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One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
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Author:  rjrose [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:40 am ]
Post subject:  One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
I am considering piloting my boat from Lake St. Clair to St. Marys, Georgia. A friend of mine (a ragboater) has offered to co-pilot and suggested that the trip could be accomplished using one engine at a time at about 10 mph to reduce fuel consumption and fuel costs. Basically, it would mimic the method used by a sailboat.

It sounds feasible but it seems fraught with problems - wear & tear on the engines, steering, lack of control, etc. I'm sure there are other issues I'm not thinking about.

Two routes are being considered. From LSC down to Lake Erie, through the Erie barge canal to the Hudson and then down to the intra-coastal. this includes open ocean from NY to Chesapeake(?) to pick up the intra-coastal and follow that to St. Marys. The other route is from LSC up Lake Huron, down Lake Michigan to Chicago and then the various rivers/waterways to Mobile, then follow the ICW, cross Florida at Lake Okeechobee and then up the ICW to St. Marys.

Has anybody piloted their boat boat from up north to down south? Time and cost information would be greatly appreciated.

Your opinions are welcome.
Author:  impulse [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
Wow! :shock: Didn't even know that was possible, the trip that is. What a trip that would be. Hope you get to do it.
Author:  jnizi [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
I think you are looking at this as your adventure.

http://www.greatloop.org/index.php

We normally have 15-20 "loopers" come through our marina every year.

I am working on convincing the Admiral we can do this once that last kid is done with college. Just watch for the Asian Carp west of Chicago.
Author:  cougarcruiser [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
rjrose wrote:
I am considering piloting my boat from Lake St. Clair to St. Marys, Georgia. A friend of mine (a ragboater) has offered to co-pilot and suggested that the trip could be accomplished using one engine at a time at about 10 mph to reduce fuel consumption and fuel costs. Basically, it would mimic the method used by a sailboat.

It sounds feasible but it seems fraught with problems - wear & tear on the engines, steering, lack of control, etc. I'm sure there are other issues I'm not thinking about.

Two routes are being considered. From LSC down to Lake Erie, through the Erie barge canal to the Hudson and then down to the intra-coastal. this includes open ocean from NY to Chesapeake(?) to pick up the intra-coastal and follow that to St. Marys. The other route is from LSC up Lake Huron, down Lake Michigan to Chicago and then the various rivers/waterways to Mobile, then follow the ICW, cross Florida at Lake Okeechobee and then up the ICW to St. Marys.

Has anybody piloted their boat boat from up north to down south? Time and cost information would be greatly appreciated.

Your opinions are welcome.


Sounds like an amazing trip... but you should just enjoy the boat. Sure, it's going to put hours on it -but I am not sure your best fuel efficiency is one engine at a time at 10mph. Your boat is designed to cruise on plane... Find that balance and just enjoy the trip.
Author:  JDW250 [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
This is something I dream of doing one day. Maybe I'll be real adventurous and try it in my open bow. My previous 18' open bow has navigated every lock on the Mississippi (not by me unfortunately). I've also been know to ride my Harley to Vegas, so obviously comfort is not my #1 priority when planning a trip.

Regardless, one of the best things about Four Winns website is their past product info. The past product specs include estimated mph and gph data points at various rpm levels for each of the engine options available for your model of boat. With that info, you should be able to estimate optimal rpm for mpg. Obviously, it won't be exact given all the variables involved, but at least you can figure out where the boat was designed to run for optimal mpg and use that as your starting point.

I don't have any facts to support it, but I don't think the one engine idea is worth the effort (my opinion only). I agree with cougar 100%. . . if you have the resources to tackle this, then just enjoy it.
Author:  97_245_sd [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
My sister-in-law and her husband upgraded to a 50' Ocean Alexander last year and went from Maryland to West Michigan via Hudson River/Erie Canal and then the Trent-Severn through Canada.

