TOPIC: Be Happy

Researching information for an article, and having filled up the Jeep on the way home at $3.85/gal, here's a little something to think about.

A WWII PT boat was equipped with three Packard 4M-2500 engines. Top speed at 40 knots, running three engines, consumed 474 gallons per hour. A full fuel load (3,000 gallons) gave you 6.3 hours of run time. Oh, the motors require 100 octane fuel too. The ABM's 42' PARDON ME has one PACKARD 4M-2500 in it, so would consume 1000 gallons of fuel in roughly the same time. A day of boating in a PT boat will set you back more than $12000 in fuel, or $4000 in PARDON ME. At $4/gallon I can still run two outboard motors all day long for less than $60. Don't worry, be happy! I can boat all summer for less than it costs PARDON ME to run for one day.

Hmmm...I wonder how many quarts of varnish at $30/qt it takes to refinish a 42' mahogany runabout?

Gas in Catskill when I left yesterday afternoon was $3.81 Brian. I was amazed. That silence you will hear this year is my electric trolling motor on some lake while I'm fishing. I don't think I'll be boating on the Hudson much this year unless the Boss tells me she needs a boat ride. Boating is a long way off anyways, too much to do on the Power Cat and trailer. I'm shooting for first launch late May, early June, maybe at Silver Lake. Nothing like an old Merc - they take hi test...

Frank

Frank I thought you were done with the Power Cat and it was just fun from now on. O well guess its not perfec yet.
I got a 59 Elgin 40hp running good for my boat and as long as I can afford gas it will be nothing but fun.
Mike aka pathfinderz1

Dam screwed up and can't figure out how to delet this one
Mike aka pathfinderz1

There's a few cracks that need repair Mike (one big one in my custom splash pan), plus dings from docking, plus even after 5 coats of deck paint (Interlux Brightsides) last year, I still didn't get complete coverage over the light gray primer. At that point I said the heck with it and wrapped things up and went boating. I want to put brakes on the trailer, but that may just be a "want" as I'm lacking the 300 bucks to do it.

Also, need to install and hook up my fish finder. I hope to do more fishing and less pleasure boating this year. There is no question gas prices are going to have a negative impact on my "fun."

Frank

Frank, your making me think twice about my 1250 and the Aristocraft... May stick to one of my 50's... I plan to go waste fuel as soon as posible had lunch in my car at Henry Hudson Park today nasty windy slushy rain snow but the town was out cleaning up the ramp and grounds... Not sure of the lakes up in Berne.. One the fellow running the ramp is closing it to the public and the other your only suposed to launch 15 hp there.... I figure my 50 is only 35 over.. should be a good sumer any how Hope the repairs go well, I tore mine all apart to work on the woodwork... hoping the weather cleas so I can finish..
Sorry for the Ramble..

Where do you work that you can just go to the boat launch for lunch, or are you retired and just have the time to screw around?

I go down to the Hudson at Catskill Point once in a while for lunch. 12 hour day, just glad to be home!

Frank

LOL no not at all Retired just starting out, I work over in Delmar and if its cold out tend to Drive around and listen to the radio at lunch soI get lunch in Glenmont then its just a short ride over to the park.If its nice out I walk around town. Have to get away from the Desk or I will go nuts.

stashm2 wrote:

Frank, your making me think twice about my 1250 and the Aristocraft... May stick to one of my 50's... I plan to go waste fuel as soon as posible had lunch in my car at Henry Hudson Park today nasty windy slushy rain snow but the town was out cleaning up the ramp and grounds... Not sure of the lakes up in Berne.. One the fellow running the ramp is closing it to the public and the other your only suposed to launch 15 hp there.... I figure my 50 is only 35 over.. should be a good sumer any how Hope the repairs go well, I tore mine all apart to work on the woodwork... hoping the weather cleas so I can finish..
Sorry for the Ramble..

Just remember Sometimes Less HP takes more fuel .If your Laying on the throttle Longer to get up on plane a 50 HP could use more gas than a 115 just to get the boat moving on plane .If ya gotta run the 50 1/2 throttle to keep it there where as a 115 would barely be cracked You could use more fuel .. And forget about it if your gonna pull a skier or a tube ..I had a Bayliner with a 135 Evinrude on it .Pulling skiers and wakeboards Maybe 5 gallons an hour . The 135 burned a Cyl . Had a 85 handy and threw it on .Doing the same work the 85 used over 7 gallons an hour .Partly because you had to stay Wide open alot longer to get a skier up and had to prop it down to even get a reasonable Hole Shot .And at cruiseing speed the 135 Worked alot less .Not to mention loseing about 7 MPH top speed and being Down Right BORING ..My 62 Aristocraft with a 85 Merc 4cyl Uses close to the same amount of Fuel an Hour as my Glastron CV-16 with a 115 6 cylinder Tower Assuming I drive them the same .Granted the CV is a better Hull design .And I would guess if you measured distance per gallon the CV might even be better Definately more fun and Close to 20 MPH faster ...Horse Power Except no subsitute is my Moto ....Just Food for thought ..