How to safely refuel A25 from a jerry can

[DesertAlbin736]

Our upcoming East Coast cruise later this summer & into early full may necessitate carrying some extra fuel in a pair of 5 gallon jerry cans for extended range. As inherited from the PO a pair of jerry cans were mounted on racks hanging over the bowsprit. I thought that was an insanely stupid and dangerous way to carry extra fuel weighing 70 lbs, so one of the first things I did after taking possession of the boat was to remove those racks & shorten the bowsprit. But I kept the cans and the homemade racks, while up to now I haven't felt a need to carry extra fuel.

They looked like this. A nutty arrangement n'est-ce pas?

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The racks were welded together out of 1/4 inch stainless round stock. So I took my heavy duty grinder & cut them apart to separate the two halves so they can be clamped one each to lifeline stanchions on either side of the boat next to the forward cabin side windows, the only practical place where the side deck is wide enough since the area near the bow rails are taken with stowage racks for fenders.

Looks like this:

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OK, so now how to transfer fuel from these cans into the fuel tank without spilling? Weight of 5 gallons of diesel at 7 lbs per gallon is 35 lbs. The side decks by the wheel house where the fuel filler inlet is is narrow & not too conducive to lugging a 35 lb can of fuel and pouring into a funnel without spilling which makes it a risky endeavor.

So what to do? So happens the other day I hooked up my bucket of water to the raw water strainer to run the engine on land after doing an oil change & noticed some green antifreeze collecting in the bilge space next to the engine under the helm area floorboard. The 5/16" rubber overflow/expansion tubing from the heat exchanger fill cap to the expansion tank located under the helm station floorboard had developed a small split & was leaking. So I went down to Lowes home & hardware store and found the correct size 5/16 ID clear vinyl tubing, which is only sold in 20 foot long lengths. But I only need a little over 6 feet worth, so ended p with about 14 feet left over. So I got to thinking (a dangerous thing, I know!) that the left over tubing could work as a "redneck credit card" siphon hose. The distance from the jerry can rack to the fuel filler deck fitting is about 9 feet. So I went down the local West Marine store and picked up an outboard fuel line squeeze bulb primer, which happened to have 5/16" hose barb inlet & outlet fittings. Also had a short piece of copper tubing laying around my shop which was just the right diameter for the hose to fit over to make a rigid dip tube.

So I MacGyvered this thing together this afternoon:

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Then went over to the local Circle K gas station & put 4 gallons of diesel into one of the cans (after swishing a small amount into the can to rinse out debris & pouring that dirty fuel into the other can) , took it over to the boat & rigged it up like this:

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And it worked like a champ! No lifting or moving the can, no muss, no fuss, not a drop spilled. Just put the copper dip tube into the can, insert the other end a few feet down into the deck fitting, give the primer bulb a few squeezes to get the siphon started and viola! It's a little slow on the flow rate, took 8 minutes to transfer 4 gallons of fuel, but that's OK. Once it's done, and there was very little left in the can, just drain the hose into the tank & good to go. So the only lifting & carrying to transfer all 10 gallons of extra fuel is to swap cans from starboard to port.

[tribologist]

You really don't need to worry. Unless you are worried about the New England diesel prices... You have diesel in Brewerton north of Syracuse, then a little past Utica in Ilion and then again in Waterford and just south of the I-90 bridge at Donovans. Then you have it in Harverstraw, NY and at Liberty marina in NYC... Probably a few more places also but with 200mile range... no issue. We did Albany-Haverstraw on half tank and then from there to CT river on one tank.. I would leave them tanks in AZ... However... I have been thinking of keeping 2-3 gallons under the rear bunks. I did not know that there was no diesel on the connecticut river back in 2019 so we ended up taking a uber to a tractor supply store, then a gas station.. After that I calibrated a wood stick to allow me to accurately measure the fuel volume. There was never an issue but our tank gage show empty with a few gallon left.

