Saving boat gas.

[SIKSUKR]

I like to draft behind bigger boats.I find if I stay within 10 ft I cut my gph in half.Going through the channel towards Paugus always uses 1/2 the fuel of returning.

[Sman]

I suppose if the bottom of your boat is not crapped up that could only help, maybe negligible, what about trim tabs...is bow down plowing going to hurt it

I have never checked mine, 350block/260hp/24'deepV. I also don't keep the tank full. Unlike nobozo I am at half full or less most of the time, maybe that helps, not sure, less weight, but doing it that way doesn't help me calculate what I use, no fancy electronics on board.

with my car I am all over that stat, but never checked it with the boat, don't think I wanted to know the answer

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Sman

I suppose if the bottom of your boat is not crapped up that could only help, maybe negligible, what about trim tabs...is bow down plowing going to hurt it

I have never checked mine, 350block/260hp/24'deepV. I also don't keep the tank full. Unlike nobozo I am at half full or less most of the time, maybe that helps, not sure, less weight, but doing it that way doesn't help me calculate what I use, no fancy electronics on board.

with my car I am all over that stat, but never checked it with the boat, don't think I wanted to know the answer

Trim tabs will hurt MPG. You want to be cleanly up on plane, drive trimmed out for best speed, tabs deployed as little as possible, and engine running 3000 to 3500 RPM for optimal gas mileage (on plane, the boat will get best MPG at idle speed)

[VtSteve]

Dave, it seems there are too many ways to get to various points. I still couldn't find much on the Garmin site, but I did Google this up.

http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_pos...TID=65159&PN=2

I have regular old fashioned analog gauges. The two things I'd love to have access too are the fuel economy readings, plus the engine RPM. The prices this guy states kind of threw me back.

[NoBozo]

For those who may not know: Here's how you figure how many Gallons Per Hour (GPH) you are using....which is the Only credible way to measure fuel use in a boat. MPG is for Road Vehicles. Cars have NO SLIP passing over the road. Boats have SLIP because propellers are not as efficient as rubber on the road.

The only instrument you need on the boat is an engine "Hour Meter"....and a $6 calculator.

Fill up the tank and NOTE ...(Write It Down) the reading on your hour meter. Drive the boat for however amount of time you feel like risking running out of gas. How Lucky ARE You Feeling today? Go to the marina and gas up...FULL TANK.

NOTE how many gallons you Take On to FILL the tank. Get out your little calculator and determine how many hours you have used the boat since you Last FILLED UP the tank. Say you have used the boat for 10 hours. Now look up at the fuel pump on the dock and see how many gallons you just pumped into the boat. Lets say you pumped 30 Gallons.

So you used 30 gallons....in 10 hours of use. Enter 30 into your calculator and DIVIDE by 10. You will get 3 GPH.

This seems pretty simple and will insult those who already know this but those who don't....... may find it usefull.

So write this formula down... Gallons Pumped to FILL UP.. divided by Hours since the last FILLUP. NB

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

Dave, it seems there are too many ways to get to various points. I still couldn't find much on the Garmin site, but I did Google this up.

http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_pos...TID=65159&PN=2

I have regular old fashioned analog gauges. The two things I'd love to have access too are the fuel economy readings, plus the engine RPM. The prices this guy states kind of threw me back.

The up-front price is the downside of smart craft. If you go with lowrance, the gauge is cheaper, but all the sensors you need to do everything smart craft does would likely cost more in total, and Lowrance is not compatible with your Garmin so you would not have GPS speed with Lowrance.