How do you get the most out of a gallon of gas?

I have had several large sailboats that I kept in the water at a marina. Dock rent was $200.00 each month. Some marinas charge much more. You have to also consider the haul out and bottom paint every other year. On the sailboat a trip from home to Panama City (60 miles) it took 11 hours. With my CD the trip is 3.5 hours.

Now I figure that if I buy $200.00 gas a month - "Whats the difference?"

I keep my CD on a trailer in my back yard. I can go sit in it and enjoy being there anytime. Some months I do not use the CD and some months I use it several times. For the entire year I do not burn the $2,400.00 that I would of spent on dock rent.

I usually cruise at 3400 rpm at a speed of 17 to 19 knots and use the trim tabs.
 
We try and use our Fred Myers rewards card to fuel the boat; in some cases we get $1 off per gallon. I use my VISA debit card that has a $125 cut off so the tanks usually get to fill before the nozzle clicks off. There is no CornGas in Alaska so filling up at a gas station is not a problem. We trailer our boat so no slip fees, would not have it any other way! We try and keep the speed down but often push it to save time on getting to our destination, usually 30 to 50 miles out in PWS; we log at least 100 miles + every trip. We have a realistic 5 month window to enjoy our boating season so economizing often doesn’t factor in. Our philosophy is to spend as much time out on the boat as possible regardless of the cost; life is too short and you only have one opportunity on this rock to enjoy what you can.
 
This has been a good thread. Lots of good ideas. I use a tide and current table called "Washburns" and try to go with the flow as much as possible. In crossing the Strait of Juan, which is always moving water, I tend to take a slightly circular route that will give me as much free ride as I can get from the tidal current available. If the weather is good, no wind and flat water, a slow crossing is OK, but that exposes me to the current effects for a longer time period. It it is safe, that's OK, if not, and frequently mornings are good and later is not so, then a 15 knot crossing is in order. Either way, the circular or arcing path is set to minimize the affect of an opposing current.

Traveling trimmed, and with the twins as synced as possible, and minimal tabs are other tactics.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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