"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
The thread about jerry cans got me thinking. I'm contemplating a delivery
style voyage from Portland to Halifax, NS so I can participate in a series
of meetings without the expense of staying in a hotel. Light winds could
result in a lot of motoring so I decided to work up this graph based on
observed speeds last season and the engine data:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Fuel.gif

This should be typical of many cruising sailboats around 32 feet, 20 HP,
20 gallons of fuel but I wouldn't want to draw less than 17 for fear of
sucking air and to have some reserve.

The graph shows the economic benifit of slowing down but also the exposure
to weather changes. It's about 230 miles from Portland to the first place
in NS that I could refuel. In the absence of wind, I would have to run at
1900 and it would take me 1 3/4 days.

My boat is smoother and pleasanter above 2000 RPM than below due to
structure that resonates at lower speeds so I would probably carry a jerry
can or two lashed to the lifelines for this trip unless I had forcasts of
fair winds.

I can go a long ways at 4 knots if I have the patience

Wind and waves will change these numbers a lot but, in that case, I would
be sailing.

--
Roger Long


The trip from Portland to Halifax is a familiar one. One time when I was in
Shelburne NS, we monitored the Canadian Coast Guards rescuing a sailboat
coming from Portland destined to Halifax.

When the rescued sailboat arrived in Shelburne, I inquired as to what was
the problem. I was told that the diesel engine stop running when the sea
was flat as a pancake... After investigation, it was learned that dirt in
the fuel system was the culprit.

A local mechanic came and cleaned the fuel tank and system. Then the
sailboat engine worked well. Then I asked the mechanic if this happen
often? He replied every summer we have a few sailboats coming from Portland
and other places with that problem... After I talked to the owner of the
sailboat and he replied that in 20 years of use he never had a problem with
his diesel engine. Then the mechanic asked him how often he cleaned the
fuel tank, the replied was never.