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New England Boaters Wary Of Ethanol
By Mr Ethanol | July 4, 2008
Boston Globe:
With the recreational boating season getting into full swing, some boat and marina owners across northern New England are less worried about the cost of gas than the type of fuel that’s going into their fuel tanks this holiday weekend.
Across the country, many boat owners already have gone through the transition to gasoline with a 10 percent ethanol mix, known as E10. Now, marinas in the nation’s northeast corner are beginning to see ethanol-blended fuel, and there are fears of potential problems.
Some marinas say they’re busy rebuilding carburetors and replacing filters and hoses. The Web is full of horror stories and warnings, and it’s a common topic in boat shops.
“People are talking about it constantly,” said Judy Marsh, owner of Paul’s Marina in Brunswick, who blames E10 for fuel hoses disintegrating prematurely on some boats. “Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t come in and talk about it or ask, ‘What do we do?’”
In addition to damaging older hoses, water in the gas tank can mix with ethanol, causing fuel separation and creating problems.
Tom Fulweiler, manager of Adams Marina in Tilton, N.H., said he’s already installed 15 filters designed to separate water from gas this season.
“We have more problems with water in the gas this spring than we’ve had in the past, because more people are using ethanol-blended fuel,” said Fulweiler. “It’s a big problem. The best thing you can do is install a water-separating fuel filter.”
Another potential problem is that ethanol is a solvent… read on.
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