You want to buy fuel for this

[HukilauMike]

When I buy gas for my Nissan two stroke 8hp outboard, I bring the tank to the gas station to avoid paying fuel dock prices. But every now and then, I do have to stop at the dock. A few years ago, I stopped at the dock next door to my marina, took my 3 gallon tank out, put it on the dock and proceeded to fill up. The damage was less than $10. The dockhand seemed a bit amused, but when I went to pay with cash, his smile disappeared, replaced by a look of confusion. He took the $10 bill I offered, went into his little shack, came back out a minute later, and handed me back my ten spot. He said that no one ever pays with cash (who carries that many bills?), he had no change, and it was easier just to say that my purchase was a rounding error.

Free gas. How great is that?

 

[anchorclanker]

Delivered with intrepid owner and his wife.. This 1978 model, 53 foot Hatteras .. twin Detroit diesels at 330 hp each.. Econo cruise was 10 knots where it was burning 10 gal per hour.. one mile per gallon.

When you consider most outboard powerboats under 2o feet dont often do any better than that, its quite impressive. However, imagine how much better a boat that size could do with a full displacement hull and a single engine of much reduced size. Many of these sailboats we read about here have trouble burning 1 quart per hour while managing 5 or 6 knots, with engines under 30 hp. Once you give up on planing at 10 knots plus, you really dont need a high drag hull or the massive power needed to push it.

 

[kloudie1]

Maine, you are correct about the consumption.. when we bumped her up to around 20 kts, the consumption more than doubled... The owner and his wife are former sailboaters so 10 knots was OK with them.. They bought the thing to live on .. and did for several years. Recently sold it and bought a house again.

 

[capta]

you ARE buying the fuel

Looks like a government boat to me, so you are paying for the fuel.
More & more often I see government vessels that theoretically are working to "aid" the environment, over-powered and the worst of the polluters. Most often used only to take politicians & dignitaries for a joy ride, except of course when the official operators want to go out & party, on your nickel; oops, it's more like bucks these days.
Gee, I wish someone had paid me 60-80 grand a year to play on a high powered government vessel when I was a working captain. Oh, that's right, they did!

 

[gpd955]

According to the fuel dock, the gas bill for this will be more than I paid for my boat.

This is M/V Boardwalk. Owned by Tillman Fertitta, the founder of Landry's (Golden Nugget, et. al.) and operator of our marina.