In the January issue of Power & Motoryacht, Capt. Patrick Sciacca chronicled two boaters’ adventures with ethanol gasoline (Encounters With Ethanol). In 2003, several states switched from traditional methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) to a fuel blend containing 10 percent ethanol (E10)—with many arguing that the move will help reduce our dependency on foreign oil. However, Sciacca’s article detailed how E10 can also erode fiberglass fuel tanks and rubber hoses.
Now the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) has taken a stand on the issue. Its board of directors recently approved a resolution supporting “all efforts to retain current federal ethanol gasoline additive standards of E10 and oppose any attempts to increase additive levels beyond that level due to the destructive nature of ethanol to marine engine systems and the resulting safety considerations to vessel passengers.”
The resolution was one of several given to the MRAA by the Advisory Council of Marine Associations at MRAA’s annual convention this past November.
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