Originally Posted by GoFastScott (Post 3704613)

May be an old wives tale, but I was told by a sea captain 20 yrs ago that blower should be off while fueling. He also told me when you are done fueling, raise the hatch and see if you smell fumes before you turn the blower on, that if there are enough fumes when you start the blower the contact spark from the blower can spark and start a fire.

Originally Posted by Hematite (Post 3703165)

Not as far as I know. I was told NOT to run bilge blowers while fueling. The blowers draw air from outside and that air will have gas fumes in it while the boat is fueled. After fueling is done then the blowers should be run before starting up. It's a good idea to personally sniff the air being expelled by the blowers to be sure that no fumes are present. Again, what I was told.

Originally Posted by Here's Johnny (Post 3703151)

when I pull up to a dock to fuel my boat first thing I do is turn my blowers on.......

Originally Posted by 4bus (Post 3703198)

I'm all for being careful, but I think this boat must have had bigger problems than fumes from fueling up.

I know these explosions do happen, but what was the real cause? I am guilty myself of not using blowers, and changing fuel water sep on the water with spillage. I have seen boats run all year with gas leaks (I stay away) I have smelled gas on boats from yards away. Hell I even watched a guys wife hold something on his carb cause it pissed fuel at idle......all year she held it, THAT boat smelled like gas. Still, I have never witnessed even a fire.....knock on wood

Bottom line is this is scary stuff, but how scary? Something makes me think there is more to the story than what we hear when these boats explode! To treat filling up like you are handling nuclear waste just seems a little goofy to me. "Ok crew, shut all the doors and windows, turn off everything electrical and exit the boat" "someone get me the pocket level before I fill up" "If you have a cell phone please turn it off and place it in the static proof bag" "Ok crew, boat is full, please open all windows, I will run the blowers for 4 mins, someone please time me then I will need everyone to do a sniff test in all areas of the boat before I start it" If THAT guy was in front of me at the gas dock I might lose it.

Millions of boats fuel up all year, one or two explode......no need to be paranoid

Originally Posted by 36Tango (Post 3704639)

I did it that way for years, but was corrected a few years ago. The blowers go on after fueling. If they are on during fueling, the blowers can actually draw fumes into the bilge through the make up air vent.

Originally Posted by Too Stroked (Post 3704604)

Dumb reporter. Anybody notice how he says one person was "sitting on the bow, right on top of the motor?" Maybe it was a front wheel drive boat.