As a boat owner, the one thing that I am always cautious and concerned about is fuel efficiency. I always try to work out on average the amount of fuel my boat will need for most trips that I do. One thing to note is that the average boat MPG varies by size and type of vessel. However, no matter what kind of boat you own, there is a standardized range for you to work with.
So what is the average boat MPG? An average boat MPG or gallons per hour is around 1-4 gallons per mile at an average of 20knots.
keep in mind that there are hundreds if not thousands of boat brands, dozens of boat engine sizes and brands, and types (jet, outboard, inboard, and I/O)(2-Stroke and 4-Stroke). There is also fuel type, gas or diesel. Fuel consumption is hard to understand because it will vary a lot from boat to boat.
Smaller boats use less fuel, even going at hire speed.
Powerboats, depending on speed and model, use more fuel at higher knots. The key to understanding your boat’s MPG is to calculate the speed at which the t boat is traveling and the amount of gallon required for the journey.
For example, if a boat moving 20 nautical miles per hour and burns 10 gallons of fuel per hour, the MPG for the boat would be 2 miles per gallon.
It is an easy and straightforward trick to calculate your boat’s MPG. Once you are acquainted with your boat’s fuel system, understanding its fuel efficiency and consumption will become more natural to you. These averages are only guided estimates as different factors must be considered to determine the MPG of your boat.
MPG of boats is probably one of the most important factors for many boat owners. Fuel prices often dictate what kind of boat you can afford or how far out you are boating this weekend.
This is why it is essential to understand how your boat works and everything that factors in when it comes to MPG like the engines, weight, fuel type, hull, and a plethora of other factors that it may sometimes become complicated in understanding your boats MPG. But rest assured, the most problematic concerns of understanding a boat’s MPG will be revealed next in subsequent paragraphs.
Fuel Consumption of Boats
Here is a very simple way to look at it. The easier the boat can move through the water, the less energy it will take to propel the boat forward. This, therefore, will decrease the rate of fuel consumed by the boat.
Some of the Factors affecting fuel consumption of boats are listed below.
- Size– Usually, the bigger your boat is, the heavier it is as well. More effort is required to move a bigger boat rather than a smaller one. The engine will be working harder to push the boat. In some instances, multiple engines are needed. All this translates into more fuel consumption.
- Weight– just like the size, the heavier your boat is, the more the engine has to work to push the boat forward, burning more fuel in the process.
- Hull Shape– the shape of the hull also plays a significant factor when talking about MPG. Boats with V hulls will enjoy better fuel consumption than more square-shaped boats.
- Type Of Fuel– to maximize MPG follow the manufacturers’ recommendation on fuel octane. Traying to save a few bucks by filling up with cheaper fuel might end up costing you more in the long run.
- Maintenance– To ensure the best possible MPG on your boat, keep up with the maintenance of the engine. Pore service or neglected engines tend to burn more fuel than a well-maintained engine.
- Whether– mother nature also plays a big factor in MPG. Check the weather and prepare accordingly. If you are boating against the wind or on big waters, you are definitely going to burn more fuel than on a calm day with glass looking water.
- Engine– is your engine in good shape? Does your boat have the proper size engine? All of this can affect MPG.
- Trim– a boat trimmed too much or not enough will be less efficient and burn more fuel than a properly trimmed boat.
Choosing The Right Fuel Efficient Boat
A lot of people will tell you that if you can’t afford the fuel, you shouldn’t buy a boat. This is true to some extent but not all the time. If your fuel budget is tight, you can still own a boat. You just need to find the right boat that will serve your purpose while not draining your budget.
This means that you might have to settle for a dual-engine set up instead of a quad engine set up.
Take into consideration the type of activities you want to do on your boat. There are thousands of boats on the market out there to choose from. Knowing what you want and what you are really going to use the boat for will help you chose the right boat.
Talo to other boat enthusiast certified boat mechanics or get on the boating forums online and ask questions about the boat that interest you. Chances are, you’ll be able to talk to someone that owns the same boat and can tell you how good or bad MPG is on that particular boat.
Why You May Not Want A Faster Boat
You should get the boat that makes you happy and can accommodate your necessities. A lot of times people search for speed boats because they are fast and look cool.
You need to determine what is more important for you, a fast boat, or a more practical boat.
Speed boats are designed to go fast. This boat is definitely not designed to save fuel or be comfortable rides.
Depending on what you do with your boat will determine the difference between speed and reliability for you.
Simply put, you may need space for your gear, food, supplies for the day, and guests, and a faster boat may hinder you from the space that you would need and burn more fuel in the process.
Does MPG Really Matter?
It all depends on the perspective that you take. In most cases, MPG does matter. It is the measurement of how many miles you can travel on your boat with the amount of fuel in the tank. It is essential for many reasons.
People want to get accurate and scientific-based calculations to help plan their weekends and activities. If standard measurements like MPG was not available, we wouldn’t be able to compare and interpret fuel efficiency and consumption. MPG or miles per gallon is a standard measurement that is used to determine boat fuel efficiency and its consumption. This better enables you to make accurate judgments when determining if you can make it from point A to Point B without stopping on the fuel pump first.
It also helps you to know when your boat is not performing to a standard that it should, based on previous experiences. Having all these data make you more knowledgeable about your boat fuel patterns.
How To Improve my Boat’s Fuel Efficiency?
Taking care of a boat could be a challenging thing. If you are not an experienced or licensed boat mechanic, it is always recommending that you go to one first. This is to ensure that the boat can get the required professional service it truly needs.
Aside from professional assistance, there are ways that you can improve the fuel efficiency of your boat. Elimination of weight can better improve boat fuel efficiency. The heavier the boat is, the more energy will be required for the engine to produce, thus increasing fuel consumption. Try to get rid of anything that will cause additional weight on the boat, and that is not needed.
Try to avoid chemicals that claim to boost your boat’s engine. It may cause havoc on the internal engine system and may create fuel problems. Older boats are very susceptible to these changes and may destroy their engines.
Try and seek professional advice on your boat before deciding to add fuel boosters, as not all boasters negatively impact a boat’s fuel efficiency. Try to not leave the engine on for long periods of time if not moving. Leaving the engine unnecessarily can burn the motor out and also increase unnecessary fuel consumption.
Servicing your boat engine is an important step to help with fuel efficiency. The engine is the main component of your boat. Without it, your boat is basically useless. Regularly servicing on the engine can highlight problems and have them taken care of immediately. The last thing you want to know is that your engine fails you at sea.
Are Boats More Fuel Efficient Than Cars?
This varies by various circumstances. Boats that carry goods, products, and passengers may be more fuel-efficient than busses or taxis. Boats are known to take a more significant number of people and products than cars.
From the perspective of fuel consumption, boats consumed more fuel than most cars. Cars today are being more fuel-efficient, which makes them very competitive over boats. Boats, despite efforts, continue to lag in this respect. However, a bigger boat is usually more efficient than a smaller boat depending on the circumstances. Smaller boats carry fewer things and are sometimes more fuel-efficient than smaller cars. The circumstances vary by how cars would be more fuel-efficient than boats. A detailed comparison can be made to compare both subjects to different elements to have a clear understanding of which one has an advantage over the other.