Lake Powell Cruising

S

SeaSpray

Active member
We just got back from 2 weeks at Lake Powell. It was a good trip but we had enough rain and more than enough wind.

I have a question for those that have cruised at higher altitudes. We started off loaded for 2 weeks with food, water, gas, ice, and toys. I did not realize it at first but I could only get up to about 16 knts and around 4k RPM. Our friends with a 26ft boat and 225hp could not even get on plane. They changed the prop and that allowed them to get up and cruise faster.

Does anyone with a CD22 and 90hp change props or do anything to compensate for the loss of power at altitude?

It is fairly dry at Lake Powell but during nights that we had rain we had some condensation in the v-berth. I hope to do something for this before the Desolation trip. Any reports yet about how well the spray on stuff is working?

I have a few pics from the trip in my album.
Steve
 
Early Spring can get a little squirrely at Powell, but it usually settles down towards the end of the month. Everything is happening a little later this year, with the newly activated El Nino, so things still may take a while to settle down.

Your inability to get past 16 Knots at 4,000 RPM surprises me. I am jetted for above 4,000 feet, so it's not a problem for me.

But the sea level folks that we have cruised with in the past have had no trouble getting on plane, nor cruising in the mid-20 knot range.

Normally, altitude changes will affect performance to some degree, but from what I've seen, certainly not to the degree to which you speak. The folks that have come up from the San Diego and Sacramento areas have had no trouble getting on plane, and hitting upper 20's KPH ranges.

Condensation is pretty much a fact of physics. Damp air hitting cool surfaces causes condensation. Keeping the air as dry as possible (ex. a Wallas Stove that vents to the outside) is a great start. Any open flame burner will produce moisture, which will condense on the walls.

Anything you do will cause condensation, regardless of surfaces, unless you vent air to the outside. But yes, soft, absorbent fabrics will keep the moisture from running down the walls, although it is still there no matter how you cut it.

Ken
 
Steve-

When going from Shasta Lake at 1000 feet to Eagle Lake at 5100, my Yamaha 90 EFI drops 500 rpm from 5500 to 5000, and from 32 mph to 26 (max) without changing props. Joe.
 
Steve-

I'm one of those Sacramento guys Ken was talking about. I was really loaded heavy with extra gas, a life raft, extra anchors, extra 300ft. of rode, two extra adults, tents, sleeping bags, and plenty of grub.

I can't say I had much of a power problem with my twin 40 Yamahas as I kept right up with Ken when we were scooting across the lake. He's pretty much right on about the upper 20's and I wasn't expecting much more.

Dan and Jan on Flat Iron
 
Thanks for the info guys,

Now I am really confused. I thought that part of the problem may have been the load, but it sounds like Flat Iron had as much load. Maybe it has to do with the EFI on the Johnson.

At the end of the trip with less water, food, and fuel I was able to hit about 18knts. Last time I had the boat out here at sea level I could hit about 28knts.

Also, Lake Powel is only about 3500ft. My friend has the Mercury 225 also with EFI.
 
I carry three props--90 hp Evinrude. One for sea level, one for 3700 feet and one for 7500 feet. I had spun the hub on the 3700 foot prop and tried the sea level prop at Powell this year--it would get on a plane (loaded for two weeks, with two adults and two dogs)--but was really straining and topped out at 4000--which lugs the engine. So I switched to the high altitude prop--and ran at about 22 knots and 4500 RPM--easy on the engine, but perhaps slightly more fuel burn. I normally run at about 4000 RPM and 24 knots at Powell with the 3700 foot prop (I think it is 15" pitch, but cannot read the numbers--due for reconditioning)
 
Patty here. Since we learned about cracking the hatch door at night, rain or shine, we have had no condensation on the V-berth walls at all. Pretty cheap fix, huh?
 
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