Full or Empty Gas Tank During Storage

[Inciong_A]

When putting the boat away, I always siphon out the remaining gas and put it in our cars. My rationale is that the gas will get old and I should use it before it gets stale. A friend told me that an empty tank is more dangerous than a full one because the gasoline fumes in the tank are more likely to explode than a tank full of liquid gasoline.
What do you experts do?

[spectras only]

Your friend is right,A full tank is safer than an empty one,plus keeps condensation down to minimum.Fill your tank up and put a can of fuel stabilizer in.You'll have no problem at the start of the new season.I give you an example; my friend lost his Corvette in a fire a long time ago,the car burned beyond recognition,the fuel tank remained intact completely full.Corvettes have a safety fuel shut off in case of a fire.I also lost my motorcycle in the same fire with the fueltank 1/4 full and it did blew to smitherins.

[rivercrazy]

I agree with Spectra. Keep those tanks full and use Stabil to keep the has from turning into varnish and gum. Gas in a full can will very likely not explode. A partially empty can can level a few houses on a neighborhood!
If its stored for a really long time, you could always drain the full tanks then.

[rivercrazy]

Also, make sure you add stabil on your last planned trip of the year and run the motor for a while. That way the fuel stabilizer gets disbursed throughout the fuel system.

[nitro557]

dont fill the tank to the rim , 3/4 or slightly above is best it leaves room for expansion in the spring other wise the gas goes out of your vent .are you winterizing the boat if so how are you putting antifreeze
in it ? i took a 5 gal bucket and installed a bilge pump in it , i hook it to the incomeing water line hook the bilge pump to the battery and fill the bucket with antifreeze and fire it up , i tend to be over anal and run 10 gal total thru it but i never had a freeze problem

[RiverDave]

I use my boat quite a bit in the summer so I fill it up before I leave. Never really though about the boat exploding or anything I just don't like filling up the boat after a 4 hour drive. This way I can hook it up when I get there and drop it in the water.
RD

[wrightnow]

I am with you RD, I always put the boat away full and ready for the next trip. I am usually at the river by 5:00pm on every other friday and with a full tanks of gas I can get run in before the sun sets and start my weekend.
As for the winter and condensation it is best to store the boat full full tanks.

[RiverToysJas]

I try to tow close to empty because I don't want tow 400lbs of fuel for 300 miles. Last winter I stored it almost full of fuel but pumped it out and put it in the cars before my first trip. Never thought about anti-freeze, but then last winter it only got into the 40s here in Orange County Ca. and that was only for a few days! :P

[nitro557]

only the fortys hell id be boating year round im in northern virginia

[77Spectra]

River, You got 80 gal. tanks?