Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.

Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80

Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:
3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
----- 5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 cruise, 20.5gph WOT ----- My
category
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.

On 24 Apr 2006 11:33:54 -0700, "azboating" wrote:

Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80

Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:
3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
----- 5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 cruise, 20.5gph WOT ----- My
category
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.

Where did you find that info, and why isn't the 5.7L included?
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

Where did you find that info, and why isn't the 5.7L included?
--

The 5.7 isn't included because it hasn't been a current offering in the
lineup for some time now, other than in the 350 mag version. The 5.0 has
replaced the 5.7 as the standard small block V8 offering. Go figure.

"azboating" wrote in message
ups.com...
Here's a typical day at the lake. - This does not include the monthly
payment, maintenance, insurance or possible repairs needed after the
trip on either the boat or the tow vehicle, only the expense for the
day.

If we're on the lake for about 8 hours and cruise (~35-40 mph) about
25% of the time and approximately 10% of the time we're running wot
to pull a skier or towable and the other 65% the engine was off and
we're relaxing or swimming, we would burn about 35 gallons of gas.
That will cost us about $112. And I used to think the beer and ice was
the big expense.

(8 x .25)9.0=18 x $3.25 = $58.50
(8 x .10)20.5=16.4 x $3.25 = $53.30
34.4 gph 111.80
Park entrance fee 7.00
Food/beverage/ice 38.00
TOTAL= $156.80


You forgot to include what it costs you in gas to get to and from the lake,
towing your boat. The hits just keep on coming.

You did have to remind me of that. We live about 30 minutes from the
lake which burns about 15 gallons round trip, so add another $48 to
that total. Yikes! a $200 day.

azboating wrote:
You did have to remind me of that. We live about 30 minutes from the
lake which burns about 15 gallons round trip, so add another $48 to
that total. Yikes! a $200 day.

For what we do, it's really not bad by the standards of the day. $30.
for fuel for my old '89 mercury to tow my 18' Chris Craft to the lake
and back 120 mi. round trip

Cruise and putter around the lake for a day. with a 3.0 GM running 3200
rpm, and that will pull about 5-7 gal. Another $21.00.


I look at it like this. My family can have a decent day on Lthe lake,
OR I can load up the car and take them to 6-Flags St. louis. and pay 40
bucks a pop to get in and eat their $4.00 hotdogs and $2.50 soda pop
and stand in a hot line for 45 min, to ride some whirlie-gig for about
3 minutes.

By the time we get home we's spent $300.00 and wonder ..."why?"


The lake is proven to be the better choice. We get to do what we want
to do, and enjoy the water.

More fun, practical, and economical!

wrote in message
oups.com...
Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.


Our 21 foot runabout is powered by a single 190 HP 4.3L Volvo Penta I/O. We
normally cruise at about 3200 rpm, although we may run it up a bit to catch
up with some friends on the Lake or to get somewhere.......fast. This boat
cruises at 35 mph and will do close to 50 mph WOT.

Most of our high fuel consumption comes when we pull the kids skiing or
tubing. As we only purchased this boat late last summer I have not had the
chance to develop any GPH estimates when cruising vs. pulling our kids on
skis or in tubes....but the bottom line for us is that the fuel price
increases will not be a problem or impact our new boating habits.

I am certainly glad we sold our 32 footer with twin 260HP engines. ;-)

If you have the money to have a boat with 2 496 mags, then the price per/gal
has no concern to the owner!


wrote in message
oups.com...
Fuel consumption figures for Mercruiser marine engines:

3.0 L: 6gph at 3500 cruise, 11.5 gph WOT
4.3 L (2 bbl): 8.5 gph at 3500 cruise, 16.7 gph WOT
4.3 L MPI: 9.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 19.5 gph WOT
5.0L (2 bbl): 9.0 gph at 3000 (not 3500) cruise, 20.5gph WOT
5.0 L MPI: 10.9 gph at 3500 cruise, 22 gph WOT
350 Mag MPI: 12gph at 3500 cruise, 22gph at (5000 rpm) WOT
MX 6.2L MPI: 13.2 gph at 3500 cruise, 25.1 gph at 5200 WOT
496 Magnum: 16.0 gph at 3500 cruise, 30.5 gph at WOT
496 Magnum HO: 18.5 at 3500 cruise, 33gph at 5000 WOT.


Hmm, lets see: Running a pair of 496 HO gassers at well above cruise
speed would likely burn
close to 30 gph per side or 60gph total. 60 gph X $5/gal = $300 per
hour in fuel costs. Over $2000 for an all-day high speed run.

Running the same engines at 3500 rpm cruise would burn 37 gph, for a
total of $185 per hour in fuel costs at $5 a gallon. Still not cheap by
any stretch of the imagination, but at least not as far out of the
questiong for most folks as a $2000 daily (or even weekend) fuel bill
would be.

"Lost In Space/Woodchuck" wrote in message
...
If you have the money to have a boat with 2 496 mags, then the price
per/gal has no concern to the owner!

A generalization that is certainly not true. Many folks with boats,
regardless of size or power, are just making it and a jump in fuel prices
may do them in or greatly curtail their time on the water under power.