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 Diesel fuel consumption
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pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 10 2012 :  15:47:25  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Poll Question:
An RO just bought a boat with twin 240 HP diesels, total 440 HP.
He expects to use about 4 GPH at hull speed, maybe 8 KTS.
How much fuel would he use at that same speed if the boat had 440 HP, total 880HP engines?

Choices:

Twice as much fuel, 8GPH because of bigger engines
Four times as much fuel
About the same fuel use as the smaller engines

(Anonymous Vote)

Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL

abalmuth

RO# 13885



Posted - Jan 10 2012 :  16:05:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
8 Knots is a touch above idle for me, about 5GPH-ish
only 1320HP


_
Cruisers 5000 Sedan Sport/CAT 12LTR's -
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.........

Homeport: Long Island, NY Go to Top of Page

Ghost

RO# 689



Posted - Jan 10 2012 :  18:21:03  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm going to guess that fuel consumed per hp generated is about the same. But it will take him twice as long to get anywhere with the 880HP engines because he's going to be too busy trying to maintain those turbochargers and aftercoolers that he won't have to maintain on the 440HP setup.



What part of GALE WARNING did you not understand?

Homeport: Everett Wa Go to Top of Page

The Other Gary

RO# 143



Posted - Jan 10 2012 :  19:06:57  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have twin 330's and burn 4GPH at 1100 rpm for 8 knots or 2.7 gph at 1400 rpm on one engine for the same speed.



Gary Peck 1997 Bayliner 3988 MY, twin 330 Cummins

I saw a movie where only the military and the police had guns,,,,, It was called Schindler's List

Edited by - The Other Gary on Jan 10 2012 19:13:44

Homeport: Toronto, Lake Ontario Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  07:50:26  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Where are all the trawler fans??


Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page

Veebyes

RO# 11224

Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  09:16:16  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
240hp, sounds like it might be a Perkins. My ex workboat had one a Perkins 240hp & burn at hullspeed most of the time was about 2gph. Tough motor. No gee wiz electronics.




Homeport: Bermuda Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  09:20:27  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ghost: You maybe surprised how many lower HP diesels have turbos.


Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page

ronlord

RO# 2010

Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  09:35:16  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

Where are all the trawler fans??



We are all out buying guns to shoot ourselves ..except for Tony who decided to buy a faster boat instead.



Homeport: Buffalo, NY Go to Top of Page

Ghost

RO# 689



Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  09:41:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Veebyes....is that a manicooler, multi cooler or whatever they called that? OOOOH...watch those O-rings!

Actually I love old Perkins, very hard to kill.

Bruce, yeah I know, but let a man stir the pot if he wants to. BTW, I love it when your get creative in the winter, heh heh heh.



What part of GALE WARNING did you not understand?

Homeport: Everett Wa Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 11 2012 :  09:58:14  Show Profile  Reply with Quote



Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  13:57:27  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
83% of BE folks got it right. Bigger engines dont cause more fuel use in the same boat at the same speed. Bigger engines do allow faster speed with more fuel use if the need arises but consume the same fuel at low speeds.

It is for that reason that calling a low powered boat a trawler is misleading. The island trader, monk and even the beautiful grand banks are just low powered semi planning boats.

Many buyers today want economy and think that only with low powered engines do they get better economy when the truth is engine size doesn’t matter much with diesels. Boat weight, slippery hull design and lower air resistance affect fuel consumption much more than maximum engine HP. More powerful engines usually are heavier but at slow speeds that affect is minor.
With so many boat available to choose from limiting choices to low power just for economy sake achieves no benefit and limits cruising options.



Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page

getakey

RO# 32379



Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  14:04:26  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I agree with you on semi planning boats, but If it is a non-planing hull, then adding more horsepower than necessary will push the initial cost up.
Secondly, with more HP, you could add throttle (depending on prop choice) to try to make the boat go faster and will consume more fuel at virtually the same speed.



