GL: Ethanol in fuel.

[Jim Fidler]

I think the ethanol is most common in urban areas
where it is supposed to reduce air pollution.  Rural
areas far away from the big cities might still be
getting gasoline without ethanol.

Jim Fidler


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D C *Mac* Macdonald" <k2gkk at hotmail.com>
To: <great-loop at lists.samurai.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: GL: Ethanol in fuel.


> There is no gasoline with ethanol at marinas
> on my lake in NE Oklahoma.
>
> In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw
> pumps in shore gas stations that notified you
> that the gasoline being dispensed contained
> ethanols.  It's been several years here in OK,
> for sure.
>
> It's probably most common in states of the
> midwest where grain is commonly grown.
> One supposed problem with ethanol is that
> it uses more energy derived from petroleum
> fuels to produce than it will actually deliver.
>
> The only way that it is "competitive" pricewise
> with gasoline is massive government subsidies
> which are extorted from  US  through taxes.
>
> Pure ethanol or methanol is commonly used
> in automobile racing, even though it contains
> less energy.  If memory serves me correctly,
> the alcohol fuel is used mostly (or only) from
> a safety standpoint in that it is unlikely to
> explode and alcohol fires can be extinguished
> with water!
>
> *  D C "Mac" Macdonald  *
> * m/v Another Adventure *
> *  '95 Carver 355 ACMY  *
> * Grand Lake - Oklahoma *
> *  AGLCA (#217) & USPS  *
>
>
>
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: "Dave Cooper" <swansong at gmn-usa.com>
> To: "'Great Loop'" <great-loop at lists.samurai.com>
> Subject: Re: GL: Ethanol in fuel.
> Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 10:03:35 -0400
>
> <Glenn wrote: The answer to "Who has created this nightmare ? " is simple,
> we have.... Most boats fuel systems should have already been converted.>
>
> Actually the widespread use of Ethanol fuels has just really happened. To 
> my
> knowledge there is none in the Caribbean which includes Puerto Rico and 
> the
> USVI. I forget the number of regions but there are something like 20
> different gasoline formulations that are require to blended for each of
> them. A distribution nightmare. The fuel you purchase in Maine isn't the
> same blend as that in Ohio, etc. I would bet that in doing the great loop
> you'd have close to 10 different blends over the course of it. What each 
> one
> contains is a mystery to the guy at the pumps and thereby to you.
> Many boats are still ill prepared for these blends. Those that have 
> gasoline
> engines with built in fiberglass tanks are really most at risk. The cost 
> to
> resolve the tank issue alone may well be more than the boat is worth.
>
> We saw another listee that suggested go to the auto parts store and buying
> fuel hose to replace older non compatible hose. I would suggest that you
> don't do this as most surveyors and thereby insurance companies would look
> unfavorably at this. All fuel hose on a boat need to be either USCG 
> approved
> type 1 or 2 as appropriate to the use of fuel line or filler hose. These 
> are
> not only "alcohol/methanol/bio safe" but are fire/heat resistance as well. 
> I
> forget their burn thru resistance off hand but it is a lot longer than one
> might expect of a piece of hose. Much more than the alcohol resistance
> automobile hose from the auto parts store.
>
> With all the issues with ethanol, volatility/its affinity to hold water/
> reduced energy per gallon/solvent aspects/etc, it appears that this really
> isn't a good boat fuel.
>
> Perhaps Ethanol was a good first start in the 70's as Glenn suggests but 
> 35
> years later there may be better alternatives. Looking at Butanol, for
> example which BP is a believer in, shows that there may be options which
> better suit as gasoline additives than Ethanol.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biobutanol
>
> I always worry when the legislative process mandates or encourages an old
> technology vs. making a more open and less restrictive incentive to come 
> up
> with better alternatives. Mandating 10% Ethanol in gasoline sort of shuts
> the door to other, possibly better, alternatives, IMHO.
>
> As always YMMV and will with Ethanol ;-)
>
> Dave & Nancy
> Swan Song
> Roughwater 58
> Caribbean Cruise '07
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