What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

[dingbat]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

As you also pointed out about the tides too in that the Hudson has in some places of a 20-40 foot tidal height change. I usually see around an 8 foot change on my combo GPS with the sections I travel.

Your 20-40' is a wee bit over stated. Per your attachment:

The largest daily tide on the Hudson River is over six feet, while the smallest is under three feet.

It looks like the typical Albany tides are in +6 to -0.5' range

http://www.lawrencevilleweather.com/tides/albany+ny

 

[emoney]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

I'm glad you guys corrected that 40 foot tidal change. I was really starting to wonder there. I mean, we have tide considerations around these parts, but nothing close that much.

 

[Ned L]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

'Normally' the average boat's most effiecient speed range is from idle up to hull speed. It takes a good bit of energy to get a boat up on top & planing.

 

[Expidia]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

You guys were right. I had googled "tides in the Hudson river" and the link I was reading was actually talking about other areas where there is a 40 foot tide. Like as Bond O says in the bay of fundy.

I did say in my post I see a 6-8 foot tidal difference over a 6 hour period on the Hudson.

It's amazing as the Hudson's a fresh water river yet the tides bring brackish water up to Newburgh.

I can go over a fishing spot and 6 hours later coming back near the same spot I can see 4-6 foot pilings stick out of the water.

As the link said it depends on how narrow the river is. At the Troy lock where the stripers end there northward spawning journey as its a narrow section of the river it has a a bigger tidal effect. The places I boat on the Hudson some of those bays can be 2 miles across.

 

[louiefl]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

RPM MPH GPH MPG RANGE
700 2.9 0.17 16.9 503
1000 4.3 0.36 11.8 351
1500 6.2 0.66 9.3 276
2000 6.9 1.44 4.8 142
2500 10.3 2.50 4.1 122
3000 18.3 3.24 5.6 168
3500 24.6 3.73 6.6 195
4000 29.1 4.58 6.4 189
4500 33.0 5.38 6.1 182
5000 36.0 6.67 5.4 160
5400 38.9 7.92 4.9 146

some data for my Aquasport center console. it shows best range at idle (700 rpm - 16.9 mpg) and drops with RPM but peaks again at 3,500 rpm (6.6 mpg). It looks like 3500 is better than 2000 rpm, helpful for eficient cruising, but not what you need when you are counting ounces...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

RPM MPH GPH MPG RANGE
It looks like 3500 is better than 2000 rpm, helpful for eficient cruising, but not what you need when you are counting ounces...

2000 RPM is plowing water and not on plane, by 3000 its up on plane and going to be quite a bit more efficient.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

Here in South Florida, our tidal flow is only 2-3 feet (closer to the equator), but we have the Gulf Stream to take into account. One day I went out the inlet and immediately killed the engine. Just drifted and enjoyed the weather. By the time I started the engine, I had 5 miles to go to get back to the inlet.

You 6 foot flow will have an effect on your mileage, and the comment that was made about the amount of time on that flow (based upon your speed) will make a difference too. Sailboats going from here to Bimini don't use the same heading as power boats because they are affected by the current for a longer period of time.

Sorry, probably more information than you wanted.

Sea ya...

 

[Triton II]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

I have fuel flow and litres/nm readings in my Yamaha digital gauges. Best nm per litre figure is always at idle (around 700 rpm in gear) at around 3.7 nm/L at 2-3 kts, but the gauge doesn't take into account current/wind. Worst nm per litre figure is always WOT (5900-6000 rpm) at around 1.3 nm/L and 34-35 kts. In between there is a 3800rpm sweet spot (probably the engine's best torque rpm) which gives around 2.3 nm/L and 20-21 kts. If I needed to get somewhere using minimum fuel with no current/wind or a helpful current I'd go at idle. If I had a head on current with a headwind I'd go at 3800rpm even if the combined current/headwind reduced my groundspeed by 5 kts. If the combined effect of the headwind and current was anything greater than that I would hope to have made the decision not to be out there in the first place.

TII

 

[Texasmark]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

'Normally' the average boat's most effiecient speed range is from idle up to hull speed. It takes a good bit of energy to get a boat up on top & planing.

Soooooo. Once it's up it's up. Amazing how the closed minds have totally ignored my reply.....guess that's just what we have here, a lot of closed minds.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

I'm just enough of a Redneck, have the money and time to buy several thousand dollars worth of equipment to disprove this disinformation. Physics is Physics and the laws of physics don't care to what or where they are applied.....they are still the laws of Physics.

 

[salty87]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

in gear idling. being on plane can slosh the gas away from the pickup.

 

[Triton II]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

I'm just enough of a Redneck, have the money and time to buy several thousand dollars worth of equipment to disprove this disinformation. Physics is Physics and the laws of physics don't care to what or where they are applied.....they are still the laws of Physics.

Go for it TM, looking forward to the results.

TII

 

[Expidia]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

in gear idling. being on plane can slosh the gas away from the pickup.

