storing petrol

[rigpigpaul]

Hi All, I am in the process of buying a 8HP outboard and a 2 KVA petrol generator. I want to store 5 gallon of petrol at a time. What should I store it in and where is the best place. I am on a 40ft yacht with limited locker space.
thanks
RPP

 

[sarabande]

bear in mind that petrol vapour is heavier than air, so will creep gently down below if the can is stored in an ordinary locker. And 5 galls is lot of potential explosive power !

I'd be tempted to buy an ex-MoD can (the type with a lock) and store it on deck on a piece of wood, or even a purpose built box with a vapour drain, as they rust for a pastime.

If you want something smart on deck, these stainless ones are very shiny and expensive. I emailed them some time ago with a question about welds and vibration, and never had a reply, though.

http://www.yegods.co.uk/Stainless-Steel-Fuel-Cans/20L-stainless-steel-fuel-can/details

 

[GrahamM376]

We use a couple of 5 litre plastic petrol cans held upright on shelf in cockpit locker. Wouldn't want them loose or where anything could drop on and puncture them.

 

[rigpigpaul]

bear in mind that petrol vapour is heavier than air, so will creep gently down below if the can is stored in an ordinary locker. And 5 galls is lot of potential explosive power !

I'd be tempted to buy an ex-MoD can (the type with a lock) and store it on deck on a piece of wood, or even a purpose built box with a vapour drain, as they rust for a pastime.

If you want something smart on deck, these stainless ones are very shiny and expensive. I emailed them some time ago with a question about welds and vibration, and never had a reply, though.

http://www.yegods.co.uk/Stainless-Steel-Fuel-Cans/20L-stainless-steel-fuel-can/details

sarabande,good point about the petrol vapour but those shiny cans are a bit OTT. I have used a couple of 5L plastic cans before but I wanted something bigger that i could just attached to wheels and head off to the local garage. I intend to spend a lot of time at anchor. Do you know if the local fuel tankers that come down to the quay ever carry petrol?
rgds
RPP

 

[sarabande]

sorry, can't help, you are out of my region.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

If you're going to store them out in the Sun those shiny ones may not be such a bad idea! The Green (and RAF Blue - guess how I found this out...) metal ones can get VERY hot in the Sun - I don't know what the plastic ones are like but I would imagine the plastic acts as a reasonable insulator so they may not be as bad.

 

[duncan99210]

Use 5 or 10 litre plastic ones and stow them in the chain locker, which is vented over the side. Bit of a pain shifting them everytime you drop the hook, but it's better than putting them in an unvented locker elsewhere, where the vapour can build up to explosive densities. Don't use mildsteel jerry cans as they rust through in no time and leave marks all over the deck.

 

[oldharry]

Petrol sales and storage regulations are pretty tight in UK. Although few roadside garages bother, marine fuel outlets tend to be more fussy: they are only supposed to dispense fuel into plastic cans no more than 5l capacity, and marked clearly 'petroleum spirit'. This usually means the standard red or green 5l size cans you can buy from most outlets. larger quantities can only be dispensed in to the 'jerry can' style 20l metal cans, again clearly marked. Otherwise into a built in fuel tank on the boat.

Some sales points are quite strict, and I have been refused fuel because I was not using the 'proper' containers. I never had a road side garage worry about it, although they have signs up specifying 'authorised containers only' if you are not putting it in the car. I like to use the 10l black plastic diesel cans for petrol storage. They are much more toughly made, and not too heavy to carry a distance, or to heft up over the side from the dinghy. But technically it is illegal for a licensed petroleum dealer to dispense fuel into them.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

I store the petrol in the gas locker so any fumes drain overboard. I knew there had to be some advantage of fitting a diesel cooker.

 

[CharlesSwallow]

My petrol can is stored in a cockpit locker but I fitted an overboard drain to the locker first. I find though that the small plastic cans as you might want to use to transfer the petrol from the main storage can to the O/B or genny often have poor seals and are therefore the greater safety risk.

Chas