- If spare fuel is a necessity, perhaps to complete a longer river trip, you must comply with UK law. Do not carry more than 30 litres of petrol and ensure that containers are no more than 10 litres if plastic, or 20 litres if metal.
- Don’t overfill petrol containers, leave some expansion space. Stow them securely upright and protected from pressurisation by siting them away from intense heat and out of direct sunlight. Never stow spare petrol in the engine or cabin space.
- Petrol cans and spare fuel containers should be stored away from any source of ignition, ideally in dedicated drained lockers, where any escaping petrol fuel and/or vapours will flow overboard and dissipate safely.
- Take care to protect petrol containers; any that are subject to impacts, dropped or generally treated roughly could start leaking.
- Don’t store tools, anchors, mooring pins or other items in the same locker that could cause sparks, damage the petrol containers or block the drains.
- Ensure your locker is always in good condition. It must be vapour tight to the top of any petrol can. The drain line from the locker always
needs to run freely with no sagging or blockages and its outlet should be above the waterline.
- Only proper cans/containers, specifically designed for petrol, should be used for spare fuel. Anything else could allow fuel or vapours to escape and you may risk breaking the law and invalidating your boat’s insurance.
Next: Some further tips to consider »