Speed

[booboo2]

Hey folks,

I am a long time lurker, just joined awhile back.

I am looking to buy a boat in the not to distant future. I am leaning towards a 35 to 40 ft monohull sail boat or possibly something like a 35 to 40 ft. Carver or similar . I am trying to find out what the speed while motoring on average is, as well as how many miles to the gallon. I realize these figure may vary greatly. If you could just say what type and size boat you have, the type of engine with the mileage that would great thanks. I tried searching to no avail. I have zero sailing experience, that will change soon.

Boo Boo

[Cheechako]

44 ft sailboat with 51 hp diesel averaged .65 gal per hour over 3-4 years. 8 knots.
24 ft powerboat with 205 HP averages 12 Gal per hour at 30 mph.. maybe 2.5 miles per gallon.
32 ft trawler with 85 HP diesel made 7.5 knots and burned 1.25 gal an hour at that speed.
47 ft mono sailboat with 80 HP diesel used about 1 gal per hour. and 8.5 knots

[JPA Cate]

44 ft. waterline, 6.0-6.5 knots average for all our uses: 2.5 liters per hour, 43 hp Kubota engine

Ann

[Stu Jackson]

Didn't you just post a similar thread on speed and mileage?

Do you expect different answers?

[booboo2]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Didn't you just post a similar thread on speed and mileage?

Do you expect different answers?

Yeah Stu I did post in two different areas. I posted one under sail boats and one under power boats.

The one I posted under sail boats was to get answers from seasoned sailors and the one I posted under power boats was intended to get answers from seasoned power boaters.

And Yes, I did expect different answers. Wouldn't anyone? If the answers weren't different then there would be no difference between the two types of boats. It's kind of like the difference between a Lear Jet and a motor glider. I have flown both and there is definitely a difference. In the Lear, I paid with a credit card, in the motor glider I paid out of my front pocket.

Did I offend you in some way?

Love,

Booboo

[Stu Jackson]

No, not offended, but I still don't get why anyone does miles per anything on the water. Knots, current, etc... affect the answer.

It also might have helped to say that you were doing that, since many folks read posts based on Recent Discussion on the right of your screen.

Thanks for the clarification.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by booboo2

Yeah Stu I did post in two different areas. I posted one under sail boats and one under power boats.

The one I posted under sail boats was to get answers from seasoned sailors and the one I posted under power boats was intended to get answers from seasoned power boaters.

And Yes, I did expect different answers. Wouldn't anyone? If the answers weren't different then there would be no difference between the two types of boats. It's kind of like the difference between a Lear Jet and a motor glider. I have flown both and there is definitely a difference. In the Lear, I paid with a credit card, in the motor glider I paid out of my front pocket.

Did I offend you in some way?

Love,

Booboo

Not really offending anyone but double posting the same question in two different areas on this forum will still be read and answered by the same people. Common on most forums. There is no real or actual separation between different areas. Most members just read new posts, regardless of the forum area.

To keep the forum a bit organized and for researching older discussions it is convenient to categorize the different areas of interest. Speaking of older discussions, a little searching in the Cruisers Forum archives will lead you to several, previous and very detailed discussions on fuel consumption on all types of vessels.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

. . . but I still don't get why anyone does miles per anything on the water. Knots, current, etc... affect the answer.

Because miles per gallon has an economic correlation that is useful for estimating costs. In the long run you can count on "current, etc..." washing out leaving you with a good long term average. A good example of this would be a trip up or down the ICW. In the long run the current being with or against you will average out to about zero. On the ICW you will motor significantly more than you would offshore or even making a coastal passage so fuel economy becomes a significant issue.


Knots thru the water will not wash out but you can come up with a curve of speed vs MPG that will show you what is most economical. You can then create a set of related curves that shows you what the most economical speed is for various currents aiding or opposing you. You can also calculate how much more it cost you to leave an anchorage late then motoring fast to make the next anchorage before dark.

[booboo2]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

No, not offended, but I still don't get why anyone does miles per anything on the water. Knots, current, etc... affect the answer.

It also might have helped to say that you were doing that, since many folks read posts based on Recent Discussion on the right of your screen.

Thanks for the clarification.

Stu,

I can tell you and I are going to get along just fine. You kind of remind me of a lot my present day customers, I have been in the bail bonding business for the last 13 years.

I realize mileage (or should I say nauticalage or knotage,) is referred to as knots. How much knotage do you get? That would sound weird. I don't care if folks tell me in feet, yards, hands or poppy seeds (A poppyseed, in case you didn't know is 1/4 of a barleycorn which is 1/3 of an inch), per gallon, liter or hoghead (a hoghead, in case you didn't know is 63 gallons). Wouldn't it sound weird if someone told you, their sail boat fuel tank held a little less than half a hoghead. It is the comparison I am interested in.

I spent much of my life in the cockpit, losing an airline job after 911, so I am well versed in the use of knots or perhaps I should say nautical miles, so you and I can stay together on this.

BTW, Stu, how many ex-wives do you have?

Love ya, mean it,

Booboo

To all the others, thanks for your input.

[booboo2]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Because miles per gallon has an economic correlation that is useful for estimating costs. In the long run you can count on "current, etc..." washing out leaving you with a good long term average. A good example of this would be a trip up or down the ICW. In the long run the current being with or against you will average out to about zero. On the ICW you will motor significantly more than you would offshore or even making a coastal passage so fuel economy becomes a significant issue.


Knots thru the water will not wash out but you can come up with a curve of speed vs MPG that will show you what is most economical. You can then create a set of related curves that shows you what the most economical speed is for various currents aiding or opposing you. You can also calculate how much more it cost you to leave an anchorage late then motoring fast to make the next anchorage before dark.

What Adelie said.

[deluxe68]

This is gonna get interesting.

[booboo2]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

No, not offended, but I still don't get why anyone does miles per anything on the water. Knots, current, etc... affect the answer.

It also might have helped to say that you were doing that, since many folks read posts based on Recent Discussion on the right of your screen.

Thanks for the clarification.

And one more thing, Stu,

Miles has everything to do with it. I was referring to NAUTICAL miles, (after all this is a NAUTICAL forum, is it knot? KNOT, did you catch that, I was just seeing if you were awake, ), not STATUTE miles. I just assumed everyone on here was somewhat educated, I stand corrected on that point.

Still love ya,

Booboo

[sailorboy1]

I normally will motor at about 5-6 knots as that is a good balance of speed, fuel, and engine noise; I seem to use around .5 gallon of diesel per hour.

If I motor at 7 knots the fuel use seems to jump to around 1 gph

[booboo2]

This is my very first post on this forum and I am already in a tiff. Stu, you're going to have to look that one up, I am tired of explaining things to you.

May the Cruisers forum Gods smile upon me with compassion.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by booboo2

This is my very first post on this forum and I am already in a tiff. Stu, you're going to have to look that one up, I am tired of explaining things to you.

May the Cruisers forum Gods smile upon me with compassion.

Well it seems to me that you are more than doing your part to keep your little stu battle going!