fuel usage / hr hunter 28.5

Jun 12, 2013
213
Hunter 40 back creek
Anyone know the diesel fuel usage / hr for the 1985 hunter 28.8 with a 2gm diesel motor, thank you
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Figure 1/2 gal/hr and you should be good. Also remember you may not be able to get the last couple of gallons of fuel out of the tank
 
Jun 12, 2013
213
Hunter 40 back creek
Thank you, 11 gal tank so 9 gallons looks like 18 hours. I am traveling to Annapolis MD from Bayville, NJ
 
May 24, 2004
7,164
CC 30 South Florida
Just for info, understand that the boat model and year has nothing to do with the average burn rate of the engine. The Yanmar 2GM burns slightly under 1/2 gallon per hour whether installed in an h28.5 or an h320. Like Steve indicates you should be safe if you use 1/2GPH for your calculations. Allow me to suggest the installation of an hour meter. This will allow you to calculate the remaining usable fuel in the tank at any desired point in time. With the speed over ground and distance to be covered data from a GPS you may calculate range and better schedule fuel stops. Your two gallon reserve might be adequate in calm waters but perhaps not in foul weather as the fuel sloshes inside the tank. As a matter of principle when traveling we attach a 5 gallon fuel can to the stanchions to use in case of emergency. Conditions can determine whether your actual range is 20nm or 100nm on a given amount of fuel and conditions can change rather quick. There are of course strategies and fuel conservation methods that can be employed but carrying a can of fuel with some extra gallons makes things a lot simpler.
 
Mar 11, 2015
357
Hunter 33.5 Tacoma, WA
Not really... It's about 1/2 gallon/hr @2600 RPM. If you go to @3000 RPM you burn 3/4 gallon/hr.

RPM GPH
2200 0.28
2400 0.4
2500 0.45
2600 0.51
2700 0.56
2800 0.62
3000 0.73
3200 0.88
3400 1.07
 
Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
My experience with fuel usage is just about exactly the same as reported by mz4wheeler. I do believe that wind direction and strength, as well as sea state, will impact fuel consumption to one degree or another so that would have to be factored in.
 
May 24, 2004
7,164
CC 30 South Florida
We mostly use an average figure for the burn rate to simplify calculations. It includes running time at various RPM. All engines are not in the same condition and some burn more than others. The best approach is to do your calculations to obtain the average burn rate of your own engine according to your own motoring style. Fill your tank up to full. Record the time that you run the engine and after around 10 hours fill it back up recording the number of gallons it took from the pump meter. Then divide the number of gallons by the time the engine ran and you will have your own average fuel consumption rate. By repeating the process a few times until results are fairly consistent you will have found your own average burn rate. It has been our own experience through many hours of operating a 2GM that our average burn rate is slightly under 1/2 GPH and furthermore every time that we take on fuel I can predict within 1/4 of a gallon how much fuel it will take. This gives me great comfort to be able to tell at any particular time how much available fuel I have in the tank by glancing at the hour meter. This allows range calculations in the water and the development of strategies to reach my destination with ample fuel.
 
May 24, 2004
7,164
CC 30 South Florida
Warren, think about it. Wind and waves and the state of the seas as well as the condition of the hull only influences boat speed and range. In the formula "gallons per hour" there are just two variables and that is the number of gallons and the number of hours and no other factors. It is a fact that engines will burn more fuel at higher RPM but to try and keep track of the time it ran at different RPM is not only difficult but unnecessary. All we need as a useful guide is an average figure consistent with our engine and usage.
 
Mar 11, 2015
357
Hunter 33.5 Tacoma, WA
I once ran out of fuel once thinking "Oh, I burn 1/2 gallon/hour".. My bad on that one, but I learned how to prime my fuel OJT. So it wasn't all for nothing. Also, I always carry a 5 gallon container of diesel.

That's when I did my research and discovered the HUGE difference between 2600 RPM and 3000 RPM. So now, I *always* try to maintain 2600 RPM, even though I sometimes creep it up to 2800/3000 on occasion. At least I'm aware I'm burning a LOT more fuel.
 
Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
Hey MZ4wheeler!

Not really... It's about 1/2 gallon/hr @2600 RPM. If you go to @3000 RPM you burn 3/4 gallon/hr.

RPM GPH
2200 0.28
2400 0.4
2500 0.45
2600 0.51
2700 0.56
2800 0.62
3000 0.73
3200 0.88
3400 1.07
I'm just curious where these numbers came from. They look really useful to me and I haven't seen them before. I have a 2GM20F
Ken
 

jtm

.
Jun 14, 2004
312
Hunter 28.5 Dataw Island, SC
Yes these burn rates are interesting but ensuring that you can actually get there with some fuel left is prolly what Warren is getting at.
So asides from wind and wave conditions I (having a h28.5 vs longer boat) would also believe that relative to almost similar beam, I have a "stubbier" boat (needing to ply more water) vs a vis a sleeker 30-32 ft . Hence I would think my burn rate ,albeit same, progress would be labored by wind , wave and a blunter entry thru the water. I'd carry more fuel to make the same distance with the same engine with a "fatter "boat.
I've been thinking about this as eventually I too plan on taking my 28.5 from barnegat light to cape may , and on to sc - mostly on the inside.