[PUP] Fuel consumption Was: The right boat

[Marlin (Ben) Schuetz]

After cruising the Caribbean for the past 9 years we have found long range capability to be very advantageous.  With a draft hull, "lugging full tanks around" has little, if any, affect on fuel economy.  I've never seen it, and our boat, "Francesca", a 44', trawler, has a very well calibrated (day tank)  fuel measurement system.  With the judicious use of biocides, we never had fuel go bad either.  

"Francesca" has a 650 gallon capacity and over a 1500 nm range.  The advantage of having good fuel range is that fuel costs can vary as much as $1 or  2 per gallon from place to place.  With our long range, we bought fuel only when and where we wished.  Remember also that prior to June 2006, Venezuelan fuel was only 7 cents per gallon. (The latest report is that it is $1.76 per gallon now - still a good deal.)   On the high side, fuel in Mexico and Belize can be very expensive. 

Just to head off the nay-sayers, we never experienced dirty fuel anywhere in the Caribbean, even when it was brought to the boat by cayuca (dug-out) and hand pumped to the boat.    We have, however, experienced dirty fuel bought in the U.S.     

The choice of the right boat really concerns the buyer's understanding of his/her 
expanding needs as experience and confidence are gained.  

Ben Schuetz

 

Visit our website at: http://www.cruisingfrancesca.org/