Best economy is at 1000RPM (4.3mph): 10.33mpg

At 1500rpm (5.7mph) : 6.7mpg

At 4000rpm (27.2mph): 7.22mpg

Now that seems more reasonable.
A 2500 rpm increase taking the boat from
6 mph to 27 is more believable (to me) than a 500 rpm increase taking the boat
from 9mph to 25.