Long range options

[Pilar]

Until someone finds a fish box full within 50 miles .. most of us are SOL for getting some TUNA! We can hope for nice SST shots and any kind of Chlorophyll shot but really we just don't know much.

The wind machine will break down at some point and we are approaching the calmest part of the year on the ocean. August is usually very nice with two or more days in a row of flat conditions more common than other times.

What are the options for 60, 70, 80 mile patrols? Overnight? 5 kts all the way to the hole? Fuel barge offshore? Group trip on a 36 hour charter?

I have a 25 horse kicker (plan 'B') that runs great. On a calm day I can make 4 -5 kts without running it flat out and burn 1-1/2 to 2 gallons per hour. On a rough day forget it. I can carry 135 gallons of fuel. I can carry more than that but don't want to. The main will burn 1 to 1.5 miles per gallon. On a typical bank robbery tuna trip I burn from 60 to 95 gallons on trips ranging from 35 nm to 50 nm. This is the 90 to 120 minutes on plane, troll for 6 hours and 90 to 120 minutes back in trip. The boat is fully loaded and we are not worried about running out of fuel. There is no way I could go beyond 50 nm without adding more fuel. I'm pretty close to diminishing returns on adding fuel.

I am thinking out loud here so don't be harsh.

Although it would be hard to do I can visualize this trip on a nice set of days ...

5 kts on plan 'B' all the way to the crossroads. This is a 42nm haul from Depoe. So all day (8 - 9 hours) on the kicker getting out there. The boat would carry 1/2 the normal ice load and 3 not 4 on board. We have a galley, head and bunks so the trip out could be sleepy and relax time. I'm going to give that 20 gallons, including the run out of the hole on the main till we clear the bar. Normal burn going out is 30 + gallons. So 105 gallons remaining. Once at the crossroads at about 1500 hours continue on to find a place to fish in the evening. Maybe the twin seamounts up by PC would be a better destination or you could just keep going for the 125d 30m longitude, another 23 nm and 5 hours and another 10 gallons. I think 70 NM is the max for me on this plan. So 60 gallons for the round trip, 70 remaining for reserve and fishing.

At any rate find fish and catch them at last and first light. Do some drift fishing deep at night and station keeping with the kicker, charging batteries and watching for offshore traffic. The daytime sleepers earn thier keep as the night watch. We burn another 10 gallons on the kicker. 60 gallons remaining in reserve. Then run in at the slow speed. There is enough fuel remaining to make a full speed run in. Maybe make the last 1/2 of the return on the main. Being light and close the burn rate goes down.

It would be a long trip and the weather would have to be perfect to make the fuel stretch.

Am I crazy? Have any of you considered this?

Maybe I should just drag the boaterhome to Westport and be done with the waiting.

[Chromaflage]

I'm wondering about a mast and sail.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Needle point, crab boil, and get your nails done.

[fish Addict80]

Pilar, I have thought of doing something similar as with my honda 200 at 1500 rpm I make around 6 MPH depending on ocean conditions burning 1.3 GPH.

I could leave in the morning after a good nights sleep and run slow to the grounds so we arrive late after noon evening. take turns on the wheel so eveyone gets a nap and then setup to fish the evening and all nite (use live bait, chunk fish, iron and or swimbaits) and the first light bite.

Then run in when you cant hold anymore fish the same way or at full speed depending on time and fuel constraints.

Leave the dock at 6am slow run to where the fish are up 60 miles and I will only burn 13 gallons of my 109 available. Leaving plenty of options to go farther out or run in at speed in the morning and use half to 1/3 less than a normal day run.

Plus when you run in you can direct the rest of the fleet to the fish and then have the cleaning station all to yourself.

It would be a solid 2 day ordeal though but well worth it and would probably get more rest this way.

Luke

[Fog Horn]

1. Join Seatow
2. Take only enough fuel to run out to the tuna grounds and troll around
3. Call Seatow out to tow you back in

[WaterDog]

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

Needle point, crab boil, and get your nails done.

Spoken like a true woman.

A guy could just repower the tub with a more effcient engine.

[Pilar]

Waterdog I was going to change boats but that plan is on hold.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally Posted by WaterDog

Spoken like a true woman.

A guy could just repower the tub with a more effcient engine.

Let us know when your conversion is done. Then you can talk smack.

[WaterDog]

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

Let us know when your conversion is done. Then you can talk smack.

New Yanmar 6LP is already bolted in. It's all the little stuff that now has to be done plus some repainting. A couple weeks and she will be ready. All I know is my 8.1L averaged 10 to 11 gph. The 6LP averages 6gph in boats bigger than mine. I figure I will average 5gph.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Have to admit that will be cool when it's done Rich. Would love to see the conversion sometime. That boat is still a way cool set up.

[sothereiwas]

Is that a PrecisionWeld boat? I used to do Tom's audio video systems for the boat show boats.

Brad

[Irish Pennant]

Work it out with a sport boat or two that's fishing the Banana or any other area that's on your way to carry some of your auxiliary fuel cans. Top your tanks off when you get to the banana or a little farther, swap out empty Jerry cans for full cans and then go to the tuna grounds from there.

