It comes with the nature of the beast, but If you own a jet ski, you’ll be putting gas in it quite a bit, so you’ll need a few good quality gas cans and not the ones you get from Lowes or Home Depot! While this sounds simple enough, when you start looking for gas cans, you’ll soon realize many of them are not that great.
You’ll see that all the gas cans made for lawn mowers and other small engines are messy, stupid and simply don’t work well with jet skis. The last thing you want to do is spill anything flammable, it tears up decals and fades plastic parts. This is why I’ve created this guide to help you find gas cans that work great for most people’s need. It doesn’t matter what type you have, as these gas cans will work for you.
Important – Please keep in mind that gas and fuel cans are dangerous! Please follow all laws and instructions for your fuel can! What works for me and what is ideal for me may not be for you, so please follow all laws, regulations, and instructions when dealing with gasoline!!!
Top Picks For Jet Ski Gas Cans:
The best gas cans to get are:
- Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon (Amazon Link Ad)
- Racing Utility Jug (Amazon Link Ad)
- LinQ Fuel Caddy (Amazon Link Ad)
Each one solves its own unique problem when it comes to putting gas in.
The overall winner will be the Justrite AccuFlow gas can.
The Justrite AccuFlow will be the top all-around gas can to use.
Another option, and one I, personally use, is the racing utility jug. Combined with a fuel transfer pump, it can make easy work of putting gas in your jet ski. What I don’t suggest is the plastic gas cans you get at the department stores, as they end up making a bigger mess and are overly horrible to use.
Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon
I put the Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon as the most ideal for jet skis, mostly because its safety features are not annoying, nor does it balloon up like those plastic gas cans.
You get an auto-closing lid which keeps the vapors from leaking out into your garage or wherever you may store the fuel. You get a long pour hose that works well getting the gas into the tank. Not only that, but you also have the metal mesh that works as a flame arrestor, which is a huge safety feature! Overall, the Justrite AccuFlow 5 Gallon gas can is the ideal option you can get to use with your own jet ski.
Racing Utility Jugs
The racing utility jugs are what I, personally, use, but not something I recommend to most people.
These jugs don’t have all the safety items on them, so extra caution must be given when filling, emptying and storing them. These jugs must be stored in a well-ventilated area and away from kids, pets, and odd-ball neighbors. For my jet ski, I like using the fuel transfer pump, as it makes quick work of it and I don’t have to lift anything too high.
What Most Jet Ski Dealerships Use
These racing style gas cans are what most dealerships use because they’re simple and easy to pour in the fuel fill. Plus, if you need to fill up many jet skis, this will be a great option as no other can stores as neatly and easily. You can easily fill them and pour fuel into the jet ski’s tank; I just grew to love them because I used them about 10 times a day, non-stop. So I understand how to handle them, but it’s not my go-to for people new to jet skis, and will often push them to the safety can.
LinQ Fuel Caddy
The last option is the Sea-Doo LinQ Fuel Caddy.
To be clear, this LinQ Fuel Caddy only works with Sea-Doo watercraft that have the LinQ system, so any Sea-Doo GTX or RXT 2018 or later and Sea-Doo GTI 2020 or later. This fuel caddy is meant for people who do long rides and need spare fuel that attaches to the craft.
Getting Some Fuel At the Gas Dock
It’s good to note that the gas dock is not a “gas can”, but it can be a great option if you keep your jet ski on the lake and located near one. Getting fuel on the lake is more expensive than the fuel at the “car gas station”, but the convenience and being able to fully fill up your own jet ski can’t be understated. If you don’t have a gas dock near you or simply want to save money on gas, then getting a few gas cans is a good option.
Tips
1. Buy 2 To 3 For Your Jet ski
The two jet ski approved gas cans at the top of the list hold about 5 gallons of fuel. You’ll find that most PWCs have either a 15 gallon to 20 gallon fuel tank. If you have a Sea-Doo it’s 15.9 to 18 gallons, Yamaha is 18 gallons, and a Kawasaki jet ski can be anywhere from 15 to 20 depending on the model.
If you own a Sea-Doo Spark, it holds about 5 gallons of gas and the EX is about 10 gallons. For most, I suggest buying 2 to 3 gas cans to store fuel to cut down on the trips to refill them. The last thing you want to do is make a lot of trips up and down the dock for your one PWC, especially if you live on a hill.
2. Fuel Transfer Pump
Please remember, jet ski gas cans are heavy when full, and you often have to lift them up to get them into the filler of the jet ski.
Not only is it heavy, but it can be messy! So aim carefully when over your jet ski!
I suggest you get a fuel transfer pump like this one here (Amazon Link Ad) to use with your jet ski.
These fuel transfer pumps run on batteries and work very well to get the gas out of the gas can and into your jet ski. It may pour a little slower than the gas station pumps, but you don’t have to lift as much and can do it at the dock.
Tip: This type of fuel transfer pump also works well for getting water out of the footwells. Just make sure to let it dry out as you don’t want water in your gas or gas in the lake/ocean.
3. The Truth, Most Gas Cans Suck!
You for sure can easily get a gas can from your local Lowes, Home Depot or Walmart that is made for lawn mowers… BUT THEY SUCK!
They suck because the government wanted to stop gas leakage. So they forced all gas cans to not have a vent hole anymore and to have auto-closing lids. While it was a good idea in theory, in practice it made things worse.
With no vent, the gas glugged out and spilled more, while also making them harder to handle with all the latches and buttons you needed to press.
Even worse, since there are no vents, the gas cans inflate and burst due to heating and cooling. This is why you don’t store a gas can in your jet ski, as it gets really hot in the hull!
This video does a good job of explaining it more. I don’t suggest doing the modifications like the video does, just buy the jet ski approved gas cans.
Adding Fuel Stabilizer
Adding a fuel stabilizer to your boat’s fuel is a smart maintenance practice that can save you from potential headaches down the line. Fuel stabilizers are specially formulated chemicals that prevent the degradation of gasoline, which can happen over time, especially in boats that are not used frequently.
When gasoline sits unused for extended periods, it can oxidize, form varnish and gum, and attract moisture, leading to phase separation where water and ethanol separate from the fuel. This can cause engine performance issues, starting problems, and even damage to fuel systems.
By adding a fuel stabilizer, you protect your boat’s engine by keeping the gasoline fresh, preventing the formation of harmful deposits, and reducing the risk of corrosion in the fuel system. This is particularly important during off-season storage when your boat may sit idle for months. Additionally, fuel stabilizers can help maintain the octane level of your gasoline, ensuring your engine runs smoothly when you’re ready to hit the water again. Ultimately, using a fuel stabilizer is an inexpensive and simple way to extend the life of your boat’s engine and ensure it’s always ready for your next adventure.
