," he said. Studies have shown that ethanol also can affect fuel lines made before 1984 and any rubber parts in fuel systems.
Ethanol is a powerful solvent that dissolves residue that builds up on the inside walls of tanks. That free-floating debris can plug up filters, too, requiring more maintenance for boats.
Mr. Fort advises boaters to run down gasoline tanks frequently, install a water separator at the fuel tank, ensure that hoses are ethanol-resistant, and inspect the fuel system regularly.
Owners of boats with fiberglass tanks will likely have to replace them, Mr. Fort said.
"A ballpark average for a Bertram 31 is about $6,000 to $8,000, not including $5 a gallon to dispose of the old gasoline," he said, referring to a small fishing boat. With fuel tanks of up to 220 gallons, that adds an additional $1,100 to the cost.
The number of boats that fall into that category is small -- "probably several thousand out of millions," said Mr. Fort -- but the fuel switch still will be a costly headache.
Frank Ciancaglini of Yonkers, N.Y., estimated it would cost at least $5,000 -- about one-fifth of the value of his boat -- to replace the 175-gallon fiberglass tank, hidden beneath the cockpit floor of his 1967 28-foot Hatteras. He decided to do part of the work himself to cut costs, but still had to sink $2,500 into getting his craft, "Fun 'n Games," shipshape to navigate Long Island Sound.
The change in the fuel recipe, away from the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, in gasoline to ethanol has roiled the oil market. The fuel switch is occurring as the price of crude oil - which accounts for 55% of the cost of gasoline -- has soared to above $70 a barrel and pushed up pump prices to near $3 a gallon.
Oil-industry analysts said they don't believe motorists will be able to cut back much on gasoline usage, and demand is projected to inch up to a record 9.6 million barrels a day in August. Boaters, seemingly resigned to the higher costs, are paying up and casting off, according to a recent study by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
In a survey of 1,900 U.S. boaters, 57% said their summer plans would be affected by higher fuel prices, but spending is likely to be cut back in areas such as dining out and entertainment.
First I have seen anyone thinking about this. I wonder how much of it is true?
Ethanol Poses Problem for Older Boats
By David Bird 686 words 14 June 2006 The Wall Street Journal
ServiceLine (Copyright (c) 2006, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Even by those that love them, a boat is often referred to as "a hole in the water that you throw money into."
With the advent of ethanol-based gasoline, that hole has gotten even bigger -- in some cases thousands of dollars bigger, in order to replace fiberglass tanks put at risk by a new fuel recipe.
Along with gasoline prices that have U.S. motorists paying 37% more than a year ago for a fill-up, the boating community is facing a raft of extra costs associated with the new fuel mixture.
"All boats will be impacted in some way by ethanol," said Chuck Fort, an expert on boat maintenance at BoatU.S., an Alexandria, Va., organization representing 625,000 U.S. boat owners.
In the worst-case scenario, owners of boats that were built 20 years ago or more have to replace fiberglass fuel tanks. Gasoline blended with ethanol can damage the tanks, causing leaks that could lead to explosions. Even boats with aluminum fuel tanks may have problems, because ethanol's water-absorption qualities can have serious consequences.
Unlike those on cars, gasoline tanks on boats take in moisture that eventually condenses in tanks. That wasn't a problem with previous fuels, but water can cause the ethanol to separate from the gasoline and sink to the bottom of the tank. That leaves a lower-octane fuel on the top of the tank and a mix of water and ethanol on the bottom, Mr. Fort said.
"Boat engines won't run well on either, and some two-stroke engines can be ruined," he said. Studies have shown that ethanol also can affect fuel lines made before 1984 and any rubber parts in fuel systems.
Ethanol is a powerful solvent that dissolves residue that builds up on the inside walls of tanks. That free-floating debris can plug up filters, too, requiring more maintenance for boats.
Mr. Fort advises boaters to run down gasoline tanks frequently, install a water separator at the fuel tank, ensure that hoses are ethanol-resistant, and inspect the fuel system regularly.
Owners of boats with fiberglass tanks will likely have to replace them, Mr. Fort said.
"A ballpark average for a Bertram 31 is about $6,000 to $8,000, not including $5 a gallon to dispose of the old gasoline," he said, referring to a small fishing boat. With fuel tanks of up to 220 gallons, that adds an additional $1,100 to the cost.
The number of boats that fall into that category is small -- "probably several thousand out of millions," said Mr. Fort -- but the fuel switch still will be a costly headache.
Frank Ciancaglini of Yonkers, N.Y., estimated it would cost at least $5,000 -- about one-fifth of the value of his boat -- to replace the 175-gallon fiberglass tank, hidden beneath the cockpit floor of his 1967 28-foot Hatteras. He decided to do part of the work himself to cut costs, but still had to sink $2,500 into getting his craft, "Fun 'n Games," shipshape to navigate Long Island Sound.
The change in the fuel recipe, away from the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, in gasoline to ethanol has roiled the oil market. The fuel switch is occurring as the price of crude oil - which accounts for 55% of the cost of gasoline -- has soared to above $70 a barrel and pushed up pump prices to near $3 a gallon.
Oil-industry analysts said they don't believe motorists will be able to cut back much on gasoline usage, and demand is projected to inch up to a record 9.6 million barrels a day in August. Boaters, seemingly resigned to the higher costs, are paying up and casting off, according to a recent study by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
In a survey of 1,900 U.S. boaters, 57% said their summer plans would be affected by higher fuel prices, but spending is likely to be cut back in areas such as dining out and entertainment.