Homeport: CA Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  14:09:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am primarily referring to used boat choices where buyers avoid more power because they fear more fuel use. Non planning, displacement, boats generally were not sold with an over abundance of power options but many of the "trawlers" are semi planning. If your boat has flat sections aft it is not a displacement only hull. OTOH a slippery keel sail boat hull wont plane, period.
But you make a good point, buying a low powered new boat instead of more powerful engine options also fits.



Bruce



Edited by - pdecat on Jan 12 2012 14:16:56

Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page

Hyperfishing

RO# 3223



Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  20:25:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Best part about tiny, low powered engines, is at rebuild time. Oooooooh yeah! That REALLY changes the ownership economics. <gg>



Chris

Edited by - Hyperfishing on Jan 12 2012 22:08:23

Homeport: Sand Bar, Great South Bay Go to Top of Page

Woodsong

RO# 20095

Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  23:19:12  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Bruce, for a semi-displacement hull you are correct. The biggest difference in fuel burn between a semi-displacement trawler and a motor yacht will be whether it has twin or single diesels for obvious reasons. Once you switch to a true full displacement hull though obviously the game changes and over a certain hp there is no need to increase hp as it is a complete waste. I think the trawler world has a lot of hype and marketing- fast trawlers, etc. But a true low hp, single screw, sea kindly design hull, does indeed have a better fuel burn. The engines also last, or can, much longer if in continuous duty. A low hp, non turbo diesel with no electric nonsense is nothing more than a simple farm tractor and it will just go and go and go. Trawlers aren't just about fuel burn. We didn't switch to the pilothouse to go faster- it is more about the need for space and more room. We would have been very happy with a defever 49 or marine trader 50 but we didn't limit our search to just trawlers. If it were just my wife and I there is little doubt we would have kept our monk for a very, very long time- perfect boat for a couple.
P.S. ours are 220hp not 240. If you get over 130hp or so you will have a turbo engine- even the 165hp diesels typically have a turbo on them.


~~Let's see...1987 Bayliner 4588 & 1995 Boston Whaler 17' Dauntless, and a few other water toys~~

Homeport: GA Go to Top of Page

Woodsong

RO# 20095

Posted - Jan 12 2012 :  23:20:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Hyperfishing

Best part about tiny, low powered engines, is at rebuild time. Oooooooh yeah! That REALLY changes the ownership economics.





now THAT is an absolute fact!! BIG BIG BIG difference in rebuild costs!!!
There is no way around the fact that cost of ownership for a twin engine, turbo charged, etc. diesel boat is going to be WAY more than a low hp, single screw diesel.


~~Let's see...1987 Bayliner 4588 & 1995 Boston Whaler 17' Dauntless, and a few other water toys~~

Homeport: GA Go to Top of Page

rbmitchell

RO# 3641

Posted - Jan 13 2012 :  04:44:25  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
A Cummins 300+ hp diesel running at two gph is expected to see 10,000 hours before rebuilding. (Based on 20,000 gallons consumption before major overhaul.)

Turbo charged engines, when run at rated load/speed, are three or four percent more efficient than naturally aspirated versions of the same engine. But not, of course, at hull speed without the turbo recovering exhaust heat energy.

The bigger engine offers some emergency speed and you are never likely to see a rebuild. You'll see a lot more capital investment however.


"The solution to this problem, when found, will be obvious."

Homeport: Beach Haven NJ&KeyWest FL Go to Top of Page

pdecat

RO# 842



Posted - Jan 13 2012 :  08:39:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
a true low hp, single screw, sea kindly design hull, does indeed have a better fuel burn.
The best example being a sailboat hull not a square hull with falt aft sections.


The power needed to push a boat through the water is roughly independent of the number of engines. You chose your new boat for reasons other than the engines. If it had one engine or two bigger engines the fuel use would be very similar.

The original question was about fuel not overhaul costs but if as Bob stated above 10,000 hours between overhauls is expected that is a question for your grand kids.



Bruce



Homeport: Gulf Coast FL Go to Top of Page
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