Bertram31.com General Bulletin Board

BoatUS, Ethanol Update

Posted By: Carl
Date: Wednesday, 19 October 2005, at 4:35 p.m.

In responce to my e-mail to BoatUS, this is the responce given by Chuck Fort. Message pertained to Fiberglass tanks being attacked by Ethanol.

__________________________________________

Carl, thanks for your offer of assistance – I might just take you up on it.

At the risk of sounding alarmist, we feel that it’s best to warn our members and the boating public when we believe we have identified a problem that involves safety.

We don’t yet know for sure that ethanol is attacking polyester resins – test are being conducted on fuel and tank layups and won’t be complete for some time. But the evidence points to the changes made to gasoline in NY.
Additionally, manufacturers of resins have confirmed that this is possible, even likely, given the possibility that ethanol can separate and concentrate on the bottom of fuel tanks. Resins were changed in the mid-80’s just for this reason.

In my entire career, I have never heard of a fiberglass fuel tank that simply failed.

I agree that older tanks are probably encrusted with old gas varnish and who knows what else, and that fuels are dissolving this. But the fact that some tanks have failed makes the problem potentially deadly. I understand your dilemma, and I wish I could give you more advice. But until we have test results, this is the best we can do.
______________________________________________

As Bruce mentioned a few may's and cans are in the alert, nothing is definite, but then we are talking about the bottom of a gas tank weakening. Not something top take litely.

Anyway thought I would share the info.