He's got a point here. I hope once on plane, that the fuel pickup inside the tank is at the rear. I think the plastic 6.5 gallon tanks the pipe is in the middle. I'll have to look the next time I've drawn it down 4 or 5 gallons.

I normally do most of my cruising on a trip just over planing speed to keep the fuel use most efficient. This trip where I had the wrong spare tank onboard I was heading back at 3/4 throttle because it was like 96 degrees and we needed the breeze. Big difference another quarter more throttle makes on the gas consumption. That's what threw me off that day and caused me to run out of fuel where I've never run out before on this same down and back 50 mile round trip. I usually have around almost a gallon left (knowing I have the backup 2.8 tank) when I refill the tank at the gas station on the way home. I was actually keeping it just on plane after I ran dry and used my 1.25 spare tank and luckily was able to get another gallon at the boat club I pulled into.

Thx for everyone's opinions. My 2.8 spare tank is back on board now where it should be

 

[jayhanig]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

+1 One the Merc 500 that I had, I had a 6 gal main tank, a 2.5 back up tank and a 1.5 gal gas can that was tucked under the splash well. Ran out of the 6.5 twice in 8 years, first time I only had the 1.5 gal back up. Then I added the 2.5 spare. Too much gas is always a better option.

I would try and find a way to add another tank or more small gas cans.

Back during my flying days my rule of thumb was if I was worried about gas, I didn't have enough.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

Go for it TM, looking forward to the results.

TII

Don't get your shorts in a not. It could happen. All I need to do is decide to do it.

 

[MikeB0307]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

Ok, I'm jealous! I'm sitting here reading this thread wishing my gas hog could get anywhere on 2/3gals of gas! I must agree with a couple of opinions here, one, if your worried, you probably don't have enough fuel! And the method previously mentioned, ride to 1/3 used, that way even if wind, tide, and current are against you, you should be able to get home.

 

[NYBo]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

It's amazing as the Hudson's a fresh water river yet the tides bring brackish water up to Newburgh.

I think the salt line can reach as far as Poughkeepsie, depending on time of year and rainfall.

You were far away from home being as far south as Cold Spring. Did you launch from the public launch near Gully's? We do vessel safety checks there a couple of times a year.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

Don't get your shorts in a not. It could happen. All I need to do is decide to do it.

Hey TM. I reread your post ( I think you are talking about post #21). I think I see where you are going with the math, except you don't mention how much fuel is used to get your "20 times more distance". This discussion has been all about fuel usage (mpg really). How does your approach relate to that?

BTW, my Cruisers 2870 got 1.25 mpg cruising just on plane. At idle speed, it got over 1.8 mpg. Probably every boat/engine setup gets different results.

Sea ya...

 

[Triton II]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

Don't get your shorts in a not. It could happen. All I need to do is decide to do it.

No knots here TM, I'm intrigued and hope you do decide to do it... as I said before, I'm looking forward to the results.

TII

 

[Expidia]

Re: What say you? Planing or creeping when you're almost out of gas?

I think the salt line can reach as far as Poughkeepsie, depending on time of year and rainfall.

You were far away from home being as far south as Cold Spring. Did you launch from the public launch near Gully's? We do vessel safety checks there a couple of times a year.

Yes, town launch next to Gully's. The town has the nerve to now charge $15 to launch there now! i would not mind but they do nothing for us. There is no TP in the toilets. There are two boat ramps, but they are usually strewn with sticks and twigs from high tide. They take your money and then sit in there car probably listening to music instead of getting off their Duffs and picking up the twigs on the ramps.

Whoever their Mayor is they should be replaced as if they run their ramp like this i'm sure they are lax in other areas. Last year after a big windstorm, two weeks later their ramp was still a mess. Yet they let boaters and still charged the same fee and the twigs were 6 inches deep on the ramps. I had to be towed up the ramp by a guy in a truck with a tow strap while the guy who took my money was still letting boaters in to use this mess of a ramp!

I had to try as I had no other way to retrieve my boat when we returned at 5pm. I had to clear all that crap myself around and under my car. You might say, well I should be using an SUV or truck! Well, I've been boating almost every weekend for 5 years using my two Saabs as the rig is less than 1000 lbs. Been launching at many, many decent ramps and never encounted a ramp in this state. SUV or not that debris was a slick as snot! Anyone getting out of their vehicle could have really easily been injured.

I had to write a letter to the Mayor and demand my $8 fee back (now it's $15 and still strewn with debris) and I sent along several pics. Took them 4 months to finally send me a refund. Clearly a ramp in that state should have been closed to boaters until cleaned up.

As to Cold Springs it's only across the bay (we didn't leave from Albany ) I'd say it's 5-10 miles from Newburgh. On a good day we've launched in Newburgh and cruised down to the Statue of Liberty and back. I usually fill up 1/2 way at Tarrytown Marina, at the foot of the Tappan Zee bridge. They have 24 hour pumps that takes a credit card.

Newburgh should take my $15 and go buy a freak'in rake and hand it to the guy at the gate and say "go make yourself useful for what we are paying you hourly"!