How Much Fuel Do You Use in a Year ?

[SPARK]

For a medium to heavy displacement mono hull in the 55 to 65 foot range, how much diesel fuel do you use in a year of full time cruising?

Possibly separate answers for tropical and high latitudes.
For high latitudes, how would you split it between main engine, generator and heating?

I realize that this is like asking how long is a piece of string, but please try to answer.

I am wanting to do a circumnavigation of the world and then one of the Americas, with possibly a voyage to Antarctica.

[Charlie]

http://bethandevans.com/pdf/costofcruising.pdf Adjust the costs of fuel and this will give you somewhat of an idea.

[S/V Alchemy]

If you have solar panels, wind generator and a Honda 2000, you will use 10 gallons of gas, 20 gallons for the tender outboard, and if you aren't on a schedule and only use the engine to get into harbours, lagoons and to anchor, you might have difficulty burning 100 gallons of diesel per year.

If you insist on motoring for days when the wind drops below 10 knots, and can't bear to be becalmed, you could go through 1,500-2,000 gallons, easy. Your engine's HP is unknown, but it's probably at least 100 HP, meaning a burn rate of 1.5-2 gallons at cruise speed of 7-8 knots and 2,200 RPM (roughly).

This is so intrinsic to your own style that it is impossible to answer. We are spending a lot of money to be independent of the shore; the goal is to have enough battery power to run the boat for 5-6 days of cloudy, still weather at anchor. When we run the engine, like to pump out far offshore, we would run it for four to six hours once a week to recharge, to make water and to get it throughly warm. But at 60 HP/1 gal/hr. consumption, that could mean we get about a year's runtime from one fuel fill of 150 gallons.

Never has the phrase "your mileage may vary" been more appropriate, but in our case, it's our convictiont that a diesel, like the term "auxiliary" suggests, is a necessary but minor part of moving the boat, which has a load of expensive sails for that purpose.

[atoll]

on our 63 ft,30 ton yacht over 6 years and roughly 45000 miles sailing mainly in warm waters,we used the engine for 4500 hours and generator 6000 hrs with no solar panels apart from one 55w for the 12v genset.
burning 40000 liters of fuel.

as an expedition yacht on a schedule we motored in light winds,passages included 3 red sea transits and 3 trans atlantics and a circumnavigation.

have recently fitted a kabola drip feed stove and mikumi boiler with consumption of between 4.5-12 liters per day for higher latitudes.

[lorenzo b]

I burned 5000 gallons last year traveling about 4000 miles. We get about a mile a gallon. I know everyone screams about how expensive fuel is, but just jump on the water and push your boat a mile.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

I burned 5000 gallons last year traveling about 4000 miles. We get about a mile a gallon. I know everyone screams about how expensive fuel is, but just jump on the water and push your boat a mile.

you might want to try hanging some bits of rag from all that rigging youve got lorenzo!!!!

fuel now in europe $6-8/gal!!!!!!!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by atoll

you might want to try hanging some bits of rag from all that rigging youve got lorenzo!!!!
fuel now in europe $6-8/gal!!!!!!!

Fuel in Louisiana now over $4/ for those "little" US gallons.

[lorenzo b]

In Venezuela it's still $1.50 gal. Nice place too.

[Auspicious]

About 400 US gallons / year, about half for heat and the other half for main and genset. Lots of coastal mini-cruises and winters in Annapolis.

[speciald@ocens.]

We travel about 4000 miles/yr. 70,000 pound 60 footer and use less than 500 gallons - alot of that in the genset.

[cantxsailor]

Y'all make me feel so definitly green. I have used 24 gallons in the last 3yrs. A couple thousand miles under the keel all told maybe. Those 8 mighty horses sip fuel. About a qt per hour at 3/4 throttle. I have to be careful that my fuel doesn't go bad before I use it. Of course my boat is tiny and I do try to sail or at least drift with the tide and I never have to be anywhere any time specific. Now when I retire and go sailing it may be different completely.........m.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by atoll

we used the engine for 4500 hours and generator 6000 hrs . . .

Thread drift alert:

What make of genset was that? 6,000 hours without major overhaul?

[SPARK]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

In Venezuela it's still $1.50 gal. Nice place too.

This is what I have been thinking.

Is it possible to buy fuel once a year at a place where it is a fraction of the cost of other places.
I would like to buy fuel in Venezuela when in the area. When in the Med. buy at Libya (I am sure the civil would have ended by then) and looking for a cheep place in the Pacific.

I am trying to see how practical it would be to sail with a years supply of fuel in a medium to heavy displacement mono hull.

[lorenzo b]

I think Indonesia sells it's oil locally for a good price. I'm sure you can work a deal with a local fisherman, it's that kind of place.

[SPARK]

From the replies above, I take it that I should use about 2000 gal(7000 liters) in a year if I use the motor a lot. Otherwise substantially less.
Thanks