[magster65]

Props are so important!
You need to be in proper range of efficiency (it doesn't matter what brand of boat).
Lower rpm does not mean better economy, it means lower vacuum signal and more fuel. Depending on the year of the engine, 350's... or any small chevy should see anywhere between 4500 and 5000 rpm at wot with a partial load.
A lot of dealers have a prop exchange where you can go try several different ones to get the 'right' one.
I just put mine back in the water for the season, I got 42.3 @ 4850 rpm.
Fun fun fun!

[Rock Hall]

Does everyone have their 220s in the water? Just put ours in this past weekend and we are looking forward to a beautiful boating weekend on the bay.

[Rock Hall]

I'm trying to figure out why my picture is no longer in my sig. All my settings show that it should be there. What changed?

[Rock Hall]

I figured out the avatar.
Got the boat out for it's first good run on Sat. clean bottom, new paint.
New plugs and wires. Rebuilt prop. 2 new batteries. It's never run better. Cruises on plane at 22mph, 3100 RPM and about 9 gph. much better than last year. I guess that new engine helps. My bottom was pretty bad by the end of the season. Hopefully the new paint will do a better job. I also stripped the drive and painted with anti-fouling.

The water was pretty calm this weekend. Temp was scorching inland. We slept on the boat all weekend and it was pleasant.

How did everyone else do?

[magster65]

I took this picture off the back of mine. This was 4800 rpm @ 42.4 mph... lovin' the better weather!

[Rock Hall]

I dont think mine will go that fast, but I never see water that flat either. What prop do you run?

[magster65]

We don't see water like that very often either
I'll take it when I can get it!
I think my duo-props are 22" pitch and the drive gearing is 2.20-1.

[Millerman]

Hey all

I just bought my 1990 Searay 220 Da 5.7L yestarday. It is my fathers day gift from my wife and kids so it is quite fitting its maiden voyage is tomorrow. Nice to find a place with similar interest.

Cheers
Dan

[Rock Hall]

Congratulations Dan!

Let us know how she runs.

[Millerman]

Just back. What a day. Turns over first crank. Super clean. Solid boat. I think I'm in love and sunburnt. All is good.

Cheers
Dan

[Rock Hall]

Good to hear Dan.
We are out on our's every weekend. Havent done any long cruises yet. Hopefully we'll get out in the next few weeks. The fuel prices have slowed us down just a little. We boat on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. On a windy day, it gets a little rough on the 220 and the crew, so we stay in the creeks. So far this year, we've had some pretty good weather.

Have fun Dan

Mark

[Millerman]

Can anybody tell me roughly how many hours I can get on a tank of gas cruising at about 3000rpm.

Cheers
Dan

[Rock Hall]

I have an 1989 220DA. With 350 carborated. Alpha One and I forget the prop. 2 passengers, full gas at 3100 rpm I burn about 9.5 gal per hour. My speed by GPS is about 22 mph.

If you have a similar power package and are moving at the same speed per RPM, then I would think you would get the same GPH burn.

There are lots of variables. I boat in tidal waters. Against the wind and the tide this scenario changes. Rough water will change it. Dirty bottom will change it.

What I gave you is my avg cruising speed. If I juice it up a little the GPH goes up quickly. at 4000RPM I am burning over 23GPH. At 1300 I burn about 3GPH.

Hope that helps you out. The way I know this is I installed a Lowrance Fuel flo meter. I think it only cost about $110 and took me less than an hour to install. Neat toy and it easily paid for itself.

Mark

[Millerman]

Originally Posted by Rock Hall

I have an 1989 220DA. With 350 carborated. Alpha One and I forget the prop. 2 passengers, full gas at 3100 rpm I burn about 9.5 gal per hour. My speed by GPS is about 22 mph.

If you have a similar power package and are moving at the same speed per RPM, then I would think you would get the same GPH burn.

There are lots of variables. I boat in tidal waters. Against the wind and the tide this scenario changes. Rough water will change it. Dirty bottom will change it.

What I gave you is my avg cruising speed. If I juice it up a little the GPH goes up quickly. at 4000RPM I am burning over 23GPH. At 1300 I burn about 3GPH.

Hope that helps you out. The way I know this is I installed a Lowrance Fuel flo meter. I think it only cost about $110 and took me less than an hour to install. Neat toy and it easily paid for itself.

Mark

Sorry for my ignorance. So going by your figures I would get roughly 4 hours off a tank at 3000rpm? So at $200 a tank I really gotta go slower.

Thanks very much Mark for your reply.

