cutting fuel costs...

[jimmy's marine service]

with the price of fuel at an all time high,we're all looking for a way to save some money right ??
take a look at your rig,see what the bottom paint looks like...is it rough and uneven ??? do you have years of build up ???? if you answered yes to these questions,i highly reccomend you remove that paint build up...what you save in fuel,this will pay for the service...
here's a rig at my shop,it was blasted,it's gonna get sanded,solvent washed then barrier coated,followed by a coat of hard bottom paint,followed by 4 coats of ablative multi season paint-micron csc...
here's the "before" pic...



pretty nasty huh ???
it's a late 80's 22 hydra sport vector series...

here's the "after"pics...






big difference huh ???

keep an eye on this thread,i'll show you the proper way to do this...

[Capt. Fred]

Is that soda blasted? Looks good.

[jimmy's marine service]

Originally Posted by Capt. Fred

Is that soda blasted? Looks good.

coastal soda blasting,these guys blasted the boat...

[hblac]

BTW, another way to reduce fuel is with FLoscans. I have a set of black faced analog twin tachs and GPH guages with toggle switches and reset button. All are new in box (never opened) purchased from BOE. I was going to install but looks like my EFI's are sold and will be going with Smartcraft guages on new Opti's.

Anyone interested????

[Grunt]

Nice clean bottom!! Great tip!!


I think the biggest thing we have control over is weight. Not only do you have to expend energy to accellerate the weight - you have to contiuously move (weight of) the volume of water the weight displaces. I just carry twice the amount of fuel I think I need unless I go offshore - then I fill-up. Water weighs 8 lbs per gallon so dump over what you ain't gonna need. Gasoline is 6.25 and diesel about 7. Do you really need all those spare parts? All that beer? Can you get more rpms with a different trim angle?

Just kidding about the beer.....

[jonafare]

With twin engines, I troll alternating engines, 1 hour on each. I also have cut the amount of fuel I carry. I use to allways top off... 270 gallons, not now.... I carry what I need plus 30-50% more for the edge of safety. Also, when trailering, I've backed down to 55 (which I should anyway).

[glen e]

my 10 things I do to cut fuel costs:


1. really comfortable at 3750 rpm - no rush - that's about 7.25 gph per motor and 30 mph
2. troll on one engine at all times - alternate every 1/2 hour
3. trim up always at cruise
4. use the TR-1 ap at all times - a lazer straight line is saving fuel
5. use synthetic oil - I gained 100 rpm doing so...
6. always run 40-60% fuel in tank - no more - only run full when I'm going to the islands and it's expensive there
7. I use a fuel delivery service - on water is $3.89 - delivered for $3.20 - obviously I use 87
8. run quickleen every other/3rd tank to keep combustion chambers clean
9. Gear on the boat matches the trip. Minimum stuff on day trips, no 2nd anchor unless needed, waste tank empty, no cases of water for 3 hour fish trip, etc...
10. propped and engine height correct for max fuel effcieiency & overall good performance

[Bullshipper]

We are going to overnight trips where
We leave in the afternoon, no hurry to hit sunrise
Go right to where the fleet has located the fish, let them search all morning
Find them and stop over them. Tail hook live baits that swim down, don't troll in figure eights pulling a mile in a circle over barren water to hit the school that is 50 yards wide for 20 seconds.
Fish the afternoon-evening bite instead of leaving early where you rush home to beat the dark, risk hitting stuff in the water.
Chunk that night with lights in the water.
Locate working fish and birds at dawn, prime time
Come home easy.
rest all that afternoon and leave the next day at noon.

Gets you the premium late and early bite on one trip out, not two.