5 Best Ways to Carry Extra Gas on Your Jet Ski [Video]

Would you like to extend the fuel range of your jet ski?

Without further ado, the five best ways to carry extra gas on a jet ski are as follows:

1. Fuel rack
2. Special attachment systems (LinQ/RecDeck/Multi-Mount)
3. Strapped onto the rear platform
4. Auxiliary fuel tank (internal or external)
5. Larger internal fuel tank

If you want to find out more about these solutions, you’ve come to the right place.

We at JetDrift have compiled all you need to know under one roof!

Can You Carry Extra Fuel on a Jet Ski?

If you want to extend the fuel range of your ski, don’t worry, as you can carry extra fuel on you in many ways! Having extra fuel onboard comes in handy in many instances such as on longer tours and PWC fishing trips. What’s more, you can also save money doing this as you can avoid paying the higher gas prices charged at fuel docks.

Whatever reason you have for wanting to carry extra fuel on your jet ski, you need to know how to do it safely.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about the best solutions in detail!

5 Best Ways to Carry Extra Gas on Your Jet Ski

1. Jet Ski Fuel Rack

There’s no question that the most common way to carry extra fuel on a jet ski is securing jerry cans on a jet ski fuel rack.

These special racks are very similar to the commonly used PWC fishing racks designed to carry a cooler and some fishing gear. In most cases, these fishing racks can also accommodate one or more fuel cans, along with a lot of other gear.

This extended storage capacity can come in handy, not just for PWC anglers!

Unlike fishing racks, PWC gas racks are specifically built for carrying extra fuel cans. They can be firmly attached to the rear platform and typically house 1-3 five-gallon jerry cans depending on their size and design.

Are you wondering where you can buy one?

The most well-known PWC fuel rack manufacturers are as follows:

• PWC Super Rack
• Kool PWC Stuff
• Shorlock
• Extreme Max

You can also consider building a DIY jet ski fuel rack from scratch if you like building things!

2. Special Attachment Systems

Most modern jet skis have innovative attachment systems like the Sea-Doo LinQ, Yamaha RecDeck, or Kawasaki’s Multi-Mount connectors.

These systems include special connectors to which you can attach various accessories like coolers, storage boxes, racks, or even fuel cans.

For example, special Sea-Doo LinQ fuel cans can be directly connected to the pop-up cleats on the rear platform.

In contrast, WaveRunner’s RecDeck and Kawasaki’s Multi-Mount rails can accommodate storage racks, which are great for carrying extra fuel.

These connectors and racks are easy to attach/detach and hold the cans firmly in place.

Drawbacks?

These systems are usually only available on higher-end models and come with hefty price tags.

3. Strapped Onto the Swim Platform

Although it’s not the safest way to haul fuel cans on a jet ski,  you can simply strap them to the rear platform.

How do you do this?

As a first step, place a rubber mat in the center of the swim platform. This mat can help reduce friction and avoid wear and tear on the floor mat.

Then pour the fuel into a large jerry can and place it on the mat. It’s recommended that you only use one can, as fastening two cans securely is often not feasible.

As a rule of thumb, you must place the fuel can crosswise in the center of the platform for proper balance.

You will need two rachet straps to tie the can down on the platform for safety reasons. Best practice is to use straps that feature safety latches to prevent the hooks from coming off the eyes.

Attach one of the straps to the tow hook on the rear side of the top deck. Run the strap through the handle of the can, attach it to one of the stern eyes, and securely tighten it down.

Then repeat the process with the other strap, attaching it to the other stern eye.

Tighten both straps until they keep the can firmly in place and ensure that the ratchets aren’t touching the can.

Here’s a great tutorial on how to attach a fuel can to a jet ski:

Keep in mind that you have to be very careful with this setup. If you don’t attach the can properly, it could accidentally fall into the water.

Due to these risks, never carry more than one can using this method. Always use one bigger can firmly strapped onto the rear platform.

If you are considering hauling extra fuel on your ski on a regular basis, you may want to invest in a permanent setup!

4. Auxiliary Fuel Tank

Let’s face it, carrying spare gas on a jet ski in fuel cans is far from ideal.

There’s always a risk that the cans will fall into the water, and refueling the jet ski from cans on the water is also quite dangerous. Refueling in this way always carries the risk of getting water inside the fuel tank or spilling fuel into the water.

What’s more, depending on the location of the fuel tank cap, this process can be very tricky on many skis or even impossible.

