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Author Topic:   Legal requirements on portable fuel tanks

Frank O posted 05-17-2014 01:55 PM ET (US)
Over the next few weeks I wanted to run the built-in fuel tank in my 1995 Outrage 21 pretty close to empty. I thought I'd bring a portable 5-gallon tank to avoid being stranded if the gauge readouts aren't accurate.
The harbor police in our area tend to be sticklers. Are there any legal fine points I need to worry about if I want to carry this portable tank on deck? My portable tank was bought at West Marine probably ~7-8 years ago, and I'm vaguely remembering there might have been new rules on portable tanks since then? I'm in California, if that makes a difference.

contender posted 05-17-2014 02:33 PM ET (US)
The only way to protect yourself is to conntact your local marine patrol and ask them, I would get a name and date when you spoke to and what about. Anyone stopping you at least you have something to back up your story with. As far as I know portable tanks must not be larger than 6 gallons and place above deck in the open. Plastic, metal, or alum I do not think it matters....Good luck
Frank O posted 05-17-2014 07:57 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the suggestion. This particular jurisdiction is charged with policing a huge commercial port, and recreational boating is a small part of their world. It's pretty hard to reach someone on the phone to ask questions like this. But I guess I can give it a try.
Tom W Clark posted 05-17-2014 10:05 PM ET (US)
Frank -- You have nothing to worry about.
Morocco posted 05-31-2014 04:51 PM ET (US)
The authorities like to see those red (gas) plastic/metal tanks I think because they know they are built to some kind of spec for transport. Case in point, my neighbor in Key West fuels his Wellcraft with 2 250 Yamaha from a 50 gallon drum that he bought from a local commercial fisherman. It is just a regular black metal drum, with a hand crank pump.
So he goes to the local Circle K and he's filling his drum, like he has for maybe 50 times over the last 5 years, and a Florida DFW officer pulls in to get coffee, and on his way back out asks my neighbor if that is an approved fuel transport device.
Said neighbor (from New Jersey, of course) looks at him like he's crazy and says something Jersey smart-ass like "Yeah, I guess so, it's a gas drum, what's there to approve?" The DFW guy doesn't like his tone and pretty soon neighbor is told to sit down in his truck while the DFW guy goes back to his car...
...a few minutes later, here comes a Sheriff's car. He gets out, talks to the DFW guy, comes over looks at the drum, talks to the neighbor...and then a Navy Police car comes over...now they have a little convention going on by the DFW car...then finally a FIRE chief in a car from the County joins them.
Now neighbor is getting nervous, but being from Jersey, he's pissed too (at one point, supposedly: "you guys gonna arrest me or let me die of old age?")
Finally the cars disperse, and DFW guy comes up and tells him something about static electricity danger (valid, since the barrel is in the bed of the truck and so is not grounded) and sends neighbor on his way. Neighbor then asks what all the talking was about -- apparently they were trying to find something to write the ticket/charge him with, but at least in Florida, he hadn't broken any laws and there was not way to prove that the drum was unsafe (it is strapped to the truck, etc.)
But he did tell him if the drum was red or placarded as an approved device, no one would check.
I fuel from a 28 gallon red 'Gas Walker' that I bought when my Revenge was in Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles. I used to do it right from the dock, and the only thing I was told was I had to have a fire extinguisher and a spill prevention/clean up device nearby.
I think you're ok, as long as you're not from Jersey.
contender posted 06-02-2014 02:04 AM ET (US)
Ok I guess I have to change my answer a little, Portable Fuel Tank can be any size in the state of Fla. But once the tank is put in/on the boat, portable now becomes no larger than 6 gallon tank (per the US Coast Guard) This was a qustion on the Fla Boating Test given by the Coast Guard for kids (under 16) requied by the state. However I have seen 55 gallon barrels of fuel straped to the insides of boats many times, I have also seen fuel bladders used on decks, that hold well over 100 gallons of fuel. If you are just looking for the answer of portable its 6 gallons in/on a boat, after that they do not consider it to be portable, but you can still have/use it. I think where this comes into play is you would be required to have a fire extingusher if the fuel tank was not portable (larger than 6 gallons or below deck) on a boat smaller than 16 feet.
EJO posted 06-03-2014 01:15 PM ET (US)
You're fine with a <6 gallon (red) fuel tank on deck in a well ventilated area and as your boat is 21 ft make sure you have a marine (USCG) approved fire extinguisher (a regular "std" fire extinguisher is a no no)and if you had a VSC done by your local USPS you will not need to worry. Just make sure the 6 gallons are enough to get you back to the dock with fuel to spare.
You know the fuel 1/3 rule.

