NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The boating season officially begins on the weekend of Remembrance Day. It’s a holiday when many North Texans end up on the area’s lakes.
But CBS11 has a new warning for boaters before going out to water this summer. The federal government plans to allow more ethanol in unleaded gas starting June 1 to reduce the rapid cost of refueling cars and trucks.
While this may not damage your vehicle, experts have said it could damage your boat. Ethanol is a type of alcohol that is also a fuel additive. This is already in most of the unleaded gas we buy.
But soon the allowable amount will be increased to 15% to help reduce the cost we pay for pumps.
Rick Wegman has a high-quality ski boat ready for a trip on Lake Ray Hubbard this summer.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m very pleased that this year it’s nice to come out of the COVID pandemic and start communicating again, which is obviously exciting. So I’m very filled with that.”
If Wegman pulls his boat to East Texas, he will be careful where he fills it with gas.
“There are always problems with ethyl alcohol.”
Vanessa Lawson of NorTex Marine explained that makes so much ethanol in gas for a boat.
“You start the engine,” she said, “and the fuel line goes or starts at the bottom of the tank, so it sucks all that mucus into your carburetor, your fuel lines, it can cause a lot of problems.”
The Coast Guard has issued a warning that E15 gas is causing marine engines to heat up and could even cause a fire on the boats.
“I’m very concerned, especially if they’re going to add more ethanol to the tanks. It’s just for boat owners to be more knowledgeable,” Lawson said.
There are a number of gas retailers in North Texas that offer ethanol-free gas. These pumps usually have a blue nozzle. People can also get it by filling in most marinas.
