T&T: 45HP to 60hp 43LWL

[Kevin Kearney]

I repowered this past winter from a 45hp/150 torque at 1500rpm to a 60hp 220
torque at1500rpm. Lenghtening the reduction gears from 3/1 to 2.85/1 in
consideration for the boost in HP and Ft Pounds. This has been pushing 40,000
pounds on a 43ft Waterline with a PC of.55 and a DL of 289 for 30,000 hours
under the old set up and now 40 hours on the new.
 
I presently operate in the 1200-1400 range which is a half knot faster-but the
real boost now comes on to a full humped backed wake at 8 plus knots at an all
at ease 1600 rpm and boosts up to 1750, No Black Smoke. Wowwie wow wow. Yes,
 I am overpropped with a 34/26 3 blade  but I operate at very conservative
fuel use numbers from Deere and Lugger charts. Suggestions of sub .5 gph at
1200 rpm and .7 at 1400rpm. I marinized my own tier 2 4045, since Deere
insisted that the boat be propped for 2400rpm.
 
So other than a floscan for $500 whats the best calibrated day tank set up,
say 3 gallons something safe in the engine room?
 
It has been my experience that the kick in the pants feel of Push in the boat
now is greater and more pronounced--Just jumping 15hp is a big number for a
displacement boat of my boats size-People now think 60hp is not much-well
compared to 45 it is--and instead of 7.1-7.5knots the same 12-1400 yields half
a knot on top of that.
 
I know I should be using about .34 pound of fuel to each HP per hour, If my
hull and prop are requiring at the 1.125X WL of something like 30hp to achieve
hull speed, But my Engine rpm is rated for 50hp-am I using 30hp worth of fuel
or 50hp worth of fuel?.
 
So its the $500 floscan or some type of calibtated day tank. Thanks