I don't know about the single engine issue but I would check on allowable speeds through the canals. I think the Erie is narrow and shallow, at least for their boat. Also lots and lots of locks, get some practice for that. They did run through a storm in the open water portion near NYC. Also hit a submerged log in the Erie, had to pull the boat and get the prop fixed. They also had to lower their antenna mast right before entering the Erie, but their boat is tall with a fly bridge.
Author:  mar1ner [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
If you really want to save fuel, go the inland route as you will always be travelling downstream. That's one reason most "Great Loopers" go counter clockwise (up the east coast and down the inland river system). Another reason is to stay ahead of the weather. You could try alternating engines, but a twin engine boat operating on one engine can be a bear tohandle dayafter day.
Author:  Wet Doggg [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
rjrose wrote:
I am considering piloting my boat from Lake St. Clair to St. Marys, Georgia. A friend of mine (a ragboater) has offered to co-pilot and suggested that the trip could be accomplished using one engine at a time at about 10 mph to reduce fuel consumption and fuel costs. Basically, it would mimic the method used by a sailboat.


Unless the 348 was redesigned with a sailboat hull...the answer is no. Your boat was not designed to run for long periods of time on one engine and will not be efficient at all. Plus...man that would take a long time to complete.

I think your friend is used to sailboats and scared to travel faster than 10 mph.
Author:  aguyindallas [ Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
I have no valuable input for this really, but all I can say is that IF you get to do this....please tell us all about it. Something like that would be a total dream for me.
Author:  DaleG [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
I have been on several portions of the trip you plan -- but all as very small pieces.
The canal and locks of NY State -- parts of rivers in the North East -- across Lake Okeechobee and through the locks -- along the ICW in South Florida. What you are considering is totally possible with proper planning and research. As was mentioned this is part of the "Great Loop" and there is lots of info out there.

As for the one engine -- it is certainly possible, but I am not sure the savings are there. You can experiment with the steering and maneuverability on your own. If you have to start the other engine much for maneuvering, your savings will be lost. Hydrodynamically your boat is a lot different than a sailboat (like a catamaran) that might try what you describe. Staying about 6-8 MPH will certainly increase gas mileage. One problem you have is that your lower unit on the unused drive will probably still be creating drag, even when raised. Sailboats typically have drives which have less drag. I would suggest just idling along on both engines.

I found it very interesting and enlightening when I added a Fuel Flow meter to my combo GPS/Chatplotter/Depthfinder through a NMEA2000 Network. It only cost me about $150 to do that on my single engine Four Winns.

Good luck
Author:  drballard33 [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
Im not sure how its set up on the 348, but on my 298 only the port engine rnus the steering pump so when I switch to one engine (when docking or if I am pulling into the marina just to putz around and see the otehr boats) I use the Port engine so I dont lose steering.
Author:  tim [ Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
isn't best gas mileage better when up on plane?
Author:  rjrose [ Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
Thanx to everyone for the input - especially jdw250 for the website tip. If we end up taking the trip we will provide updates. Also, to jnizi - if we go through Illinois we'll carry depth charges to solve the carp issue once and for all! We'll do what the politicians and courts won't!
Author:  wkearney99 [ Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: One engine at a time from Michigan to Georgia?
I've driven our 348 for some distance on one engine. It was unpleasant as the boat pulled pretty significantly toward the dead engine side. I had to run from Solomon's back up to Annapolis on just the starboard engine because the port side had broken a couple of shaft coupler bolts. The amount of rudder necessary to counter the pull was significant, and rather tedious and tiring to keep adjusting.

Also consider that you cannot let the prop freewheel in some boats as it will cause harm to the transmission. Don't know how much this applies to sterndrives. But with inboard systems you're supposed to physically prevent the propshaft from turning (typically by using some vise-grips on the shaft). Then you've got a much greater source of drag under the boat. Sailboats often have a folding propeller designed to prevent this. Which is fine for the much lower power and speed requirements of sailboat but largely impractical for a powerboat.

If you're curious then get a flow meter setup and measure your fuel consumption. Take the same trip twice trip measuring consumption and time. I did this two seasons ago. I seem to recall that it ended up being more efficient to get up on plane versus going just at hull speed. Not by a lot though. The downside was it took considerably longer to make the trip at just hull speed.

Lowrance makes a fuel flow setup. Two flow meters and a separate gauge. I think it was around $250 for everything. I prefer the separate gauge for several reasons. One being it has built-in fuel management calculations. The other being you don't lose any screen real estate on the chart plotter trying to see the data. I put the 2" gauge in the right binnacle on the helm console. Works nicely. Truth be told though I don't really use it as much as I thought I would.

So I don't think you can run on just one engine.
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