BOATsmart! Canada
Knowledge Base

Safety Precautions When Fuelling

Gasoline is highly explosive when mixed with air. Gas vapours will ignite when exposed to flames or sparks resulting in destruction of property, serious injury, and death. For these reasons, it’s important to use these common sense safety rules when fuelling your boat:

• Always use caution when fuelling.
• Do not overfill the fuel tank or spill fuel. Spilling fuel into the engine or passenger compartment can increase the risk of explosion or fire.
• Fuel your boat during daylight, when an artificial light source is not needed. The electrical current from the light source can ignite fuel vapours.
• Never smoke while refuelling.

Remember: Since gasoline is highly flammable and explosive, every boat that has a gasoline engine or uses propane devices must have ignition-protected electrical devices. These devices prevent sparks from escaping the engine, and keep the gasoline from igniting if the boat engine backfires.

Only use electrical components that are clearly labeled as ignition protected, and never modify or repair marine engines with automotive parts.