Fuel Consumption Data

With all of the news lately sounding like potential $4 a gallon gas this summer, I thought it might be interesting to do a thread on fuel consumption for the various CC's out there. One of the things I like best about my Tique is how economical it is. I have the stock 302 and 12 x 14 Federal. We mostly use the boat for wakeboarding - at 24 - 26mph, with no fatsacs, driver and observer on board, I was averaging about 2 gal/hr over an 8 hr day on the water. With 700 pounds of ballast this went up to about 2.5 gal/hr. On the days where I did more skiing, we also seemed to burn about 2.5 gal/hr (running 30-32mph). Maybe slightly more. I never burned more than 20 gallons in an 8hr day out.

Looking at the 1985 performance data for a 2001 from the brochure, they show 7.2gal/hr at 30mph:



I'm curious - does the 2001 really burn this much? How about the 351 vs. 454? Other newer CC's? Is there a difference with the newer FI motors? Post up your data if you have some!

I remember at the LG reunion 2 years ago about a dozen boats ran up to Log Bay from the ramp at basically WOT. I remember having a conversation with Ken (Nautique2001) about how comparable our fuel gauges looked after the 5 mile WOT run. We both had full tanks, because I remember watching Ken pull out of the gas station up there right before I pulled in.

Kens boat is outfitted with a 351 and mine with the 454. They both share the same carb but obviously have different displacement, but I do not think I burn more fuel at typical wakeboarding and waterskiing speeds because my boat runs less rpms than a SBF would.

The GPH that I burn depends on what I am doing. I would say I burn about 7-8 gph while wakeboarding, fully sacked out wiht 1500lbs. I would guess I have burnt almost 20 gph on a camping trip at LG coming back up lake towards Ticonderoga after hanging out in a cove. There was a storm moving in and I wasn't waiting to see how it turned out. Basically 50 mph all the way home. I think we were approximately 20 miles from our camp ground. I remember being almost empty after the ride back and being about 3/4 when we arrived there because we were casually crusing

I average about 3 Gal/Hr for time on the water, including engine off time. We cut the throttle at each rider drop & idle back (no power turns!). Even at $4 per gallon, the enjoyment is worth the cost.

Sort of funny. We do a barefoot race, The Buckethead, which is 37 miles. They had to put in a mandatory 5 minute fueling stop, because some of the boats could not make the distance without extra fuel. The race takes about an hour. We do the race without refueling. We just rest for the 5 minutes. James, 87BFN, uses is Air Nautique, with the Python, and had to take on 10 gallons+. He actually fueled while on the run.

Johnny's 1988 BFN BBC gulps it compared to the SBF in our 1988 SN for regular duty barefooting. He can pull more weight at higher speeds though no question. Nothing to provide in terms of wakeboard speeds but for regular skiing they don't seem to differ noticeably.

i'm gonna say ~4-5gal/hr. wakeboarding in my '88 2001 w/351 and ~800-1000lbs total weight...like jody says, it's only money so i don't really pay too close attention to it...

DrCC wrote: There is no Road Tax on Marine Fuel.

Not in Wisconsin or Illinois, check your own state(s).

i´m getting around 5 gph all around (cruise/board/barefoot).

DrCC wrote: Last year I only spent 270.00 on boat gas.   Got 50.00 back. So, the way I look at it, my first 2011 tank-full is already paid for.

I spend that in gas every 2 weekends of going out...

as soon as i finish putting that flux capacitor on my 82sn i wont have to worry about gasoline again   

Ok, I'll bite on the tow vehicle, even though I think I have seen a thread on this somewhere else on the site.



She is a 1991 Chevy G20, the shaggin' wagon. 12mpg with the boat on the back. Approaching 200k miles and is a roadtripping machine, has been super reliable except when my buddy pushed her too hard on a roundtrip to Oregon with 2500lb boat on the back and blew the trans. She still made it home.

Unfortunately I have a 120 mile roundtrip to our favorite lake so the van got a workout last summer. Oh BTW we don't tow with the skylon up :-)

Got to move to the US, we're looking at £6.00 plus a gallon in the UK this summer!! That's $9.73 at today's exchange rate.

Ouch.

What?

Boat gas can only be claimed on form 4136 if it is used in a boat for commerical fishing purposes. How many of you guys who claim this credit run downriggers and nets while you run the slolam course?

Be careful, you don't want Uncle Sam after you.

Think Lucy at J-H has some splainin' to do.

I got some editing to do.

No such thing as free boat gas Lucy.

Sorry,   I was mis-informed!