New England boat owners wary of effects of ethanol blended fuel

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With boating season getting into full swing, some boat and marina owners in northern New England are less worried about the cost of gas than the type of fuel that’s going into their fuel tanks.

Across the country, many boat owners already have gone through the transition to gasoline with a 10 percent ethanol mix, known as E10. Now, marinas here in the nation’s northeast corner are beginning to see ethanol-blended fuel, and there are fears of potential problems.

The problems aren’t universal, but some marinas say they’re busy rebuilding carburetors and replacing filters and hoses.

Increased sales of ethanol is driven to a large degree by federal policy that calls for increased reliance on biofuels.

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