Frequently Asked Questions

Ethanol Fuel Facts.

Q. What is Ethanol Fuel?
A. Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol is a flammable, colorless chemical compound that is added to gasoline to produce a blended fuel.

Q. Why are many states implementing ethanol fuel?
A. Rising energy and environmental problems have led to an increased interest in alcohol as a fuel.

Q. How is ethanol fuel identified?
A. The gas pump will indicate the fuel as a particular concentration of ethanol. For example if the pump indicates the fuel is E10, that means the fuel is a blended mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline by volume. The higher the “E number” the higher the percentage of ethanol.

Q. Is it okay to operate my boat on ethanol fuel?
A. It is acceptable to operate your ENGINE(S) on fuels rated E10 or less. Do not operate your engine(s) on fuel rated in excess of E10 as this could affect performance and void your warranty. You will need to check with the boat manufacture to determine whether the vessel components such as the gas tank and boat fuel lines are ethanol compatible.


Q. If automobiles can run up to E85 fuel why can't marine engines?
A. Automobiles have the ability to constantly monitor and adjust for different fuel blends. Marine engines on the other hand operate under vastly different conditions and duty cycles and do not have that capability.


Q. Is it safe to use methanol fuel?
A. Methanol fuel should NOT BE USED. This fuel is very corrosive and will create unsafe operating conditions.