HOW CAN I ACHIEVE MY BOAT´S BEST FUEL ECONOMY?
This is a very broad question that we get asked quite often. How can I reach my boat ́s best fuel economy? It all depends on your purpose. Is your goal to cover the longest distance (Nm/L or Nm/Gal) or to use your boat the longest amount of hours (L/h or Gal/h) with a single fuel tank ? If you have not yet considered these two options, here they are. Unlike with a car where the minimum and maximum speeds are defined by road signs, as the captain of your boat, once you get to the open sea, you choose to go as fast or slow as you wish on your trip, always considering safety first. So excluding the wave and tide factor and their effect on speed and distance covered per hour, here is my answer to your question.
Reaching the longest Nm/l (or Nm/gal) – Rule #1 & Rule #2
These rules apply to all boat types, with outboard engines, sterndrives with recommended propellers, optimal power to weight ratio and never to underpowered boats. If you own a Monterey boat or Galeon Yacht, all models have been tested and all will always be within the optimal parameters.
Caution! Follow this rules with optimal sea conditions and considering safety first. If the ride feels to rough or speed to high, slow down and remember… Safety first!
Rule #1: Keep your boat’s hull clean and antifouling painted (if it’s got antifouling)
Barnacles and algae on your hull act in the water like the sails of a sailing boat upside down. The more barnacles and algae, the harder it will be for a boat to move forward, which means that the engine will need to make an extra effort to reach the same speed, and that will make the boat burn more fuel unnecessarily. A dirty hull can easily decrease boat performance by around 30% making it consume much much much more fuel to cover the same distances and to have the same amount of fun. A good antifouling such as International Self Polishing Antifouling and a good run with the boat and/or jett washing the hull every once in a while if your boat has been sitting in the water for some time will help.
Rule #2: Service your boat when recommended by manufacturer or boat dealer.
A bad service can lead to fast engine wear off. Which will not only affect fuel economy in the long term, but will simply make services and mechanical problems much more expensive to fix. Engine service includes lubrication of parts and pieces in the engine and sterndrive.
To keep reading Rule #3 & Rule #4 click here.
Don Marino Boats
