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Location: Berlin | Sorry to get you all excited, I just wanted to get your attention. Here is my question:
Ok guys, lets say you have a boat manufacturer that makes 2 sizes of boats. One is 18' long and the other is 21'. The 18' boat has a 150hp max and the 21' has a 250hp max. If you max out both of these boats in horsepower and are running Optimax's on both, which will get the better economy?? Lets say it is flat calm and you are running 100 miles at optimum RPM for fule economy on both boats. At the end of the trip, which boat burned less gas?? I would assume the 150 but by how much? Also, what is the difference in fuel economy while idling? Would their be a difference in oil consumption as well??
I am not worried about the difference in mileage towing each of these boats. I am just worried about the operating expenses once it is on the water. Any input would be appreciated.
Edited by Rich S 7/8/2008 2:30 PM
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| Rich,
Mercury has performance data for a wide range of conditions:
http://www.mercurymarine.com/look_deeper/index.php?SortBy=Title&Sec... |
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| I guess the thought I put into it is what do I want out of my boat. Ride, storage, comfort, type of fishing I'm doing(jigging, trollingetc). I really dont think the difference in gas consumption would be enough for me to trade in those qualitities.
Say the 250 sucks a litle more fuel at top end....so then I would just run it a little slower and I would match the speed and consumption of the 18 footer with a 150 but Im matching the same speed.
Same fuel consumption...same speed...more room and length and better ride.
just my 2 cents
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Posts: 2300
Location: Berlin | Thanks Viking! Very imformative. The 150 definitely gets the best but the 200 is not far behind at all. The 250...I'll pass. |
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Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | What I found interesting was that the 250 got better mpg than the 225. Did I read that right? |
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Member
Posts: 3899
| At the most efficient cruising RPM, your speed will most likely be higher with the bigger boat and motor, so you would get there sooner. Any gas used over and above the 150 will be more than offset by the time savings. Especially what you value your time at, Rich! |
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Posts: 1406
| Heck Rich wait till spring and there will be a bunch of oversized rigs with Gas guzzling motors from '08 on sale. Maybe you can find a dealer with connections to the auto industry that can throw in a new Tahoe or Durango to pull it as cheap as they are getting these days!
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Location: Berlin | I had a unreal deal offered to me from a dealer on a boat with a 250. The price of the boat doesn't bother me as much as the fuel economy of the the 250 proxs. The 200hp is catching my eye and so I will hold off and wait for a deal on the 19'er. I just wish I knew what the gas prices were going to be in the next 5 years. |
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Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | I think Tyee is right but the downward spiral of boat prices on big rigs will begin this fall. Don't let the money burn a hole in your pocket quite yet. |
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| Yup, don't buy yet. I've seen many new 06,07 boats sitting at dealers.
If things continue as they are, they may need to melt them down
and make tubs and shower stalls out of them.  |
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Location: Rhinelander | And remember, you still need to tow that boat to the water. Add the total rig weight to the equation. |
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| I think if ur worried about gas prices when buying a rig go to a 40 hp 16 ft boat. There isn't much difference between a 150 and a 250. If u can afford the bigger boat it would only make sense u can afford the little extra gas. What u save in payment on little boat u can put more gas in it. Make sense? |
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Huge drop in Gas prices expected!!