This is where auxiliary jet ski fuel tanks come into play. Unlike regular cans, these fuel tanks are connected to the main tank with fuel lines.

The running motor generates a vacuum in the main tank, which automatically siphons fuel from the auxiliary tank.

In a nutshell, the key advantages of auxiliary jet ski fuel tanks are as follows:

• No need to refuel on the water
• Much safer
• Greater comfort
• Better weight balance

There are two main types of auxiliary jet ski fuel tanks, built-in and external configurations.

The latter is virtually a large plastic fuel can strapped onto the rear platform with rachet straps or secured on a rear rack.

If you want to drill into the details, here’s a step-by-step guide on installing an auxiliary fuel tank onto the rear platform of a jet ski.Unlike their external counterparts, internal auxiliary jet ski tanks are usually made of metal and mounted inside the hull.

These 5-9-gallon auxiliary tanks are often tailored for specific models and usually fit in the front portion of the hull for optimum weight distribution.

These special tanks are available from various aftermarket manufacturers, including:

• Shoreline
• GC Jet Skis
• The Watercraft Journal

5. Custom Jet Ski Fuel Tank

The sizes of stock jet ski fuel tanks range from 8 up to 21 gallons, depending on the make and model.

But if you are looking for more fuel capacity along with the most comfort and best weight distribution, you may want to invest in a larger PWC fuel tank. These aftermarket fuel tanks are often custom-made to perfectly fill the available space.

There’s no question that this is the safest and most convenient way to carry extra fuel on a jet ski!

Are you wondering how to mount a bigger fuel tank in your jet ski?

Although hulls may look very crowded at first glance, you can always find some extra space for a bigger tank.

These cells often protrude into the storage compartment or some other space in the hull. Removing the oil injection system on a 2-stroke ski also allows you to install a bigger fuel tank in the space where the oil reservoir and the stock tank are.

How NOT to Carry Extra Fuel in a Jet Ski

It’s sad to say, but many riders carry spare fuel on their skis improperly, which often ends in serious accidents. To avoid these issues, here are some tips on how not to carry spare gas on your ski:

• Fuel cans in storage compartments
• In the oil reservoir
• Fuel bladder bags
• Backpack and other weird ideas

Unfortunately, many riders simply throw a can of gas into the storage compartment. This practice is extremely unsafe, even if the can is tied down properly. Why?

This is because there’s always a chance that gas vapors accumulate inside this enclosed space, which causes the jet ski to explode.Therefore, when it comes to hauling extra fuel on a jet ski, the number one rule is to never carry the can(s) inside the storage bin, engine compartment, glove box, or any other enclosed space for safety reasons!

For the same consideration, never use an empty oil reservoir of a removed oil-injection system as an auxiliary fuel tank as they are not designed for storing fuel. These reservoirs and their lines are prone to leaking, which can also result in an accidental explosion.

Instead, you may want to remove the oil reservoir and the stock fuel tank and replace them with a larger aftermarket fuel tank that fills the available space.

Also, you should never haul fuel in a bladder bag, backpack, saddlebag, or other bags on a jet ski.

They are unsafe and inconvenient even on short trips, so using them simply isn’t worth the risk.

Takeaways

As you can see, there are many ways to safely carry spare gas on a PWC. You can simply carry the fuel in gas cans, but you can also install a larger built-in or auxiliary fuel tank on your ski.

If you prefer fuel cans, make sure to invest in good-quality products that are durable and spill-proof.

The general rule is to never place these gas cans in a storage compartment or another enclosed space on your ski, as it can easily end in a serious explosion accident.

Instead, best practice is to haul the cans on a rear rack or strapped securely onto the rear platform. The major manufacturers offer special connectors for their flagship models to which you can attach fuel cans or rear PWC fuel racks.

The most common attachment systems are the LinQ (Sea-Doo), RecDeck (Yamaha), and Multi-Mount rails (Kawasaki). Unfortunately, these systems and accessories come with hefty price tags.

If you are looking for more comfort, you can install an auxiliary fuel tank onto your ski. Thanks to the vacuum created by the engine, fuel is automatically transferred from it to the main tank through the fuel lines.

Therefore, you don’t have to refuel with cans on the water, which results in higher safety and comfort.

As a final word, the best way to increase the fuel range of your jet ski is to replace its stock fuel tank with a larger aftermarket fuel cell.