Ethanol - Is it a problem?

[Sweetwater]

I realize there has already been a thread started that relates to this (see Fuel Issues), but I wanted to get comments and feedback from anyone who actually has experience with using ethanol (ethyl alcohol) blended fuel in their boat, since it is being widely introduced in Massachusetts. I have some info and Team Rock On posted a good link from Mercury Marine in the other thread.

This is what I know so far. Ethanol:
- Is highly corrosive, especially for aluminum and brass
- Can degrade certain materials, especially fiberglass gas tanks and some hoses and components
- Mixes easily with water which can be introduced through your air intake and from simple humidity.
- This can cause problems during long periods of storage.
- Existing water in a tank (after years of running 100% gasoline or MBTE mix) can be “taken up” by the ethanol
- Can cause the ethanol to separate from the gasoline dramatically reducing octane levels and even cause the engine to stall or fail (and not restart).
- (Note, this isn’t a problem in cars due to the fuel being a “closed” system and the fact that you burn most the fuel out of the tank more often).
- Many marine engine manufacturers recommend a 10 micron filter
- Blends over 10% ethanol are almost always NOT recommended
- Methanol is a more of a problem than Ethanol

I have some questions that I hope some of you can answer.
- Are there any additives, such a dry gas, which can be used to remove the water or prevent separation of the ethanol from the gasoline?
- What preventative measures are you taking to ensure you don’t develop engine problems at sea?
- Is there a way to test your fuel to determine if you have excess water or separation problems?

Would appreciate any feedback and comments.