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Author	Topic: Legal requirements on portable fuel tanks
Frank O	posted 05-17-2014 01:55 PM ET (US) Over the next few weeks I wanted to run the built-in fuel tank in my 1995 Outrage 21 pretty close to empty. I thought I'd bring a portable 5-gallon tank to avoid being stranded if the gauge readouts aren't accurate. The harbor police in our area tend to be sticklers. Are there any legal fine points I need to worry about if I want to carry this portable tank on deck? My portable tank was bought at West Marine probably ~7-8 years ago, and I'm vaguely remembering there might have been new rules on portable tanks since then? I'm in California, if that makes a difference.
contender	posted 05-17-2014 02:33 PM ET (US) The only way to protect yourself is to conntact your local marine patrol and ask them, I would get a name and date when you spoke to and what about. Anyone stopping you at least you have something to back up your story with. As far as I know portable tanks must not be larger than 6 gallons and place above deck in the open. Plastic, metal, or alum I do not think it matters....Good luck
Frank O	posted 05-17-2014 07:57 PM ET (US) Thanks for the suggestion. This particular jurisdiction is charged with policing a huge commercial port, and recreational boating is a small part of their world. It's pretty hard to reach someone on the phone to ask questions like this. But I guess I can give it a try.
Tom W Clark	posted 05-17-2014 10:05 PM ET (US) Frank -- You have nothing to worry about.
Morocco	posted 05-31-2014 04:51 PM ET (US) The authorities like to see those red (gas) plastic/metal tanks I think because they know they are built to some kind of spec for transport. Case in point, my neighbor in Key West fuels his Wellcraft with 2 250 Yamaha from a 50 gallon drum that he bought from a local commercial fisherman. It is just a regular black metal drum, with a hand crank pump. So he goes to the local Circle K and he's filling his drum, like he has for maybe 50 times over the last 5 years, and a Florida DFW officer pulls in to get coffee, and on his way back out asks my neighbor if that is an approved fuel transport device. Said neighbor (from New Jersey, of course) looks at him like he's crazy and says something Jersey smart-ass like "Yeah, I guess so, it's a gas drum, what's there to approve?" The DFW guy doesn't like his tone and pretty soon neighbor is told to sit down in his truck while the DFW guy goes back to his car... ...a few minutes later, here comes a Sheriff's car. He gets out, talks to the DFW guy, comes over looks at the drum, talks to the neighbor...and then a Navy Police car comes over...now they have a little convention going on by the DFW car...then finally a FIRE chief in a car from the County joins them. Now neighbor is getting nervous, but being from Jersey, he's pissed too (at one point, supposedly: "you guys gonna arrest me or let me die of old age?") Finally the cars disperse, and DFW guy comes up and tells him something about static electricity danger (valid, since the barrel is in the bed of the truck and so is not grounded) and sends neighbor on his way. Neighbor then asks what all the talking was about -- apparently they were trying to find something to write the ticket/charge him with, but at least in Florida, he hadn't broken any laws and there was not way to prove that the drum was unsafe (it is strapped to the truck, etc.) But he did tell him if the drum was red or placarded as an approved device, no one would check. I fuel from a 28 gallon red 'Gas Walker' that I bought when my Revenge was in Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles. I used to do it right from the dock, and the only thing I was told was I had to have a fire extinguisher and a spill prevention/clean up device nearby. I think you're ok, as long as you're not from Jersey.
contender	posted 06-02-2014 02:04 AM ET (US) Ok I guess I have to change my answer a little, Portable Fuel Tank can be any size in the state of Fla. But once the tank is put in/on the boat, portable now becomes no larger than 6 gallon tank (per the US Coast Guard) This was a qustion on the Fla Boating Test given by the Coast Guard for kids (under 16) requied by the state. However I have seen 55 gallon barrels of fuel straped to the insides of boats many times, I have also seen fuel bladders used on decks, that hold well over 100 gallons of fuel. If you are just looking for the answer of portable its 6 gallons in/on a boat, after that they do not consider it to be portable, but you can still have/use it. I think where this comes into play is you would be required to have a fire extingusher if the fuel tank was not portable (larger than 6 gallons or below deck) on a boat smaller than 16 feet.
EJO	posted 06-03-2014 01:15 PM ET (US) You're fine with a <6 gallon (red) fuel tank on deck in a well ventilated area and as your boat is 21 ft make sure you have a marine (USCG) approved fire extinguisher (a regular "std" fire extinguisher is a no no)and if you had a VSC done by your local USPS you will not need to worry. Just make sure the 6 gallons are enough to get you back to the dock with fuel to spare. You know the fuel 1/3 rule.