If you are a boater, you know all about the “E” word. It’s the scourge of your engine’s carburetor and the reason for lots of problems.

Ethanol.

When the feds mandated that vehicles start using gas that featured 10 percent ethanol, mechanics started noticing more engine issues – especially when that power source had used gas that didn’t feature the corn-based product that is supposed to reduce emissions. Sales of fuel additives boomed as equipment faulted.

The problem with ethanol is that it retains water and we all know that water isn’t something you want in your engine – be it from condensation or from an accident.

One of the best things you can do is keep the gas tank full. Another is to add a water separator to the system. And it sure doesn’t hurt to add a high-quality additive, especially if there is a chance you won’t be using the boat for a couple of weeks. These additives will help prevent sentiment, gum, and varnish build-up that all form when gas goes bad.

You have a lot of money invested in your vessel, so you might as well perform preventative maintenance so you don’t have an issue.

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