Before fuelling a boat with a cabin and an inboard engine, what should be done with doors, windows and hatches?
- Open them, to let vapors blow through
- Leave them as they are while fuelling
- Open only those on the side away from the pump
- Close them, to keep vapors out of the boat
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D. Close them, to keep vapors out of the boat
Everything is closed before fuelling so vapor cannot flow into the cabin and bilge, and all engines, flames and electrical equipment are shut off. After fuelling the boat is opened up and ventilated.
Reference: NASBLA boating education standard: fuelling
Why should the fuel nozzle be kept in contact with the fill pipe or tank opening while fuelling?
- To make the pump's automatic shutoff work
- To prevent a spark from static electricity
- To keep rain out of the fuel fill opening
- To stop air from being trapped in the tank
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B. To prevent a spark from static electricity
Flowing fuel builds a static charge. Metal-to-metal contact between nozzle and fill carries the charge away instead of letting it jump as a spark in a cloud of vapor.
Reference: NASBLA boating education standard: fuelling
After fuelling a boat with an enclosed gasoline engine compartment, how long should the blower run before the engine is started?
- About 30 seconds
- At least 1 minute
- At least 4 minutes
- At least 15 minutes
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C. At least 4 minutes
The blower is run for at least four minutes to clear vapor from the engine space, and the operator then checks by smell before starting. Thirty seconds or a minute does not exchange the air in the compartment.
Reference: 33 CFR 183.610 (blower warning label); NASBLA standard