Green Boating Guide
Reduce your fuel consumption
The most important fuel saving device on any vessel is the throttle!
By reducing your speed by as little as 25% you can save up to 50% on your fuel bill.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Slow down and enjoying the voyage!
- Plan trips around tidal currents and weather
- Install a fuel flow meter. Monitor fuel consumption at different rpm’s to find the most efficient speed for your vessel.
- Maintaining a well-tuned engine
- If your exhaust is not virtually invisible, then your engine requires maintenance.
- Black exhaust indicates that the engine is overloaded, starved for combustion air or has worn injectors.
- Blue exhaust indicates that there is oil in the combustion chamber caused by worn rings or valve guides. Outboard motors
- The conventional 2-stroke outboard engine uses considerably more fuel than the newer 4 stroke motors.
- The conventional 2-stroke engine also puts up to 25% of its fuel/oil mixture straight back into the water. Hull cleaning and maintenance
- A “dirty bottom” or rough hull will increase drag on the vessel.
- All underwater attachments to the hull such as zincs, transducers and keel coolers should be faired to the hull on the leading and trailing edges will also help prevent underwater drag on the vessel. Engine, gear, shaft and propeller
- They should be well matched to deliver maximum efficiency to the individual hull design.
- A propeller with bent blades, dings or eroded edges will decrease your fuel efficiency significantly.
- The diameter size of the propeller is also very important for maximum performance.