Slow Down and Just Cruise

[MRS]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

When the water is smooth and it is 5:30 a.m. and need to run 20 miles down river the sun coming up it is 4600 rpm's and right at 50 mph. it is sweet.lane:
When water gets bumpy I cruise but love my mornings to the fishing spots on Havasu....

 

[V153]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

My boat likes to 'cruise' around 40 @ 35-3600 RPM. Only burns 6 or 7 gph at that speed, vs 14 runnin flat out. Call me green ...

Fuel economy is for wussies. I say burn up all the fossil fuel fast as possible! Then we'll be forced to come up with a viable alternative?

 

[V153]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

the seagulls like to fly beside me at that speed which I find kind of calming in an odd way.

Nothing odd about that. I routinely 'clock' seabirds. Pelicans can actually do 40 to 45. Cormorans are a lil faster even, specially when ya sneak up on em. Seagulls are way slow. But they always remind me of a great ole Bad Company tune ...?

 

[JoLin]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

How do you get 18 mph out of your 34 Silverton? I am lucky to hit 13mph at 3100rpm!!?? I spin 18 x 19 props also

You might need to look into that. My friend's 1984 34C cruises at about 18, too- and I know he isn't pushing it beyond the lower 3000's. I expect to see him today and I'll ask for specifics including prop info.

I like 3100-3200 rpm on my boat. That's 23-25 mph for me. Keeps me comfortably on plane without the chop knocking me down. Motors sound good, too. I don't like high speed running as a rule. I enjoy being out there. I'm in no rush.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise



25 to 30 IS slow cruise on these boats. I use them during the week when there is no traffic. If it 'aint full throttle, I 'aint happy.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

Depends on when, where and who's with.

New lake I'll slowly cruise the shore taking in the scenery or while looking for fishing spots. Early morning our lake is "No Wake". If I know the water and am going out, returning or moving to a different spot I'll run 3/4 throttle. Storm moving in quickly, all out hells bells.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

My Islanders "slow" cruise seems to be 2500-2800 rpm at about 22-25mph. The boat is planing and the 4.3 seems pretty efficient at this speed.
At 40mph+ the fuel disappears pretty fast.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

Our beast cruises at 20 mph @ 3200rpm. Which isn't bad for a boat that's as aerodynamic as a cinder block.

 

[rbh]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

We are 70 kmph at 4800 rpm+- and I just hate watching the fuel gauge start dropping.
So for the most staying on plane is about 2200rpm and that's good by me for the most part.

 

[dan02gt]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

My boat cruises really well around 35 MPH@~7GPH. My MercMonitor spitting out the GPH numbers at me really keeps my throttle had under control.

On a side note. So you guys are some of the people I see "plowing" the water at those intermediary speeds between no wake and plane making the 3-4' wakes for everyone else to deal with. Last time out I saw multiple small fishing boats get beat up my the massive wake coming off a 23' center console plowing the water in a narrow part of the river. The oblivious driver had no clue why all the fishermen were cursing him and flipping the bird.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

"18 mph out of your 34 Silverton"

Man that's got to burn some fuel!!

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

I'll let er warm up good at a slow cruise,bring er up on plane and open it up for a bit,then when thats out of my systym, slow putz unless I'm goung more tge 15 miles,then up on plane15-20 or so. Before I load up I like to clean it up at near full throttle then out and home.
To fast along the shores of lake superior,ya miss the good stuff.
Grub

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

if it 'aint full throttle, i 'aint happy.

^^^^ that !!!

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

So lately instead of getting my boat up on plain and bombing around at 25-30MPH I have been just kicking the motor up to 1,500RPM doing about 8 knots and just taking the view in. Is anyone else up there tired of cursing around on plain and the things that come with it (burning 15 gallons/hour, getting knocked around)

You are using a lot more gas to cover the same distance at 8 knots than you'd use at 30 MPH. Drop it to 6 knots and you'll probably break even on MPG.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

How do you get 18 mph out of your 34 Silverton? I am lucky to hit 13mph at 3100rpm!!?? I spin 18 x 19 props also

Sorry for the derail, honestly I couldn't tell you the props from memory but 18x18 or 18x19 sounds like what I'm spinning.

She will plane at 2700-2800 and run around 16-17 mph. 2900-3000 is the sweet spot at 18 mph. Top end has been 4200 on both motors she will do 25-26 mph.

Sounds like there's something wrong with yours, my numbers are right on par with other 34Cs.

 

[belairbrian]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

Just spent a week at the river probably spent a total of 30 minutes on plane. Spend most of the time slow cruising. The 4 stroke burned about 4 gallons in 5 days. Usually running 1200-1400 rpms.

 

[Don Hansen]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

The 11 mile long lake I go to in Canada has a resort at one end and nothing else on the rest of the lake. I like nothing better than starting up the little kicker motor, throwing out a spoon, leaning back, and watch nature go slowly by.

DLH

 

[JoshOnt]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

Just spent a week at the river probably spent a total of 30 minutes on plane. Spend most of the time slow cruising. The 4 stroke burned about 4 gallons in 5 days. Usually running 1200-1400 rpms.

How?!?! I have a 50 and I run half throttle and burn that every 5 hours

 

[belairbrian]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

How?!?! I have a 50 and I run half throttle and burn that every 5 hours

It's a 16ft aluminum with a 30hp. 1200 is only 400 above idle.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: Slow Down and Just Cruise

I have only had the boat for a few weeks. We live on a river that feeds into a reservoir. I love to open her up on the reservoir (only get 40Mph @ 4700 RPM) but I bring it back to about 20 in the river section and finally when I get up the river as far as we can go (about 2 miles) we shut the motor off and drift back down stream (drop a line in the water on the way).

I guess my ADHD kinda kicks in so we can we cant just pick one speed


2002 Four Winns Horizon with Johnson 150 outboard. (14 1/2 x 19 aluminum prop)