gas mileage

[Rangerdan]

I have a 1980 16 ft bayliner with a 115 merc outboard. I like the boat but the gas mileage is horible. I'm only getting about 3 mpg. this can't be normal. My old boat was a 16 ft. with a chev 283 inboard and i got ALOT better mileage out of it. Whats your gas mileage? Rangerdan
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[RILEYFISH]

[] I would take a look at what pitch prop you have. I am not that up to date on them but check into if you have a speed prop or a power prop? Spending the money on a good stainless steel prop will slightley help your milage out. less flop in them than the regular steel ones.

Power prop will put you up onto a plane faster with less water drag. Speed prop takes longer to get up onto a plane but will help your top end.
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[neveronsunday]

[red][size 3]That's about what I get out of my old Merc too - 3mpg. I have a buddy with a 6 cylinder stern drive open bow ski boat that claims his mpg is a lot less. [/size][/red]
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[Paddler]

That sounds about right. I get about 5.4MPG at cruise (29MPH) in my new boat, which has a Mercury 115HP 4S EFI. That's measured by my fuel flow meter. In fact, I'm surprised you get 3MPG, you may find it's closer to 2.5MPG. Whatever you do, do not install a fuel flow meter.
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[piscispursuit]

I have a 200 HP Merc Optimax - 2004 on a 19 ft Trophy 190. The electronics indicate that I am burning about 15 gallons an hour at WOT. At WOT throttle I am around 50 mph, so doing the math - I burn a gallon every 4 minutes, and at 50 mph I go .83 miles every minute, so 4 X .83= 3.33 MPG. Not cheap these days.
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[captnflappinshad]

Rangerdan,

I just bought a 1850 Lund Tyee with a Verado 200 Merc with a 19 pitch stainless prop. And at WOT (56 mph on GPS) I figure I get right around 3 mpg. But at a good cruise speed it more than doubles the mileage or footage My suggestion would be to go to Pro Marine I think its on 9th South and 1700 West. Talk with the guys there. They are very helpful and they rent props. I would rent a couple that they suggest, try em out and see which one works best before you shell out Biggg$$$ for a prop.
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[Ewetah]

My 1998 Crestliner 1750 with an OMC 150 O/B will get about 2.9 mpg at WOT, 50 mph with a 19 pitch prop. It goes up over 3.0 Mpg if I back off the throttle and run about 3300 RPM.

The only way to get good mileage on a boat is to run your kicker motor and leave the big one off turned off!

I get about 17.8 mpg when it is on the trailer behind my Dodge Cummins!
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