Ethanol gas is fine if you run it in what you use every day. Now when the problems you run into is if you let it set around for too long. Ethanol gas just after two weeks starts to develop what is called phase separation. Where the gas and ethanol has a distinctive boundary layer. Not only that, the Ethanol blends better with water than it will with gas. No gas last forever, usually about 90 days is the max time on non-ethanol fuels. Even with a stabilizer, it might extend it out to 6 months... Still six month old fuel is asking for trouble if you try to use it. Like others have mentioned, the best way to keep the carbs from gumming up is to run it out of gas to make sure that no gas is left in the carbs. Some carbs have drains on the bowls. Next is to get some good spray carb cleaner and spray into each carb before storage. My suggestion for Fuel additives to help with the problem is either BioBor EB(which 16oz treats 240gal~80gal for storage), or the Amsol Gas Stabilizer(1oz to 2.4gal) is a very good product. It should be mandatory for every boat out there to have an external 10 micron fuel filter/water separator.

running ethanol is not the only problem, it's the crud the ethanol "cleans" out of a non-ethanol tank and gets passed to the fuel system.

definately have a 10 micron filter

OH! I saw that Florida might start selling E15. Be careful! Never use ethanol higher than E10!!

E15 can also be sold in GA,KS,NE,SD,ND,MN,WI,IA,TN,AL,NC,MI,FL,OH,IL,AR

I wouldn't doubt it.... I know a few people that has done some testing and found that it says E-10 on the pumps, in fact tested to around E-15... I know people that race go-karts and high performance street cars love E-85. Its around 99 octane, and you can get it for around .30 to .50 cents less than 87 pump gas. The issue with it is you have to test your batches and make sure it is corrected to E-85.

Agees with local dealer
 

Thanks Starzo. You're advice agrees with my local Yama dealer. One question. Can you mix e-10 with regular gas? Seller put 5 gallons of non-e gas in tank before purchase.

Yes... E-10 IS 90% low octane gas and 10% ethanol.... Mix in straight gas and you simply end up w e-9 or e-8 or better.

E-8
 

Sounds good. Boat in the water tomorrow.

New wrinkle
 

Haven't cranked the Yama 50 yet but I have a 2.5 Yama that I bought several years ago for my wife's 12 ft. John boat and I just started it. It has been sitting idle in my shed for at least 2.5 years. I was gong to trash the thing but put it in a barrel and she started on the second pull. I let it run for a few minutes an remembered advice not to use old gas (especially ethanol which is what was in the tank). I used Stabil in the gas before storage and ran the thing with gas shut off to drain gas from carb. Amazing! Makes me a whole lot less apprehensive about ethanol.

none of the engine manufactures say ethanol fuel is good for your engine. They say it can tolerate e10 at max. Keep running that garbage, it keeps me busy. Ethanol fuel is nothing more than buying votes from the corn farmers. Its been proven to create more emissions that it saves(actually increases emissions). I run it when I have to, but I try not to. One of my customers contacted a local oil supplier, he got a 250 gallon above ground fuel tank placed at his house. It cost him $2.20 per gallon of non e 91 octane(no road taxes). His Albermarle 24 has a 90 gallon tank. It only takes a couple trips to empty that tank. If any of y'all are fishing a lot, it may be worth it to check into getting your own tank. If I had time to use my boat more often, I'd already have a tank

Spare is right, big time Washington DC lobby. Ethanol sponsers a couple race teams and has "American Ethanol" plastered down the side of the cars to give that feel good patriotic vibe, what a freakin' joke.

I just sold two above ground tanks, one 275 gallon and one 223 gallon. With me not burning much gas I found it easier to have 6 gallon jerry cans that I keep on a rotation. If you head offshore regularly though it would be worth it to have it delivered and not pay the tax.