THE ISSUES

Fuel tanks on boats are not pressurized like they are in automobiles. Because of this, inboard boat tanks have an air vent to relieve the pressure that builds while filling a tank. (Learn more about why boats “burp.”) As a result, no matter what kind of boat you have and no matter how careful you are during fueling, it is really quite easy to spill fuel out into the water if you don’t take a few simple precautions.

Couple that with the law. Under federal law, you are required to report a fuel or oil spill, no matter how small, if it is enough to cause

Above: Inline Fuel/Air Separators

a sheen on the surface of the water. And by creating a sheen, you are breaking a law and openingyourself up to fines that can go into five digits. While you want to get rid of the sheen, it’s also illegal to use a couple of squirts of dishwashing detergent on the water’s surface. Add this all up, and you can see how the nature of boat fuel tanks and the law don’t exactly make compatible bed fellows.

Above: Vented Deck Fills

Whether it’s your concern over the environment, worry over landing a fine for pollution, or your quest to keep caustic chemicals off your teak and gelcoat, you’ve probably got a vested interest in keeping your fuel’s journey from nozzle to tank a clean and simple one. So how do you do that?

What’s a Boater to Do? No matter what size boat you have, there is something you can do to prevent accidental fuel spills. If you’ve got

Above: Fuel Management Systems

a big boat with big tanks, it might be one approach, while if you have a sailboat with a small tank, another. We tested a variety of devices—from hardware you install, to computers that can make you smarter about your fuel usage—and were thrilled to see so many options to keep drips and drops out of the water.

Plus, in the course of testing, we got familiar with different absorbent pads, catchment devices, fueling bibs and donuts, as well as other supplies that can come in handy while fueling any boat. Finally, there are some tried and true techniques for fueling that will reduce the chances of overfilling. The end result of all this research is that we found there’s an option for every single boater. We hope this information will help you find the right answer for you.