Fuel consumption

[Shawn]

BTW... looks like Defender has the Sailpros on sale right now. I bought mine from them last year.

Shawn

[Bob Condon]

Hidaway,

DO you know where on the throttle gives you the most efficiency?

Your displacement hull wil only go so fast based on physics so if you
apply more throttle when you reach that point, you are just stressing the
boat and wasting gas.

To find that point, us a GPS (because of its accuracy), calculate the
max speed of the hull (don't have the formula handy but is based on water line length),
find a calm day and start with low throttle and once you get to about 90% of the calculated
speed, mark your throttle hande and that is your best efficiency. More throttle will not make the
boat go any faster.

In planning, you calculate your gas to 1/3 to destination, 1/3 back to home and 1/3 spare.


I built a 9.6 foot shellback (Wooden boat for plans)  and very happy with it. I do have a 4HP motor for the back and it works great!

[brackish]

We use the main halyard and a harness that holds on to the motor.  It takes two people though - It does save the back  Matt

A  good idea Matt and I've considered other possibilities such as removable jib booms with the vang as the lift mechanism, however, I've concluded that swapping the motor back and forth between boats is not practical so I might as well get a motor that is just right for the 23 and the 9.9 which I think will be just right for the skiff can go there permanently.  Can't imagine needing more HP than 6 for the sailboat with a high thrust prop and XL shaft.  The only thing I'm giving up is electric start.

Had a Columbia 24 challenger, 4800 lbs displacement and powered it with a 6 or sometimes a 4, both two cycles and I never lacked for power to get the job done.  Motor weight was extremely important with that because it was lazarette mounted and to sail properly you had to lift it in the lazarette and put in a profile plug.  That's why we used the four most of the time, easier on the back.

Additionally, I plan to make a lot of road trips.  Although the mast raising/lowering part only takes twenty minutes, it currently takes me a total of 2.5 to 3 hours each way to set the boat up to launch or set it up to travel after retrieve working by myself.   It's hard work and I want to cut down both the time and effort.  I can "clean and jerk" the 59 lb motor by myself without having to disconnect the trailer and truck and re-hook the start power.  I figure I can save 25-30 minutes with that change alone.  I'm going to Kaizen the rest of the process to see what else I can streamline.  Like to get it down to an easy hour or hour and a half.

So the schedule is build the skiff, verify the 9.9 is right for it, (specs. say it will plane and do 23 mph with a 600 lb. load with a 9.9 at WOT) then get the sail pro for the 23.

[brackish]

My concern about fuel consumption is because some of the places we like to go are remote enough - hard to believe in Tampa Bay area- that you cannot buy gas along the way.  For instance one destination is 6 hours away one way.  We all know we cannot count on good wind all the time so based on forecasted weather we usually take between 8 and 10 gallons of fuel along.   A 6 gal tank and several three gallon tanks filled to 2 gal capacity.   That's is a lot of weight and takes up space not to mention being a floating bomb.   It would make sense to me to convert from something that runs at a gallon an hour to a quarter of that when the time comes to replace Mr E.

The wild card in this is the increased power of the loose footed main may save us a few gallons consumption.  Lets hope  Matt

Now I understand your concern.  To go from Bay Springs Lake to Pickwick Lake I have to run 45 miles through Divide Cut, part of the man made Tenn Tom systems and it is truly a ditch with no opportunities for fuel along the way.  I'd be in trouble if I was burning a gallon an hour.   Making that trip early August.

[Shawn]

"I can "clean and jerk" the 59 lb motor by myself without having to disconnect the trailer and truck and re-hook the start power. "

That is how I mount the Tohatsu. Just lower the mount as low as it goes and lift the engine up to the mount from the ground. It helps that I'm 6'5" though. I've also mounted/unmounted it hanging over the stanchion when it is in the water. That is a little more difficult though.

Shawn

[HideAway]

DO you know where on the throttle gives you the most efficiency?


Bob,  I watch the gps as well as the bow and stern waves to stay in the groove as it were.  The Evinrude 8 has a long shaft but not a high torque. With the strong tides we experience in the passes I want as much power as I can get.  With the current prop it means higher rpms   Matt