Life at 8 mph

For someone who has never been able to drive a car below the speed limit, and likes to see the world at 70 mph, it is quite an adjustment to the pace of a trawlercat. Unlike the first two days when we needed to cross the Okeechobee fast, the last two days I have not had the rpm over 1600. At idle, Rock Chalk goes about 5 mph. Add about 1000 rpm and we are at our optimum cruising speed of 8.5 to 9 mph. The boat gets great fuel economy there, burning about 3 gal per hour. Going fast (18 mph) we burn 14 gal per hour.

It took 41 gal to cross Florida in two days averaging 5.5 gal per hr with a combination of several fast hours, and mostly normal 8 mph. Going the same distance up the east coast over these last two days, but at a slower pace got the above 3. With diesel at $3.80 its nice to save some fuel.

Then we have to factor in Shelley. She likes to go fast, and her argument is that by doubling our speed, we get there in half the time, therefore burning less fuel. The math does not support that hypothesis. A six hour trip at normal speed burns 18 gal. Even cutting the time to a 3 hr. trip burns 42 gal. We gotta really need to be there to justify that.

So I am reluctantly trying to adjust to life at 8 mph. You know you can see stuff this way. Imagine that.