Saving some gas

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:38 pm

rbcool wrote:When you guys run on 1 engine you aren't completely turning off the other engine are you???? You still need cooling water for the tranny in nuetral since that prop is still turning as you go through the water. Am I right here??

Ron

No but you do need lub different gears have different specs for the time the can be free wheeled , I believe mine is 12 hours , then you start it for a few , then shut it down again if you like . I forget What velvet drive says But I can tell you sail boats with velvet drives go for hours and hours under sail engine off with no issues

Update
I checked the book on Velvet drives and it will not hurt a Velvet drive to free wheel

Allen Sr · Post by **Allen Sr** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:32 pm

Thanks for the info Paul. Nice to know.

jddens · Post by **jddens** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:11 pm

Don,t really have to crank the rudder to far and the engine is fine at 2200....maybe not ideal but saves a ton of fuel.......I am doing this until I get my starboard engine repaired (low oil pressure issue) not necessarily by choice...although it is somewhat relaxing and much quieter running slow..............John

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:29 pm

I would think 1200 - 1500 would be a nice easy one engine rpm range

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:00 pm

At 2200 you're pushing water aren't you, slower would be better with your hull size.

Larrys78 · Post by **Larrys78** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:55 am

I have banked many hours running and trolling in my F32 twin 360, and I've tried both and have found that it is just not worth the sacrafice of performance not to mention safety, I don't know how many times I had to jerk the wheel to miss a deadhead or maybe anouther boater perhaps running a twin on one engine. I do know if your going to do it put the other engine in gear so the prop will not turn and burn out trany. But I strongly recommend running the boat the way it was designed its way more fun.

jimbo36 · Post by **jimbo36** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:13 am

alexander38 wrote:At 2200 you're pushing water aren't you, slower would be better with your hull size.

Tony, I agree, but even at 1500 your pushing water with one engine and having to crank the rudders to steer a straight course. The more RPM, the more rudder needed. As a result, often the boat will be pushing water sideways, as you will be "crabbing" through the water, at times.

Now introduce a rough sea to the situation,

Better fuel consumption

No strain on the engine

Safety

I have run twin engine boats for over 30 years and would only run on one engine if I had to.

jimbo36.

rbcool · Post by **rbcool** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:33 am

Since all of the fishing I do in the spring and fall/early winter is troling for Rock, it's almost impossible to keep the boat under 3 mph on 2 engines. So 90% of the time I'm on one engine, leaving the neutral engine running. I do switch them back and forth every 20 mins or so. Another consideration is I have dripless shaft seals cooled by raw water from the engine. So I have another great reason to keep each engine running all the time.
And no, I don't want to use a drift sock when trolling.
It's true that tracking was always a PIA but now I have Auto pilot so i don't even know what the rudders are doing.
If the day comes that I HAVE to worry about saving a few gallons of gas I'll have to accept the fact that I can't afford to own a boat and sell her. (thats a thought thats worse than death

)

Ron

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:50 am

Jimbo we are in agreement , the only time you'll ever see me on one is if the other won't run. I guess what I was trying to get at is at 2200 you're push the bow up and staining the running engine drop it down and you'll save wear and tear and more gas. If you have to run just one .

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:57 am

My boat track fine on 1 and I don't have to crank the rudder over , just turn it a little

On drip less packing , you can have a cross over water feed or it maybe OK with out the water feed at low speeds , I believe different companys have different specs

rbcool · Post by **rbcool** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:16 am

prowlersfish wrote:My boat track fine on 1 and I don't have to crank the rudder over , just turn it a little

On drip less packing , you can have a cross over water feed or it maybe OK with out the water feed at low speeds , I believe different companys have different specs

My dripless are crossover, starts at the port engine ends at the Stbd. I find myself questioning the logic of that because of the "what ifs"
A clog at the outlet on the port engine waould cause zero cooling water to both shaft seals and I probably wouldn't know it. Seems it could be Catostrophic. I'm sure that you, like me, have replaced those dripless seals and its a MOFO !!!!!!!! To make matters worse, they didn't put the spares onto the shaft before re-coupling

Ron

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:10 am

You only leave the spare off once . I guarantee that LOL

I would have a feed from both engs and a crossover , but then I belive you need check valves or a meens to stop a back feed to the other engine and that means more trouble

And you wonder why I like the drip dripp LOL

jimbo36 · Post by **jimbo36** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:26 pm

Tony, Absolutely

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:09 pm

Yes that's why I'll keep my drippers to, plus I can repack in the water.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:42 pm

ready123 wrote:After doing consumption analysis low speed vs on plane I concluded that running at 3000/3200 rpm all the time was best. Over a season I use much the same gallons of fuel as when I go slower but I get to my spots quicker and log lower hours for the season. A situation I prefer...

In the grand scheme of things I find that the fuel cost tends to be the lowest $ I spend, so I like to pay attention to the other stuff.

Are you saying your mileage is the same at hull speed and planing?