Originally Posted by
Just Say N20
Don't freak just yet. Ethanol fuel settles into layers, with water on the bottom, where the pickup is.
Alcohol also is more of a solvent that gas, which tends to loosen up crap on the tank sides/bottom. It also will dissolve the fuel line (if it is the original). All the loosed up crap will plug filters, and water obviously doesn't burn, if it happens to make it as far as the carb.
There should be at least one inline filter, and depending on the carb (2 bbl vs 4 bbl) there is usually a smaller, secondary filter inside the carb behind where the fuel line attaches to the carb.
Also no telling what condition the carb is in. You did say it ran for a little before filling the tank and launching.
Unless you can tell the fuel line looks like it has been replaced, or you can still read the markings on the line to see what certification/rating it has, you really should replace it. Thank you politicians for the really bad idea of adding alcohol to our gas.
Climb up under the bow a little on the storage tray, and see if it smells like gas. If it smells strongly of gas, you most likely have an issue with the tank. That wouldn't be the end of the world, but it can feel like it. I never intended to pull the deck when I first bought my 16, but ended up doing it, which allowed me to fix a lot of things, and verify the fuel tank (which had been replaced) was still solid.