[TROPHY1]

Pilar, I have had very similar sthoughts about better fuel management, My error this Sunday was trying to play catch up to the fleet after getting an 1.5 hr. later start. Bucking the north wind chop harfder than I should have I really was burning fuel. Fuell flow was about 15+ gallons per hr. If I would of run at about 10-11 gallons per hr and taken another hr or so to get their I could have reached the fishy area easily. For that matter had I started trolling to the destination at less than 1 gph I still could have increased my range by miles. Lesson learn, when it comes to fuel burn the old Tortos and the Hare seems to really apply.
I think the slow boat and overnight trip on the double 1 and 4 days is the ticket to a long trip. I will be watching for when those days line up.
Still learning and living.

[fishbait]

So, what is the going rate for a 5 gal jerry can of ethel at the ranch in Aug?

Actually, pretty good idea


But jeezzz, don't tell momma bear what the actual cost per pound is for that tuna loin she's eating

[WaterDog]

Originally Posted by sothereiwas

Is that a PrecisionWeld boat? I used to do Tom's audio video systems for the boat show boats.

Brad

Yup.

[sothereiwas]

He makes some amazing boats. That walk around floor layout is a dead give away its one of his.

Brad

[Metal Manipulator]

How about I buy a 300 ft. vessle to haul out several boats. We could have a dining hal and navy style bunks. Cruising speed 11 to 12 knots with fully rested crews. After we find the fish we then fill the balasts and launch the boats. After a full day of killing you can return to your resting location and relax on the return trip to port.

Any investers out there?

[WaterDog]

Yeah, I love the boat although compared to the new ones it's a relic. Next year show boats will be off the hook.

Rich

[sothereiwas]

They were all fun projects. I stopped doing them this last year after leaving Car Toys. I still haven't had a chance to pay him a visit even though he is a block away

[Bait O' Eggs]

I have been toying with the idea of running gasoline thru my ice machine to make gas cubes Once I use the gas ice cubes to cool my fish and they are melted, I can pour them in the fuel tank to get home

I think there is a weight savings measure in there somewhere

[Fshklr]

Originally Posted by Bait O' Eggs

I have been toying with the idea of running gasoline thru my ice machine to make gas cubes Once I use the gas ice cubes to cool my fish and they are melted, I can pour them in the fuel tank to get home

I think there is a weight savings measure in there somewhere

Always the innovator.....

[Double Trouble]

Guys, don't forget it's not all about GPH. I know in our boat we can get a greater distance on a set amount of fuel by burning more GPH, but I'm getting more miles out of that GPH ie, 30 MPH at 21 GPH will get me farther than say 20 MPH at 19 GPH. It's real easy with the modern fuel managment systems to head for the greatest GPH, but you really need to do the math first and see what your optimum cruise rate is. Most engine manufacturers publish this information. I called Seaswirl and they sent me a the test results from the same boat (2901) with the same engines (twin 250's). With proper trim of the tabs and engines, we can usually beat the test results, unless the water is way rough and we can't run at our optimum cruise (30 PH).

[Spoonplugger]

Originally Posted by Double Trouble

Guys, don't forget it's not all about GPH. I know in our boat we can get a greater distance on a set amount of fuel by burning more GPH, but I'm getting more miles out of that GPH ie, 30 MPH at 21 GPH will get me farther than say 20 MPH at 19 GPH. It's real easy with the modern fuel managment systems to head for the greatest GPH, but you really need to do the math first and see what your optimum cruise rate is. Most engine manufacturers publish this information. I called Seaswirl and they sent me a the test results from the same boat (2901) with the same engines (twin 250's). With proper trim of the tabs and engines, we can usually beat the test results, unless the water is way rough and we can't run at our optimum cruise (30 PH).

Very good point. With a single 225HP at WOT my fuel burn is 22.4 GPH which equates to 40+ MPH (1.78 MPG) but at 14 GPH I'm running 30 MPH (2.14 MPG).

The Honda 9.9 HP kicker burns 1 GPH and pushes our boat 4 to 6 MPH depending on current, wind, etc. That averages 5 MPG. I guess I'll need to try to use the kicker more. 180 gallons of fuel and a 900 mile range with the kicker.

[KeyWest]

Used to live in Savannah, GA. Offshore to the "stream" (gulf stream) started at 80 miles and usually extended to 110 miles. Extra fuel storage was the ticket (30 gal deck tank with a T-in to the main line). But that was when prices were < $2. Now at > $4 we can still get there, but it hurts a bunch more!!

[TundraIII]

Twin Yamaha 115's no kicker....170 gallons of fuel.....I wont go out past 50nm...hoping I wont have to go out past 40nm...just playing the waiting game.

[Tip-Sea]

John, I found an answer for you! Burns 1 QT/hr at wide open throttle.

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/boa/765712160.html

[wdlfbio]

This is a Gov't excess rig. We could fill it full of fuel drums and have folks take turns maintaining it 70 miles out.

Or, we allow a couple oil islands under the condition that they have a fuel station for sporties