Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

[bekosh]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

skim61, My boat is pretty similar yours. This season I have run a little over 700 miles and averaged 1.3mpg.
Best individual tank was 1.5mpg, the worst was 1.2mpg (ran the generator for the AC a lot).
This is a mix of cruising on plane and no-wake zones around the Lake Winnebago system.

 

[skim61]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

Thanks, bekosh. That is good info.

Tswiczko, thanks alot for that resource. I downloaded the app for my xoom pad instead of going to buy charts. Some invaluable info there, too.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

Thanks, bekosh. That is good info.

Tswiczko, thanks alot for that resource. I downloaded the app for my xoom pad instead of going to buy charts. Some invaluable info there, too.

Get the paper charts, too!! You can't be dependent of your electronics, especially anything with a battery that might die or loss of the satellite signal. You should ALWAYS have paper charts of any area you're boating.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

I agree with Fireman I use active captain in conjunction with gps but I also have paper charts with me of the area I am in.

But I also have a lot of things marked on my charts that I got off that website for fuel locations etc.

I havent tried it yet but I am going to try and see if I can make a screen shot of the noaa maps and take them somewhere with a large printer(like school where we have a 60"color printer) and make some charts.

 

[sasto]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

Here's another link worth checking out
http://activecaptain.com

Yes it was worth checking out. Thanks tswiczko!

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

Thanks Sasto and Skim I put that sight on here quite a few times an have used it to plan several trips.

I like the fact that it's free and the info is updateable by boaters so it remains fairly reliable.


Sorry, Hijack over now

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

If I were gong to take a long trip like you are planning ,I'd do a shack down cruise first. Say from where ever you are to Turkey Point and Back. See what speed siutes you the best ,Running one engine or two. Get a feel for the boat. Fuel weighs in at about 12 .lbs a gallon so a half a tank will get you better mileage then a full tank. If you have dual tanks Run on with one engine and one with both engines. Speed isn't important on a on a long trip.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Cruising from Chesapeake to FL Keys

Just a tip...don't run on a single engine for a couple of reasons:

1) A single engine will work much harder pushing your boat than twins will. You will burn almost the same amount of fuel at a given speed due to the fact that the one engine is doing twice the work. Less load (2 engines) means less fuel burn and less RPM's, not to mention wear & tear on the engine.

2) When a boat is under power in the water and one engine is shut off, the forward momentum of the hull thru the water forces a lot of water past the prop of the engine that isn't running. This forces the prop to turn from the water passing it and also is moving the gears in the transmission. If the engine isn't running and the transmission in gear, the internals aren't geting lubricated and the gears are spinning almost dry, not to mention the pressure exerted against the internal fluid pumps and dampers.

All in all, it's better to run both engines if possible. You get better mileage, less wear, less chance of damage, and better handling.