# On-Deck Fuel Storage



## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

Other than esthetics and mobility (hampering movement forward), are there any other pitfalls with storing fuel cans on deck along the port and starbard lifelines? My Omega only has a 22 Gal tank and we're contemplating an extended (well, extended for us) cruise in PWS next summer and am considering options to extend my fuel capacity.


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## AjariBonten (Sep 7, 2007)

5 gallons of diesel sloshing around the deck and cockpit after taking a big wave?

Other than that, no problem.

Not being a smarta$$; just been there/done that .............


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The key thing is to keep them lashed down securely and to protect the jerry cans from sunlight. The UV attacks the plastic that most of them are made out of, and you really don't want metal ones.


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## AboardIndigo (Aug 23, 2007)

Hey SD - is there a reason (other than aesthetics, weight, etc.) to go with the plastic rather than the metal fuel cans? I inherited an old metal one with the boat, but am open to replacing it if need be.

Any issues I should be particularly concerned about?


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## Boasun (Feb 10, 2007)

The steel Jerry cans will rust on your nice shinny fiberglass boat. Unless you have them on chocks.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Basically what Boasun said... also, they're not as reliable as a plastic ones, provided the plastic ones have been protected from the sun. Finally, metal ones dent and stay dented, the plastic ones can generally be convinced to go back to their original shape and volume.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

When you pick a location, consider what might attack your fuel cans there. Spinaker pole loose on deck? A wayward bow pulpit from another boat? Heat from the BBQ grill? Lines led aft?
Who knows, but try to imagine anything that might take a whack at your plastic cans and think about how to deal with that. While armor plating might be a bit extreme, there might be some reasonable efforts made to protect them. Perhaps place a rafting board along the outside against the rails?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

dave6330, double or single lower shrouds? I've seen people last them to lifel ines on foredecks, lashed to the mast, all sorts of craziness. People cruising from Mexico often have flexible clear plastic filled with cheapo Mex fuel.. Someone was trying to give 40 gallons away in Hawaii and no one would take it!
Here is what worked for me through some nasty stuff:


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## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

On a trip of 6000 miles I had boards lashed to the stanchions and plastic 25 litre plastic "cans" of fuel and water lashed to the boards. We sailed in a lot of bad seas and the problems we had were:

- Cans moving almost imperceptily at first, fidgetted away on the deck and did susbstantial damage on the non-skid. 

- Eventually they loosened the stanchions in their mountings and started moving more and more. 

- At one place the cans were on the ends of the jib car tracks and the tracks started to work loose with associated problems of stripped screws and water leaks. 

The things that survived best were the plastic cans!! They showed no sign of wear. 

Once we became aware of these problems we ensured that we decanted the liquids into their respective tanks at the earliest opportunity to make the cans as light as they could be.

If I did this again I would make up some sort of shallow timber tray with decent securing methods to bolt the tray to the toe rail to contain the cans and stop the fidgetting and movement. A 25 litre can is quite heavy and the inertia of the can when the boat is jumping around is considerable.

But I have to add that I will go to great lengths to have storage of additional liquids anywhere but on deck.

Andre


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

Horrible top weight. 

I wonder about the choice of storing ropes and sails in bags (or something else less dense) on deck verses heavy fuel containers. Then when the containers are empty, reverse the positions. Keep the heaviest stuff low down.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Idiens said:


> Horrible top weight.
> 
> I wonder about the choice of storing ropes and sails in bags (or something else less dense) on deck verses heavy fuel containers. Then when the containers are empty, reverse the positions. Keep the heaviest stuff low down.


I thought about that. I can fit two containers nicely in my chain locker. Just could not bring myself to store 10gal of diesel below decks in portable containers.
On the flip side, in Oregon I was able to purchase short square illegal in CA jugs that fit in two cockpit lockers than drain out on deck. That worked great.


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## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

Sailboy21: CIRRUS has her shrouds attached at a single chainplate fixture just inside the toerail. My plan was to lash the plastic jerrycans to the deck along the lifeline using both the lifeline/stanchions and the toe rail to secure them. What I'm trying to do is carry enough fuel onboard to motor (God forbid!) all the way to Valdez, if I have to. I'll sail as much as possible as we cruise PWS but I want the safety margin of being able to make port under my own steam, should the winds prove unfavorable. CIRRUS only has a 22 Gal tank and I'm looking for a margin of safety...

Thanks all for your really helpful insight. 

V/R

Dave


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

dave6330 said:


> Sailboy21: CIRRUS has her shrouds attached at a single chainplate fixture just inside the toerail. My plan was to lash the plastic jerrycans to the deck along the lifeline using both the lifeline/stanchions and the toe rail to secure them. What I'm trying to do is carry enough fuel onboard to motor (God forbid!) all the way to Valdez, if I have to. I'll sail as much as possible as we cruise PWS but I want the safety margin of being able to make port under my own steam, should the winds prove unfavorable. CIRRUS only has a 22 Gal tank and I'm looking for a margin of safety...
> 
> Thanks all for your really helpful insight.
> 
> ...


That changes a lot! I think we all assumed you were using diesel! Gas is a different deal. Also, outboards typically use more fuel than a diesel, esp. 2-strokes. Not too familiar with that side of the gulf. Possible to refuel with fish buyers, charter camps etc??? You might be able to make arrangements. A couple years ago some dude drove his jet ski up the inside. He arranged fuel drops. Most remote places will be happy to help you if you need it. But you know that living way up there! How many gallons of gasoline do you expect you will need? What type of outboard?


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## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

Did I say gas??? CIRRUS runs diesel.

I haven't done a good fuel consumption analysis since I changed out the prop the first year we owned her. That's on my 'to-do' list.


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## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

By the way - where 'bouts in SE? I sail out of Seward....


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## speciald (Mar 27, 2007)

A friend of mine uses a fuel bladder stored on the aft deck of his Tayana 55. It is piped into his fuelsystem and through a 12v. fuel pump will refill his boat tanks directly. He carries 75 g. in the bladder and gives hima motoring range of over 1500 miles.The bladder, when empty, can be rolled up and stored. Weight is a problem but his boat can handle it.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

dave6330 said:


> Did I say gas??? CIRRUS runs diesel.
> 
> I haven't done a good fuel consumption analysis since I changed out the prop the first year we owned her. That's on my 'to-do' list.


Sorry.. dyslexia setting in again, must have drank city water again DOH. I'm out of Sitka..


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## Rockter (Sep 11, 2006)

Buy a DownEaster 33 or 38.
1000 miles under internal tankage.

I smille.

For my olde Union 36, on a long motor across the Gulf of Mexico, perhaps 700 miles, in virtual total calm, we stored one plastic can topsides, and about 3 below.

We knew it was likely to be calm, as per the time of year.

Just what a big sea would have done to all that I don't know. We would not carry that lot habitually into rough sailing, but it really was needed for the expected calms.

Right now, my fuel range is down to about 250 miles. I have retired the ship to coastal work though. For a long hual, I really would have to build another supplementary internal tank, and there is a location under the starboard quaterberth for that. I would hope to get the fuel range to 500 miles with that, in total.


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## Rockter (Sep 11, 2006)

Hey, I like the bladder idea. Who makes such bladders?


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