[DesertAlbin736]

Don't forget, we're talking about going all the way from Waterford to Annapolis & beyond & hopefully end up at Seaford, DE on the Nanticoke River. I'm not worried about getting to NY City needing the spare jerry cans. I figure on starting out with a full tank in Tonawanda and refueling in Brewerton. That's 187 statute miles which is 162 nautical miles. We burn 0.4 to 0.5 GPH at 5.5 to 6 knots which would take between 12 to 13 gallons. Brewerton to Troy Lock on the Hudson is another 153 statute miles or 133 nautical miles which takes another 10 gallons. Won't hurt to have that extra reserve on hand in case fuel docks we counted on refueling at were closed. More importantly we're going down the NJ coast/ICW to Cape May and up Delaware Bay to the C&D canal & on into Chesapeake Bay. We'll likely stay on the "inside" of the ICW going down the Jersey Shore from Manasquan Inlet on down to avoid running in and out treacherous inlets & make a stop at my original hometown of Barnegat, NJ. I've also kept a fuel log religiously, writing down locations of fuel dock, engine hours, gallons added, price, and cost for every drop of diesel that's gone into the tank since the first day on the water in 2014. So I have a pretty good idea how many gallons are left in the tank at any one time and how much fuel is left and how much needed to fill for each fuel gage reading from Full, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, to Empty. The fuel gauge float is located over the part of the tank before it angles downward to follow the curve of the hull, so a 1/4 gauge reading is really only down about 9 gallons from full. Which generally speaking I try to never let it get much below that. The fuel gage is purely mechanical like those on portable outboard motor gas tanks & read by shining a flashlight though a hole in the floorboard over the tank. Besides the fuel log pages I also note starting and ending fuel gauge and engine hour readings in each day's cruising log journal entry. Of which I'm now on log book #3 with entries for every day we've ever taken the boat out or done a cruise since March of 2014, even if it's just a day on the lake. Guess that's a carry over from my Navy training. The A25 is a rolly boat in even moderately rough water, so I never want to let the tank get down to the level where the fuel pickup might suck air on a 30 degree snap roll. I'd rather have those jerry cans available to make sure we have at least 9 or 10 gallons in the the tank at all times.

We'll have web access & post on AOG as we go. So stay tuned. Maybe we can meet up somewhere along the way?

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Timing wise we expect to embark on the Erie Canal around mid-August to coincide with the arrival of our boat buddies from their crossing of the Great Lakes from Northern Wisconsin to Tonawanda. They expect to leave Washburn, WI by the Apostle Islands on or about July 5th or 6th & expect to take at least four weeks up to 34 days or so to get to Tonawanda. Then they have to drop their mast & strap it down for the canal transit. There are a number of possible delays on the canal that might impede progress. One is Lock 17 which is being jury rigged with a crane to operate the downstream lift gate while parts are being fabricated for permanent repairs to the broken down lifting gear. That means the locks will operate on the hour, at the top of odd hours for eastbound, even hours for westbound. Possibly longer waits if they have to shut down temporarily due to lighting, high winds, or other dangerous weather. That's per NY Canal Corp notices to mariners. The other is the Waterford Flight series of locks which may be affected by projects going on with the lower part of the Champlain Canal. Supposedly 60 to 90 minute delays getting through those locks will be possible throughout the 2021 navigation season. Obviously August & September are the peak of hurricane season, so we'll have to keep a close eye on weather reports & be ready to head for shelter.




Our sailing boat buddies' course. That segment alone is around 900 miles.

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[WillieC]

Nifty idea, Steve. We use the auto-syphon with glass marble check valve hose available almost everywhere. Shake, shake, shake...shake, shake, shake...

It comes with a fairly short hose so I have to balance the jug close by. I avoid crossing the Strait out of Comox when siphoning.

[tribologist]

You have Ilion just past Utica too. That's a great stop and they have diesel. However, they still decided to give me gasoline two years ago. Luckily we were pulling Driftless out there.

I don't know about before Brewerton but there are at least two places in Brewerton and from there to NYC there is absolutely no issues. We will see where it fit best to catch up. We are quite flexible. Either we do Albany and down to NYC and break off and head back up in long island sound like last year. Another option is to start in Brewerton and head west until we see your Albin and then go back and maybe past the trailer and uber back to it or turn around.. Depends on what day of the week it is. Trying to stop in Utica or Ilion is a good idea. Personally I would never pass there without trying to get a table at Tailor and the Cook in Utica. Ilion has great showers and are very friendly. Good eating there too but not like Tailor and teh Cook. THey were in the top 100 in Open Table and with a restaurant in Utica, thats a big deal. Chef Hardiman is very very good....

[Ambler27FC]

I do like the auto syphon hose too. Placing the tank on the cockpit seat you can transfer fuel w/o spilling a drop. Seems easier to keep fuel in the back if possible (on transom rail maybe?). Walking along the side with a full can doesn’t seem like fun. But you can’t argue with success.

