We just replaced the ancient o/b with a 6 hp, 4-stroke Mercury. What are
some typical per hour fuel consumption numbers for a 6 hp 4-stroke Merc
o/b ?

I'm asking because we're about to make the crossing out to Santa
Catalina Island the day after christmas and I want to make sure I carry
enough fuel in case the winds should completely die down. I'm _guessing_
1/2 a gallon per hour at 3/4 throttle ?

Thanks,



-Sven

For starters, how big a boat are you pushing??

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"Sven" wrote in message
news
We just replaced the ancient o/b with a 6 hp, 4-stroke Mercury. What are
some typical per hour fuel consumption numbers for a 6 hp 4-stroke Merc
o/b ?

I'm asking because we're about to make the crossing out to Santa
Catalina Island the day after christmas and I want to make sure I carry
enough fuel in case the winds should completely die down. I'm _guessing_
1/2 a gallon per hour at 3/4 throttle ?

Thanks,



-Sven

In article ,
"FishWisher" wrote:

For starters, how big a boat are you pushing??

Doesn't matter (within error bars).

Just running at 3/4 throttle, regardless of hull shape or size, Mercury
6 hp, 4-stroke.

Thanks,



-Sven

I'm an inland boater, but seems you are talking about a pretty small motor
for the Pacific. I'd want more than that on any lake in down-state Illinois.
Maybe I don't understand your application, but you are looking at a very
small power source. Not much help against the whims of Big Momma Nature.
Just my $0.02 worth.

In article i4aGb.64$_A5.19@fe10, "Eric H"
wrote:

I'm an inland boater, but seems you are talking about a pretty small motor
for the Pacific. I'd want more than that on any lake in down-state Illinois.
Maybe I don't understand your application, but you are looking at a very
small power source. Not much help against the whims of Big Momma Nature.
Just my $0.02 worth.

I'm just looking for typical hourly fuel consumption of a 4-stroke, 6
hp, Mercury outboard running at 3/4 full throttle.

Thanks,



-Sven

Sven wrote:
In article i4aGb.64$_A5.19@fe10, "Eric H"
wrote:


I'm an inland boater, but seems you are talking about a pretty small motor
for the Pacific. I'd want more than that on any lake in down-state Illinois.
Maybe I don't understand your application, but you are looking at a very
small power source. Not much help against the whims of Big Momma Nature.
Just my $0.02 worth.


I'm just looking for typical hourly fuel consumption of a 4-stroke, 6
hp, Mercury outboard running at 3/4 full throttle.

Thanks,



-Sven


Good rule of thumb for 4 stroke petrol is 1 ltr/hr = 3 HP (or 0.27 US
gals/hr = 3 hp).

The tricky thing is to know how much HP the prop is actually consuming
at 3/4 throttle because HP consumed is NOT linear on a fixed pitch prop.
i.e. the prop will consume more than 3/4 power at 3/4 throttle opening
because the prop will allow it to rev higher than 3/4 max rpm.

1/2 a US gal/hr should get you a fair bit of the available 6 HP so your
guesstimate is probably realistic in the premises.

It might be just as easy to take a short test run on a full tank,
refill after a known time & see what fuel was used, then repeat at WOT
(only for a short time!!! you can multiply the results) to see how much
the engine is capable of using in a worst case scenario & even then
allow a good margin because in offshore water you will definitely use
more even on a calm day:-)

K

Sven,

it depends. good luck NOT becoming a statistic.

"Sven" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"FishWisher" wrote:

For starters, how big a boat are you pushing??

Doesn't matter (within error bars).

Just running at 3/4 throttle, regardless of hull shape or size, Mercury
6 hp, 4-stroke.

Thanks,



-Sven

Good luck not becoming a statistic? Why the hell would you say that?
Just have nothing else to say? I guess you think Sven must be such a
foolhardy mariner for not putting a more powerfull outboat on his
SAILBOAT.....duh.
John C.

On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 14:40:48 GMT, "DownTime"
wrote:

Sven,

it depends. good luck NOT becoming a statistic.

"Sven" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"FishWisher" wrote:

For starters, how big a boat are you pushing??

Doesn't matter (within error bars).

Just running at 3/4 throttle, regardless of hull shape or size, Mercury
6 hp, 4-stroke.

Thanks,



-Sven

In article ,
WaIIy wrote:

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 21:59:42 -0800, Sven
wrote:

In article ,
"FishWisher" wrote:

For starters, how big a boat are you pushing??

Doesn't matter (within error bars).

Just running at 3/4 throttle, regardless of hull shape or size, Mercury
6 hp, 4-stroke.


Actually, it does matter.

What's the big secret here, Sven?

While it is true that a harder-to-push boat would probably result in
lower rpm and thus lower gph fuel consumption at a fixed throttle
setting, that is within the error bars.

Just running at 3/4 throttle, regardless of hull shape or size, Mercury
6 hp, 4-stroke.

Thanks,




-Sven

"jchaplain" wrote in message
...
Good luck not becoming a statistic? Why the hell would you say that?
Just have nothing else to say? I guess you think Sven must be such a
foolhardy mariner for not putting a more powerfull outboat on his
SAILBOAT.....duh.
John C.


please go back and read the original post, and the first few response. I was
adding a bit of sarcasm, but this person asked a very open, somewhat boating
illiterate question and when others came to try and help by asking him for
more detailed information, the guy just blew them off. if it was not for his
two responses, I would not have said anything. twice he responded and never
answered the original question. other people were trying to help, and if he
choose to be so ignorant in his response, I would pretty much guarantee he
is the type who has a pretty high probability of becoming a statistic.

I may not have been clear, but I was thinking of a statistic in terms of
getting towed home because the captain in this case failed to adequately
plan his trip. I think he might be foolhardy to expect anyone else to know
his fuel consumption based solely on the engine. it has nothing to do with a
more powerful engine, just simple physics. is it a 20 fter or a 60 fter, it
would have a HUGE impact on the calculation of fuel consumption.