I just got back from a couple weeks on Lake of the Woods. I've looked at some boats to get in the past, just throwing around some ideas. I've been around boats all my life but I've never got in to all the in's and out's, maintenance, etc. Dad always took care of his and all the boats we have/have had up on the lake are kept at a marina.
The boats I have to run are a 20-22' princecraft pontoon boat with 60hp motor and a 16' lund (similar to a modern SSV) with a 25hp motor. Most of this trip I ran out in the 16' lund.
Two days in a row I went way out on the lake exploring. One of my goals this year was to learn more of the lake, and to do that I have to get out there. So I grabbed a map and off I went. Both days I burned through 12 gallons of gas - 2 6gal tanks. Looking at the map the approximate mileage was 30-35, so about 2.5-2.9 miles per gallon. And this is a 25hp tiller motor on a 16' boat.
I'm not real familiar with fuel burn rates on the different types of motors, but my hunch is the 2 stroke 25hp motor sure likes to drink. I'd think that would be true for all the 2 stroke motors, regardless of hp in comparison with a 4 stroke equivalent they are probably much less efficient. The 25hp motor and boat are the same vintage - 80's. The motor has electric start only, so I don't know if that means anything (I think there is an emergency chord starter under the hood, but no handle outside to pull - never had to use it).
Has anyone calculated their fuel burn rates/range in similar boats? What about bigger 18-20' open fishing boats up to 200hp? What motor - age, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, what hp, what speed?
I'm looking at getting another boat in the future but I want to know more about what I am getting in to. My ideal boat would run 35mph without difficulty (IE - not max RPM's with one person and nothing else in the boat - I'd like to hit that speed with some reserve with a couple people and gear), have sufficient range without sucking fuel down too quick (I don't know what defines that yet, if the comparison of my 25hp motor is proportionate to a bigger motor I'm in for a world of hurt), have an aluminum hull, be mostly open, and would have available a complete camper top (tonneu over the bow, bimini top over the cabin that is easy to see out of while standing without opening it, then closes off the stern at the back of the bimini top) and full width windshield. I don't need a real big boat, I'd like something around 100hp/18' but I don't know about the cruising speed and range. We had a 175hp/19' Lowe and I don't need that much (boat was rated to 150 and grandpa put a 175 on it).
The boats I have to run are a 20-22' princecraft pontoon boat with 60hp motor and a 16' lund (similar to a modern SSV) with a 25hp motor. Most of this trip I ran out in the 16' lund.
Two days in a row I went way out on the lake exploring. One of my goals this year was to learn more of the lake, and to do that I have to get out there. So I grabbed a map and off I went. Both days I burned through 12 gallons of gas - 2 6gal tanks. Looking at the map the approximate mileage was 30-35, so about 2.5-2.9 miles per gallon. And this is a 25hp tiller motor on a 16' boat.
I'm not real familiar with fuel burn rates on the different types of motors, but my hunch is the 2 stroke 25hp motor sure likes to drink. I'd think that would be true for all the 2 stroke motors, regardless of hp in comparison with a 4 stroke equivalent they are probably much less efficient. The 25hp motor and boat are the same vintage - 80's. The motor has electric start only, so I don't know if that means anything (I think there is an emergency chord starter under the hood, but no handle outside to pull - never had to use it).
Has anyone calculated their fuel burn rates/range in similar boats? What about bigger 18-20' open fishing boats up to 200hp? What motor - age, 2 stroke or 4 stroke, what hp, what speed?
I'm looking at getting another boat in the future but I want to know more about what I am getting in to. My ideal boat would run 35mph without difficulty (IE - not max RPM's with one person and nothing else in the boat - I'd like to hit that speed with some reserve with a couple people and gear), have sufficient range without sucking fuel down too quick (I don't know what defines that yet, if the comparison of my 25hp motor is proportionate to a bigger motor I'm in for a world of hurt), have an aluminum hull, be mostly open, and would have available a complete camper top (tonneu over the bow, bimini top over the cabin that is easy to see out of while standing without opening it, then closes off the stern at the back of the bimini top) and full width windshield. I don't need a real big boat, I'd like something around 100hp/18' but I don't know about the cruising speed and range. We had a 175hp/19' Lowe and I don't need that much (boat was rated to 150 and grandpa put a 175 on it).
Scary.