When’s the last time you pulled your yacht up to a fueling station, popped off the cap to its gas tank and whistled your way to a full tank? Chances are, this isn’t something you’ve ever had to do before, so how in the world do you refuel your yacht when the needle is pointing to “E”? Well, the process is more complicated than you might think, with room for errors that can be deadly if you’re not properly versed when it comes to yacht fueling in Fort Lauderdale. Take a gander at this quick guide to fueling your yacht, which features some helpful tips that could just save your life:
- Secure your boat: The first thing you’ll always want to do when fueling your yacht is secure your boat properly. A drifting boat can cause the fuel nozzle to spring loose, spilling expensive fuel all over the place. Not only is this costly, it’s detrimental to the environment and your yacht itself.
- Shut down the vessel: You wouldn’t leave your car running while you gas it up, so it only makes sense that you should turn off your boat before a yacht fueling in Fort Lauderdale.
- Figure out your capacity: Fuel is expensive and can cost you an arm and a leg if you’re overfilling. Know the size of your yacht’s tank and properly determine how much fuel you need to put in it for your day out on the ocean. Overfilling can leave you with a tank that’s too heavy, while under filling can leave you stranded in open water!
- Fill the proper port: Unlike a car, your boat has a number of different external openings that can easily be mistaken for a gas tank. If you’re not careful, you could end up filling your waste port with fuel, which, while funny, could set you back a huge chunk of change to correct. Make sure you’ve properly located the gas fill and fill fuel only to this location.
- Trap vapor: During the process of filling and after you’ve finished, it’s important to utilize a suctioned gas catcher bottle or an absorbent towel to prevent blow back gasses from escaping from your fuel port. Blow back gasses are dangerous and can cause buildups that are prone to combustion due to external variables.
- Leave room for expansion: It’s always important to remember that during yacht fueling in Fort Lauderdale, you must leave room in your tank for expansion. Gasses and the fuel itself are subject to change density after they’re pumped, which can lead to an expansion within the tank. This expansion can trigger faulty measuring within your tank or dangerous compression at extreme levels.
- Clean up your mess: Spilling fuel is a federal crime, so be sure to clean up even the smallest mess to avoid trouble. If you accidently spill on the yacht itself, check to see if your boater’s insurance covers accidental spills.
If you’re adverse to filling up your own tank, be sure to seek professional help from an experienced yacht company like Starboard Yacht Group LLC. Instead of worrying about all of the things that could go wrong when filling up your tank, a professional can get the job done for you!
Categorised in: Yacht Fueling