[DesertAlbin736]

I do like the auto syphon hose too. Placing the tank on the cockpit seat you can transfer fuel w/o spilling a drop. Seems easier to keep fuel in the back if possible (on transom rail maybe?). Walking along the side with a full can doesn’t seem like fun. But you can’t argue with success.

We already have so much weight aft with the dinghy hanging on the davits & the aft cabin full of luggage & gear for extended cruising that I didn't want to add any more weight aft if I can help it. Where I placed the racks holding the cans was the only place other than way up forward where the decks are wide enough and has a lifeline stanchion to attach it to. But this way I don't even have to move the port side can to siphon fuel into the tank. The only "schlepping" I'd have to do is swapping cans from one side to the other when one is emptied. Which ever side we tie up on at a fuel dock one can can be filled without removing it from the rack, then taking that full can across the cabin top to the other side and switching the empty can back over to be filled. They never have to be in or near the cockpit or even have the vent caps opened. Who knows, we may not end up needing them but you never know. But at least we can keep the fuel tank at or above half full.

As for timing, if all goes as planned our boat buddies are expecting to set sail from Washburn, WI & the Apostle Islands on or about July 5th or 6th & will take up to 34 days to make the 900 mile crossing to reach Tonawanda, maybe longer with any unforeseen weather or mechanical breakdown delays. That should make their ETA in Tonawanda some time around the 2nd week of August. Add in a couple days to get their mast lowered & strapped down and situated with fuel & provisions and some R&R down time and maybe a drive up to see Niagara Falls. So we'll probably set off along the canal around August 15, plus or minus a few days. With some of the maintenance issues going on with the canal this year it could take us 10 to 15 days to get from Tonawanda to Waterford. That could put us arriving in NYC close to Labor Day. In all from Tonawanda to New York City Pier 6 is 492 statute miles, or 429 NM. At 6 knots that's 71 hours underway.

This is the boat our cruise mates are sailing. They have to have that mast dropped, get crutch supports built, tie the mast down, plus stowing the booms (the staysail has a boom too), furler, plus all sails & rigging before continuing on the canal.

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[Plum76]

Last summer i got to do a big portion of this route, though starting from Northport MI and docking in Marquette at the end. Super fun and interesting. We did day 1 from Northport direct to Sault Sainte Marie and overnighted there, then made our way through the canadian locks the next morning, eventually to Marquette by about sunset. We did hole up at whitefish point for a few hours and let the westerly winds die out before making our way across to Marquette, stopping at Grand Marais for fuel.

We were in a large Boston Whaler (35?) with twin diesel Cummins turbo motors, so were able to pound it out in 2 days, but would be a lovely trip to take your time on. Extra days built in for travel on superior is a good idea, and lots of interesting places to stop and see along the way.

Highly recommended if you get the chance.

JP

Our sailing boat buddies' course. That segment alone is around 900 miles.
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[Ben423]

I agree with Willie regarding the jiggler pump. Many years ago I made my own using a ball check valve and hose cut to the exact length I needed on our 42' sailboat. Never spilled a drop, but I did manage to drop the pump overboard once! I still have it and keep it aboard our 28 now...just in case.

[tribologist]

I
As for timing, if all goes as planned our boat buddies are expecting to set sail from Washburn, WI & the Apostle Islands on or about July 5th or 6th & will take up to 34 days to make the 900 mile crossing to reach Tonawanda, maybe longer with any unforeseen weather or mechanical breakdown delays. That should make their ETA in Tonawanda some time around the 2nd week of August. Add in a couple days to get their mast lowered & strapped down and situated with fuel & provisions and some R&R down time and maybe a drive up to see Niagara Falls. So we'll probably set off along the canal around August 15, plus or minus a few days. With some of the maintenance issues going on with the canal this year it could take us 10 to 15 days to get from Tonawanda to Waterford.

August 19 is move in day for our son up at Alfred University. (its an hour south of Rochester.) He will study Studio art, Glass and Geramics there. Looks like we will be using a slightly different trailer to get the stuff there than most parents...

[DesertAlbin736]

August 19 is move in day for our son up at Alfred University. (its an hour south of Rochester.) He will study Studio art, Glass and Geramics there. Looks like we will be using a slightly different trailer to get the stuff there than most parents...

That will be close to time we start the canal passage. We may be somewhere along the way by then, perhaps as far as Little Falls. Exact timing still TBD, but once we start on the canal it will take 10 to 12 days to Waterford. More if any bad windstorms delay crossing Oneida Lake.

Update on the fuel siphon hose: I added a generic inline fuel filter just below the squeeze bulb.