Imagine traveling anywhere you want, whenever you want to unwind and detatch from your busy life. 

With more people joining the popular boating lifestyle every year, it becomes even more important to minimize our marine footprint,

and to protect the sensitive creatures that call water home. It starts with safe and careful refueling.

Safe Refueling Tips

Before:

1. Tie your boat securely to the fuel dock, and ask all passengers to go ashore.

2. Turn off your engine, and close all hatches, doors and windows.

3. Turn off all electrical equipment, and extinguish all flames (propane equipment, diesel furnaces, etc.).

4. Keep an absorbent rag, spill pad or fuel collar ready to catch any drips.

5. Locate and select your fuel fill port (versus others like water and waste).

6. Double check: the type of fuel you need, and the capacity of your boat.

During:

1. Start fueling slowly - fuel can dispense at rates too fast for your boat.

2. Keep the fuel nozzle in contact with the fill port (or risk a static spark).

3. Listen: Once your fuel is near capacity, you will hear a change in sound, or a gurgling.

4. Do not “top off” the tank, or risk a spill.

5. Clean up any drops or spills immediately.

After:

1. Start your blower, open the engine hatch to sniff for fumes, and check the bilge.

2. Once the boat is safe and free of any explosive fumes, ask your passengers to re-board.

Note: Make sure you are on the shore when filling portable tanks, and when transferring fuel between tanks. Carry reserve fuel in a container that connects to your engine.

1. Know which port to use for fuel.

2. Know your fuel tank capacity.

3. Know the flow rate that your boat can accept.

4. Most pumps accommodate the faster flow rates required to fill commercial vessels,
   and “kickback” or “burping” is a major source of fuel spills - so it’s important to go slowly.

5. Close all doors and hatches to keep explosive fumes from blowing into the bilge.

6. Make sure you get the correct type of fuel.

If it is your first time refueling, review the rules, and ask the attendant for help.