Anyone Ever Break Down Or Run Out Of Gas At The Launch?

[EvanT123]

I did tonight. Ran out of gas right in the launch with the boat hooked up. Guess when the gauge reads 1/4 tank it really means empty. Pretty embarrassing. Thankfully the guy I was holding up had a few gas tanks in the back of his truck and went and got me some fuel.

[Long Mike]

Several years ago I loaned my boat to a couple of out-of-state college kids who were fishing a tournament here in Oklahoma.  The boat has a thirty-three gallon tank, and it had a full tank when I loaned it to them.  The only rules I laid down were that they pay for any damages and to return the boat with a full tank.  One of the boys was chaperoned by his father so I had few worries.  The boat was returned on time, with no damage.  Naturally, I assumed that I also had a full tank of gas also.  The next week-end I took the boat out.  After I got on plane I checked the gas gauge.  The needle was pointing at empty.  Lesson learned.

[S Hovanec]

Guess when the gauge reads 1/4 tank it really means empty.

Mine is just the opposite. When it hits 1/4, I still have over half. At 1/8, it's just under half.

[WIGuide]

I've had my gas light come on in my vehicle at the ramp before, but never ran out. With my boats...that's a different story haha. With my old boat, the gauge would read 1/4 tank less than what was in it. It was kind of nice because if you ran it down to "E" you knew you still had enough to get back. However with a lot of the smaller lakes around here and just hitting the water for a few hours 1/4 tank is more than enough to get you through....in most cases haha. I only ran out once with it, and managed to pump the bulb enough suck up a little extra gas to make it the little ways left to get back to the ramp.

 

With the boat I currently have, the gas gauge reads higher when it's on the trailer than when it's in the water. Unfortunately it's accurate when in the water. Ran out one night when fishing against my dad in our little father son tourneys we have shortly after I got the boat. Got to be pulled back to the ramp by dad haha. 

[Way2slow]

What are you talking about, I've been boating for over 50 years and I've never run out of gas, and I've never left the drain plug out.

I had a guy tell me that one day when I tried to help him get his motor started at the dock before heading out. It acted like it wanted to start but would only hit for a few seconds. I asked him if he had checked his gas, that is sounded like it was not getting gas. That's when a laid that line on me. I told him "well, I believe you have now" and went on fishing.