While mildly covered in the article comments, I have personal experience and knowledge of ethanol effects on small engines and other vehicles. We had a small boat with an outboard engine. Gasoline with ethanol was the available fuel. Eventually it stopped working. I have significant mechanical engine experience, but called an outboard mechanic. He examined the boat and engine. Fuel tank (plastic) was softened, contaminated. Fuel lines(synthetic rubber) were softened, leeching chemicals into the fuel. Carburetor seals(sythetic rubber, cork, nitron) were eroded, and sometimes dissolved. Solution: replace every component of the fuel system, and rebuild the carburetor. Total bill was approximately $750, in 2010.
Next, my neighbor had a nice gasoline-powered boat, a Bertram, high quality construction. It was manufactured with fiberglass fuel tanks. Construction involved building a hull, installing the fuel tanks, then molding a fiberglass deck atop this. Repairs involved cutting the deck away, removing the partially disolved fiberglass tanks, mitigating the damage caused by leaking fuel, installing stainless steel tanks, overhauling the fuel systems, and replacing the deck. Economic impact: $42k, plus a full season of use missed.
Another boat I was considering to purchase, a smaller Bertram (28ft) had stainless steel tanks already. But the rest of the fuel system eroded causing damage to the twin V8 engines. Fuel system replacement, and overhaul of two engines. Approximately $22k.
Nobody in government, or in the ethanol lobby, or the ethanol production industry bore any cost for these damages.
Next, my neighbor had a nice gasoline-powered boat, a Bertram, high quality construction. It was manufactured with fiberglass fuel tanks. Construction involved building a hull, installing the fuel tanks, then molding a fiberglass deck atop this. Repairs involved cutting the deck away, removing the partially disolved fiberglass tanks, mitigating the damage caused by leaking fuel, installing stainless steel tanks, overhauling the fuel systems, and replacing the deck. Economic impact: $42k, plus a full season of use missed.
Another boat I was considering to purchase, a smaller Bertram (28ft) had stainless steel tanks already. But the rest of the fuel system eroded causing damage to the twin V8 engines. Fuel system replacement, and overhaul of two engines. Approximately $22k.
Nobody in government, or in the ethanol lobby, or the ethanol production industry bore any cost for these damages.