Powerboat Fuel Efficiency

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AdamG
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Post by AdamG »

When I say time spent traveling is time lost fishing, I'm talking about where I fish, where you have to travel many miles from your launch point to reach the area you want to fish, and you might have to try half a dozen spots in the first couple of hours before you find the fish.. If you had to move to each location at 10mph, you'd spend most of your time traveling instead of with a line in the water. Speed (to a point) can maximize your fishing time.

For example, when fishing birds in a bay, you will spot the birds working over baitfish maybe from 2-3 miles away...and have to run in there to beat other fishermen there, and to get there before the school of feeding fish sounds or moves off and stops feeding...

Or if you want to run out 100 miles offshore in the gulf to fish a productive wreck or reef, and you only have the weekend to fish, or even one day...

There are times when speed really pays off.

That being said, it is nice to slow down sometimes.
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MadRus
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Post by MadRus »

Yeah, see that just puts way too many variables in the way of my pleasure. Too many what-ifs for me. I prefer to blow up a worm, toss it over the side a few feet off the bottom and wait...

and wait.

My fishing philosophy can be summed up this way, I'm quoting my wife here, "where are they off to, there's good settin' to be done."

But I can see it if you're passionate about bringing in the fish. Some of my friends are very passionate about fishing.

Spokaloo
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Post by Spokaloo »

Perfect example today...

Went out for a 5 hr fishing trip. We hit 3 good spots, to no avail. trying 2 more afterwards. The fish have moved down the lake to the far end, so we are planning on going there tomorrow. Its 22 miles to where we want to fish. No way is it possible for B to get here and for us to cruise out at displacement speeds.

I think sailing will have to have a catalyst for a rennaisance. Another one design that really grabs people like the El Toro or the Laser or some of the earlier designs.

Something that runs with the same parameters and efficiencies as my boat, with a cabin and more amenities would be awfully cool though.

E

anonymous

Post by anonymous »

Spokaloo wrote:Perfect example today...

Went out for a 5 hr fishing trip. We hit 3 good spots, to no avail. trying 2 more afterwards. The fish have moved down the lake to the far end, so we are planning on going there tomorrow. Its 22 miles to where we want to fish. No way is it possible for B to get here and for us to cruise out at displacement speeds.

I think sailing will have to have a catalyst for a rennaisance. Another one design that really grabs people like the El Toro or the Laser or some of the earlier designs.

Something that runs with the same parameters and efficiencies as my boat, with a cabin and more amenities would be awfully cool though.

E
Purpose of the boat is to move you from one fishing spot to another in record time, because you went out in order to fish. If you could teleport yourself from one fishing spot to another I think you would use this option.

If the purpose of the boat is for you to spend time on the water then sailboat is a good option. For me personally, fishing is on the bottom of the list - like, I would put some bait on the hook and throw it from the boat and wait. But that is in the eveninig when everything else (sailing) is done so why not.

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Post by Toni V »

When comparing EU and US you are forgotting the biggest difference: Fuel taxes. In 2005 "old EU" average was 1.18e/l = $6 / US gallon (current euro/dollar rate).
I now pay more than 1.3 e/l which is $6.60 / US gallon.
Think about heavy planing boat with that fuel costs.

So while people in US are saying the gas is getting expensive, it's not really so expensive yet.

Of course the economics are much different in EU or in US. In EU and especially Nordic countries has lot's of taxes but in other hand free health care and free education. Sometimes it's difficult to explain foreigners that in here you are paid for studying in Universities and other schools - not another way around. The normal work week is about 37 hours and normal paid holiday is 5 weeks per year (and the holiday is paid about double sallary).

In other hand - the wages are low and taxes are high...

MadRus
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Post by MadRus »

There is another side to the question of how expesive $3.00/gallon really is. When a large part of our population is self-employed in fields like landscaping, real estate, sales, and other high-drive lines of work, it adds up quickly. We also live and work sometimes hours away from each stop. My wife's commute is one hour each way. My friend is a landscaper and his wife is a real estate broker who puts 25,000 miles/year on her SUV. She finally got something more fuel efficient. He puts on close to that and he has to drive a very heavy truck that gets about 10miles per gallon without the trailer attached. Plus equipment, it adds up fast.

In contrast, I almost never drive, so I consume very little fuel. The prices still piss me off because I know we're being played! They have us over a barrel and there's very little group dynamic that can react fast enough in this country to operate as an effective check on the industry price increases. They know there's going to be a huge lag in reaction time because of the structure of the American economy. You can't just give up driving your F350 because today the prices skyrocketed. If you need it for work, you're screwed. And Detroit isn't helping anyone out either. I don't know of any hybrid, green truck that will haul that gets 50mile per gallon. Deisels are nice, but they're not exactly money savers. $50,000 for a truck?! They couldn't give 'em away when I was a kid. Nobody wanted a truck. Today, they're the executive vehicle of choice. Go figure.

fpjeepy05
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Re: Powerboat Fuel Efficiency

Post by fpjeepy05 »

Sorry to bring up an older post, but I find this topic interesting. I'm looking to build something in between Atkin's "Sergeant Faunce" and Robbe & Berking's "9m Commuter." Pictures below. Sergeant Faunce is 24' x 4'8" and does 13.5 knots with 8hp. Commuter is 30' x 6'6" and does 30 knots with 147hp. I'm looking for a design that would be somewhere in between. I would like to use a 45hp diesel and get 16 knots at cruise. So I'm guessing size would be somewhere around 30' x 5' I like the for to aft deck on Sergeant Faunce, but I like the sit-under, stand-though cabin on Commuter. I have some ideas on that. Has anyone come across any other boats that are close to these?
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Last edited by fpjeepy05 on Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

jacquesmm
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Re: Powerboat Fuel Efficiency

Post by jacquesmm »

Those boats are very narrow and that is what makes them so efficient.
I can guess what will happen if I design one, remarks like: "I like the boat but can we make her wider?"
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fallguy1000
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Re: Powerboat Fuel Efficiency

Post by fallguy1000 »

fpjeepy05 wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:32 am Sorry to bring up an older post, but I find this topic interesting. I'm looking to build something in between Atkin's "Sergeant Faunce" and Robbe & Berking's "9m Commuter." Pictures below. Sergeant Faunce is 24' x 4'8" and does 13.5 knots with 8hp. Commuter is 30' x 6'6" and does 30 knots with 147hp. I'm looking for a design that would be somewhere in between. I would like to use a 45hp diesel and get 16 knots at cruise. So I'm guessing size would be somewhere around 30' x 5' I like the for to aft deck on Sergeant Faunce, but I like the sit-under, stand-though cabin on Commuter. I have some ideas on that. Has anyone come across any other boats that are close to these?
http://yard.robbeberking.com/commuter/original/li-00068.jpg
http://yard.robbeberking.com/commuter/original/li-00001.jpg
http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/images/SergeantFaunce-1.gif
http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/images/SergeantFaunce-2.gif
There was recently some good discussion about the long slender commuters at boatdesign.net.

If you can't find it, I will get the link for you, let me know.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

fallguy1000
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Re: Powerboat Fuel Efficiency

Post by fallguy1000 »

jacquesmm wrote: Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:55 am Those boats are very narrow and that is what makes them so efficient.
I can guess what will happen if I design one, remarks like: "I like the boat but can we make her wider?"
Surely, because they will like the looks of it so much they will want it for a recreational vessel and not just a taxi!
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

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