a. Don't take any fat chicks out in the boat with you
b. Since water is heavier than alcohol, take only beer to drink
c. When launching or recovering, just tie up boat directly to the ramp
dock-don't idle around to another out of the way location
d. Buy a boat with a Force L Drive so you will usually be under tow and not
running your engine
e. Don't swerve to avoid the lake lice
f. Insist women wear bikinis instead of one piece swim suits to save weight


"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I'm writing a "filler" with some fuel saving tips.

With a boat as economical as mine, I don't dare save too much fuel or it
will
begin increasing in volume and pouring through the vents. :-)
As a result, I haven't made a real thorough first hand study of fuel
saving
techniques.

So , I'm shamelessly trolling for ideas to add to the few I have already
thought to include.

So far I've got:

1. Make sure bottom is clean
2. Make sure boat is correctly propped
3. Make sure engine has been tuned up and serviced
4. Take excess gear off of boat to reduce weight
5. Reduce cruising speed, (without falling from plane if a planing hull).
6. Plan cruise consistent with tidal currents when applicable and possible

Any other good'ns?

a. Don't take any fat chicks out in the boat with you
f. Insist women wear bikinis instead of one piece swim suits to save
weight"

As long as a and f are both rigorously enforced, I'm with ya Bomar! ;-)

- Michael

"Harry Krause" wrote


Installing a Standard Horizon fuel flow meter was simple, although to do
it neatly took some time. I know, because I watched the dealer's boat
rigger do it!

Basically, it required one snip of the fuel line between the external
filter and the engine, the insertion of a small flow/sender unit in the
line, the clamping together of the fuel line with the sender it it, the
stringing of a wire to the dash, the drilling of a holw in the dash for
the gauge, and two minutes of panel wiring.

I actually installed a SH fuel flow meter - and it's as easy as he said.
Splice the sender into the fuel line where specified, run cable to gauge at
dash, wire gauge to switched current and ground.

Used FF meter for first time this weekend and really liked it. The SH meter
is digital and has a fuel used as well as a fuel remaining feature (you
program in the beginning fuel amount and it will tell you how much is
remaining as well as an alarm feature). Haven't calibrated it yet, but it
appears to be within 5% or less right out of the box as far as fuel used. I
like it and it has definitely given me a better idea of where the sweet spot
is. Really liked the fuel used feature since I don't have dash gauges for
fuel tanks (which often arent' accurate anyway).

Cam

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I'm writing a "filler" with some fuel saving tips.

With a boat as economical as mine, I don't dare save too much fuel or it
will
begin increasing in volume and pouring through the vents. :-)
As a result, I haven't made a real thorough first hand study of fuel
saving
techniques.

So , I'm shamelessly trolling for ideas to add to the few I have already
thought to include.

So far I've got:

1. Make sure bottom is clean
2. Make sure boat is correctly propped
3. Make sure engine has been tuned up and serviced
4. Take excess gear off of boat to reduce weight
5. Reduce cruising speed, (without falling from plane if a planing hull).
6. Plan cruise consistent with tidal currents when applicable and possible

Any other good'ns?

When going upstream, especially in swift rivers, avoid fastest current when
possible. Of course, this is within safe boating practices including
keeping on the correct side of stream, in deep enough channel, and other
rules of road. But there's quite a bit of runnig that can be done in
relatively weak current like inside of bends and other natural slacker
areas.

Opposite principle when going down stream -try to maximize your time in the
stronger current.

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I'm writing a "filler" with some fuel saving tips.

With a boat as economical as mine, I don't dare save too much fuel or it
will
begin increasing in volume and pouring through the vents. :-)
As a result, I haven't made a real thorough first hand study of fuel
saving
techniques.

So , I'm shamelessly trolling for ideas to add to the few I have already
thought to include.

So far I've got:

1. Make sure bottom is clean
2. Make sure boat is correctly propped
3. Make sure engine has been tuned up and serviced
4. Take excess gear off of boat to reduce weight
5. Reduce cruising speed, (without falling from plane if a planing hull).
6. Plan cruise consistent with tidal currents when applicable and possible

Any other good'ns?

7. Spend more time making political posts on rec.boats and less time
actually out boating...you know, like basskisser.
8. Balance the weight so trim tabs don't need to be used as much...which
creates excess drag
9. Use proper trim on outboards and outdrives.

actually, it's pretty simple, go slower

"Florida Keyz" wrote in message
...
actually, it's pretty simple, go slower

Slower than what? Planing hulls going slower than planing speed are much
less efficient.

Slower than what? Planing hulls going slower than planing speed are much
less efficient.

Actually, i am not so sure about that, I have a 44 marine trader with twin 270
hp lemans, I cruise at 9 mph (knots are for sailors with lots of time on their
hands) and average 1mpg., as do most of the reports I see from the great loop.
Whats better??

"Florida Keyz" wrote in message
...
Slower than what? Planing hulls going slower than planing speed are much
less efficient.

Actually, i am not so sure about that, I have a 44 marine trader with twin
270
hp lemans, I cruise at 9 mph (knots are for sailors with lots of time on
their
hands) and average 1mpg., as do most of the reports I see from the great
loop.
Whats better??

In my quick and dirty testing of my new flow meter this weekend - about 50
miles total in a variety of lake and river conditions - the sweet spot that
maximizes miles per gallon definitely is at planing speed. I'm not sure
exactly where yet, but it didn't even appear to be at slowest planing speed,
but more testing is needed!

The bad news is that I'm not going to get more than 2 mpg and often a little
less, it seems.

Cam

actually, it's pretty simple, go slower


NOYB wrote:
Slower than what? Planing hulls going slower than planing speed are much
less efficient.

Nope. This is a common motorboater's misconception.

If you doubt it, look at the fuel test results commonly printed in
magazines. You will see immediately that faster=greater fuel consumption
per distance, except for boats that are very far up the power/weight
curve (ie muscle boats) and they get such poor fuel economy it doesn't
matter.

Fair Skies
Doug King