by Robert D. Stearns
Ease your outboard’s offshore energy costs with this $3 jug test.
Fuel costs make knowing the gasoline consumption of your outboard more important than ever. If you can figure out in advance your most efficient cruising speed, miles per gallon and range of action on a tank of gas, you’re sure to increase your boating safety and enjoyment. Most large outboards burn about one galion per 10 hp per hour at full throttle. A 100-hp mill uses up approximately 10 gph wide open, but a 10 percent reduction in rpm can cut gas consumption by 20 percent, while an 80 percent drop in rpm may mean a 35 percent gas saving. These averages apply generally to planing hulls riding over, rather than through, the water, but they can vary greatly from boat to boat with different-size motors and loads. It’s certainly worth the small amount of time and expense, using the method shown here, to determine what your fuel requirements really are. Almost any outboard with separate fuel tank can be tested; with adaptations the system should also work for inboards.
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