Voyage planning question

[Andy]

I just bought a nice Bayliner 77 and need to sail/motor sail her about 50 miles to her new slip. She has a 9-hp Johnson long shaft (with which I have zero experience) - what kind of hourly fuel consumption can I expect from the motor and how much fuel would I need, assuming I'll want to be able to motor most of the way if the wind isn't cooperating?

 

[Jack Tyler]

Where & what weather, Andy?

Andy, my wife & I surely do envy your location right now. We launced in Urbanna when we first began cruising the Bay and got to help it celebrate its 300th birthday as an incorporated city, a pretty amazing event for most of America!There's really no way to answer your question - in real terms - without knowing more. I assume you're headed down the weather and around the corner, N or S on the Bay, and ultimately to another river...but of course, powering into lots of chop will significantly change your gas per mile figure. That may be why others are hesitant to offer a guess.I'd guess your Johnson fuel burn isn't much different from our Yamaha 8 hp engine which, when we run it on the dinghy near but not at full rpm, is about 3 gals/hr. But how that translates into miles over the ground I can't say. Perhaps the winds will allow you an enjoyable sail and the gas you'll burn will be near the docks. Good luck & good sailing!Jack

 

[John Revenboer]

Fuel Consumption

I have a Mercury 9.9. I motor with it at probably just shy of 1/2 throttle. Any more throttle does not make the boat motor faster, it just comsumes more fuel. I can burn 2 and 1/2 gallons in abot 3 hours but if I need to plan on getting somewhere just with the motor, I plan on a Gallon an hour. That has worked well for me so far. Here a 50 mile trip can take up to 14 hours so that would be 14 gallons. But take more than you plan on using "just in case."

 

[Geof]

Tohatsu 8 HP - 2-stroke

Day to day use - 1 gallon per hour. When I'm planning a trip and the possibility of motoring I take 1.5 times the fuel needed and have options for refueling picked out along the way. It's a drag to have to "duck in" somewhere for fuel or shelter, but that's part of sailing isn't it? Being one with the weather.Furthurmore, I carry the extra fuel in tanks that already have the proper gas hoses and connectors on them. (Thanks to the previous owner!) I'm careful and have trouble filling the tank at the mooring, I can only imagine how hard it would be to attempt it with a decent pitch and or roll going on. It would be very frustrating to see my precious fuel going overboard through the cockpit drain.If I prime the replacement hose I can swap'em out without even shutting off the engine.Geofs/v Day-O

 

[Warren]

sounds about right

I have an O'Day 23 and I had to move her around 40 miles to her new home. I have a 9.9 4 cycle Yamaha and had no idea what to expect. I have a 6 gallon tank, I then purchased (3) 5 gallon gas cans for the trip. I also brought along a siphon to transfer the fuel while enroute. We had the current in our favor most of the trip, and half of our 40 miles was in the open ocean. Much to my suprise I only used 7 gallons of fuel, or about a gallon per hour. Keep in mind this was a 4 cycle engine, a 2 cycle would have consumed much more . Needless to say I now have enough fuel for the entire season. Good luck and have contingency plans along the way.

 

[Bill Murray]

fuel consumption

on a previous boat (23' sloop) with first an Evinrude 9.9 longshaft and then a newer Johnson 9.9 longshaft, I pretty much always used about 1 gallon per hour. That would push me nearly six knots. I woulds use a little more if towing my 10' FRP dinghy.Good Sailing