Cheers
Dan

[Rock Hall]

Dan,

I have a 60 gal tank, so yes, only 6 hrs running at about 3000 RPM. I pay a little more than $200 a tank. Our aimless cruising has really been reduced. We spend more time on the hook. I'm still running last year's gas. When I have no particular destination I usually cruise around at 1200-1500 rpm. More time, less gas. If you really hammer it, the gas will go quick.

Mark

[bolo78910]

hey guys i am back, i sold my searay , and iam telling yall i caunt sleep at night lol.

my dad past away so i sold the boat to make ends meet by giving him a great funeral, he deserved.

great boat i did install a 17 pitch ss prop i think it was a mirage with man it was kicking .

last time i sail her 19 miles going and 19 miles back with a full tank of gas i came back to my slip with half tank,

to me that was great at about 2500 rpm 27 miles per gps.

right now i have no boat and it is killing me.

hope to get back the same type 220 da this winter.

[Si Rey]

Well I just bought my first boat, yup an 89 220 DA. This boat is in beautiful shape, but I'm real anul about mechanical condition. In three months I replaced the engine water pump, t-stat, all the cooling hoses, belts, exhaust manifolds, spark plugs, cap, rotor, ign module, impeller, brake shoes, master cylinder on trailer as well as 4 tires-don't keep those Carslile tires! Just recently I bought a Stilleto 14x17 SS prop-WOW! I have the Mercruiser 5.7L with the Alpha 1 outdrive. I do all my own work so I can learn what to do if something goes aray in the middle of the lake, and it has! According to GPS I'll run at about 35 mph@wot(4200rpm), Been having some puzzling things going on with my rpms/prop that Im trying to figure out, possibly tach. Love the boat, my wife and 2 boys go tubing,fishing with her and have a ball. I will say she loves to drink fuel! We live in northern Az and have to drive hours to get to H2O which is the reason we bought a cabin cruiser. I can't go to the lake for the day without getting up at 4 in the morning and return at 9 at night. So we stay the weekend. I'm learning a lot being a boat owner, need to meet other boat owners in my area to hang with, I thought having a boat would get me all kinds of friends. Nice to see other Sea Ray owners out there, stay in touch.

[Rock Hall]

Si Rey,

Congrats on the 220DA, Ive got the same boat, same pkg except the prop. Your max speed is exactly the same as me. I get about 4300 WOT at about 35mph. I also have trim tabs which I'm still learning to use effectively. I have noticed that I can plane at a slightly lower speed with the tabs, which saves some fuel. Without the tabs I need about 3400 to really run on plane. With tabs, I can run on plane at about 2900 if the water is fairly calm. I'm on the Chesapeake Bay, so there is usually some chop. Just to let you know, at 3200 RPM I burn about 10 to 10.5 GPH. at WOT pushes 20, at 1200 a little over 2.
Most efficient is very low RPM or minimum plane speed.

I'd love to talk to you more about your boat since it is exactly the same as mine.

Mark

[Rock Hall]

A few weeks ago I posted a message somewhere as to how the mirror that covers the anchor rode locker is hinged. Top or bottom. Someone promptly answered and I'm ready to try to pop this open and cant find the message anywhere.

Can someone answer again?
Mirror in cabin to access locker. Hinged on top or bottom. Dont want to break it.

Thanks

[Millerman]

Originally Posted by Rock Hall

A few weeks ago I posted a message somewhere as to how the mirror that covers the anchor rode locker is hinged. Top or bottom. Someone promptly answered and I'm ready to try to pop this open and cant find the message anywhere.

Can someone answer again?
Mirror in cabin to access locker. Hinged on top or bottom. Dont want to break it.

Thanks

I did not reply before but mine is hinged at the top. So you have to hold it open to access the compartment.

Cheers Dan

[Rock Hall]

Thanks Dan,

Thats what I needed to know. Mine was so tight that I had to pry it with a big screw driver. If I had pried the top, I would have broken it.

[magster65]

Well I just sold mine too last Monday. It wasn't for sale but these folks really wanted it. I'm not rich... and money talks. I'm looking for another now but a 260...
Waaaa!
I gots no boat!!!!!

[Millerman]

...

[Millerman]

Originally Posted by Rock Hall

Thanks Dan,

Thats what I needed to know. Mine was so tight that I had to pry it with a big screw driver. If I had pried the top, I would have broken it.

No worries. I just about took the thing right off myself.

[Rock Hall]

What is the story on the way you have the canvas in those pics? It looks like the camper in the back. What is the piece in the front? Is this the stock Bimini piece? Would you be able to send me a side view of the canvas in that configuration?

The way mine is now is very close to that, but I'm sure it's not right. I unsnap it from the windshield, roll the front part back and use clamps to keep it in place. It covers the same area as what you have there, but obviously not stock. Not pretty but functional.

I'm wondering if I have the canvas set it up like your's and just havent tried the right combination.

Mark