Even if a spill is quite minor, tiny amounts of petrol and diesel can be deadly to marine life and harm the environment. Diesel and petrol are particularly toxic. The thin film that spreads across the top of the water is very damaging to marine animals and birds.
Why Do Spills Happen When Refueling a Boat?
Most people do not purposefully set out to spill fuel during the refueling process, but it is a reality that happens to even the most experienced of boaties. Boats tend to have large, oddly shaped fuel tanks that not generally designed with refueling in mind. For safety reasons, boat fuel systems are not pressurized which means a vent is needed. Marina fuel pumps often fill boats at a much faster rate than land-based petrol stations. This means that accidental spills often occur.
Tips on How to Lessen Spills When Refueling Boats
- Know how much fuel the boat tank holds and how much you need for your trip.
- Take any portable tanks off the boat and fill them on the dock. Avoid transferring fuel to your boat in containers. If you must use a container, make sure you use a large funnel. Alternatively buy a siphon hose with an integrated pump to reduce spillage.
- Hold the nozzle when refueling; don’t use a hands-free clip, so you have more control.
- Fuel up slowly, and listen for a change in tone as the tank gets full.
- Do not rely on the automatic shut-off devices. Often the marina fuel pumps fill much faster rate than land-based pumps because they need to fill larger tanks.
- Use an absorbent pad around the tank hole to catch spills. Pads of this material are inexpensive and available at boat chandlers and marine suppliers. Cut a slot in the centre of a pad and place the fuel nozzle through it.
- Fill tanks to 90% capacity. This leaves room for expansion of the fuel when it heats up – an important consideration during the summer. Even after the pump is shut off and the nozzle removed, fuel can continue squirting out the vents as the boat rocks with waves and as the fuel in the tank warms up and expands.
- Attach a container to the external vent fitting to collect overflowing diesel. Containers with suction cups which attach directly underneath the fueling port are the best.
- Wipe up any spills and drips from the fuel vent.
- Dispose of used pads properly.
- Do not use detergents to disperse a sheen or spill on the water.
The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has a clean fueling education campaign to “Help Stop the Drops.” This nationwide programme targets accidental spills from boats and during refueling. “If each boater and marina does their part to Help Stop the Drops, waters can remain healthy and inviting for swimming, fishing and boating”.
Treat refueling with care and keep fuel where it belongs…in the boat tank, not in the water!
Lucy Brake - Lucy has been working in the environmental industry for the last 10 years, specializing in the impacts of coastal, marine and port ...
