"Wildest Dream" wrote

..... just saying I wouldn't put my boat and my crew (family) in
that hazardous situation, I wish we had somebody hear from the CG, or the
Aux.

I'm in the Auxiliary, WD. This business of fuel tanks gets thrashed about
regularly because some of the base definitions remain subjective. I can't
find anywhere where "portable" is defined for fuel tanks, and this is
understandable. Even a six-gallon tank is barely portable for some people.
Closest I've seen is commentary in Chapman's where they recommend the
removal of portable tanks for refueling off the vessel, but suggest that as
a practical matter, any tank 12 gallons or larger ought to be refueled in
place, regardless of its technical "portability." Hefting a 75 lb weight
around on a moving platform carries some risk, regardless of your physical
strength. (Weight of gasoline is about 6.1 lb/gal.)

This leaves a wide gray area, of course, because the CFR183 only stipulates
fuel fill system standards for permanently installed tanks. There are
standards for fuel lines and connectors for outboard systems, but no tank
fill system standards.

Personally, I'd rather have a few six-gallon tanks in a boat with an
outboard engine. Not only can the refueling be handled more easily, but you
can also move the tanks not in use forward to better trim the boat, rather
than having all the fuel weight in the stern.

JG