2820 mpg

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Scalawag

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Joined
Feb 24, 2006
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Location
Walnut Creek, CA
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I'm planning on purchasing a 2820 around the end of the year. I'm in the SanFrancisco Bay area, and was lucky enough to seatrial this boat last week. There aren't many in this area.

I was curious what sort of mileage members with the 2820 are achieving at cruise. I noticed that at 20-30 knots, the fuel meter on the boat I trialed indicated that the mileage was runing between 1.2 to 1.5mpg. The boat was powered by twin F225s, had a topped-off fuel tank and three 200lb men aboard.

The Yamaha site shows a 2830 (a heavier boat) with these engines getting much better economy. I realize that the performance numbers stated by the manufacturer tend to be best case, and that I didn't spend enough time playing with the trim to dial it in.

What kind of real world numbers are you guys getting?

Also, I plan to order the boat with the bulkhead mounted second station and a number of other options, but is there anything on your boat that you've found to be an absolute necessity?

Thanks,

Bill
 
I think what you saw with your own two eyes seems reasonable to me..... I'm sure Yamaha is going to do everything they can to report higher numbers.

2nd steering station is great. Live well is important. Raw water washdown is mandatory.... fresh water is good.
 
Welcome to the forum Bill!

I personally don't care much for nmpg figures. I'd rather know what I'm burning per hour so I can use it to trim the boat well, run at the most efficient cruise speed, and most of all (these days)... calculate my cost of operation.

If I'm running my single 225 OX66 at 4200 rpm making 22kts and burning 13 gph, I know that I can travel 22 nm in an hour, and my cost per hour is $45.50/hr if fuel is $3.50/gal.

I just feel that knowing my fuel burn in gph is a more informative number. Discovering the fuel burn of an F225 should be fairly simple, and can probably be answered by someone with that motor here on this forum. In the case of twins, just double the gph figure.

As far as options on the boat go, I'm very thankful for my cockpit combing pads! I've fished on other boats without them, and I have to tell you that it made me appreciate mine that much more.

Image-DB8376A0C5C611DA.jpg


Fighting a fish with your shins up against rock hard fiberglass is no fun after you've experienced sinking your knees into some soft combing pads. :wink:

Good luck in your research!
 
I don't know what the Yamaha site listed but it seems that a 28 ft with twin engines getting up to 1.5 mpg is good. Have to weigh in what the sea conditions were (wind, wave, current), the load on the boat, how it is trimmed, the props, etc.

There aren't a lot of 28 ft boats out there. I have a 2530 with an I/O and I get 1.7-2 mpg at 25 mph cruise.

Walnut Creek? I've been there, are you going to trailer, go down river to the bay?

Dana
 
Guys,

Thanks for the responses. We do a lot of low speed trolling (1.5-3knots) for salmon and halibut, plus some albacore fishing at 7/8 knots. I know the fuel burn will be exceptionally low on the low speed stuff, most likely only trolling one engine. I'm curious about the cruising burn as I'm trying to figure out what my overall burn is likely to be. On my last boat, an Albin 28 TE, with a single diesel, it averaged about 5 gph overall. It cruised at about 17 knots, burning about 8gph. I know this boat will burn a bit more.

Dana, the test was in about 15-20 knots of wind with 2-3 feet of wind chop. However, I was able to tuck behind Treasure Island for part of the run in protected water. The boat will be slipped in Emeryville part of the year (in the Bay) and in Half Moon Bay the rest of the time.

Bill
 
Bill, that's impressive that the Yamaha report shows the 2830 at 2 mpg for 32 mph.

Good luck when you find get a 2820.

Dana
 
Dana,

I dug out some figures that the dealer gave me for the 2820, which came from Yamaha, and the fuel burn #s were actually lower for the 2820. Huh? The boat is 1,100 lbs lighter with a smaller (by 50 gallons) fuel tank and Yamaha says it gets about 1.76 mpg at its most efficient. I'm pretty sure they are the same hull.

Slightly different props. Maybe I should go with the props they had on the 2830 :shock:

Bill
 
I personally don't care much for nmpg figures. I'd rather know what I'm burning per hour so I can use it to trim the boat well, run at the most efficient cruise speed, and most of all (these days)... calculate my cost of operation.
You can also do all that with MPG, but here's why I prefer the nMPG value ... from an overall point of view:

1) My GPS is tied to the fuel computer, so "for the day's running" ... I'll get 2 values, total miles run and total gallons burned.

2) From those values I'll determine the nMPG as an overall gauge of boat performance, only if this includes what is "typical day" for me ... e.g.,
* Going through headway speed-only areas to get out of the mooring area
* Factors getting up onto plane and off plane
* Includes cruising time
* Includes nominal blasts to chase fish, etc.
* Includes nominal trolling
* And finally, return cruising time and idling back through headway speed-only areas to get to my mooring

3) So from here, let's say that overall I get roughly 2 Miles Per Gallon "overall". It could be that at 4000 RPM cruise I'll see as high as 2.5 mpg, but as an overall assessment, I can pretty much gauge that I need fuel for 2 MPG.

4) That said, if I'm going to do excessive trolling, this actually improves my fuel burn as I usually see > 3 MPG when trolling, less when tuna trolling.

5) From a safety point of view though, I figure that besides leaving a 20% reserve in the tank, I will only get 1 MPG if I need to slog it out through heavy, confused seas.

From limited testing, I can usually trim the boat for a comfortable ride on plane, albeit a slow place, but getting at least 1.5 MPG ... but for safety, I will factor in a higher fuel burn, thus need.
 
Bill, yes they took the 25' cabin model and stretched it. If the reports show different props with similar test conditions, that is an option. The 2830 was heavier and they stopped that model.

My info on my mpg is my actual electronics display based on cruise conditions with a full load (of everthing). My cruise never goes over 2 mpg and usually is around 1.8. I have a Navman chartplotter with a fuel flow sensor that does the calculation. I can see fuel burn per hour, speed (nautical or statute), fuel burned for the ride, distance gone, etc. as Dale mentioned.

For my interest, I don't look at average mpg. I most always cruise at 25 mph with an I/O. I can get up over 3 mpg at about 5-7 mph. If you want to go dizzy, you can see the electronics adjust cruise distance remaining as the throttle changes and the wave action changes.

Dana
 
I have a 2820 (2006) w/ 250's. I'm getting 1.1-1.5 at cruise 4000 rpm depending on seas fully loaded. 1.5-2.0 on troll. Better than my 2510 w/150's.
 
Yamaha claims 2MPG(best) with twin 225's. Remember, this is likely light load, calm seas, little wind and an unpainted bottom (big diff. over painted bottom)
 
Scalawag,

I'm also here in the SF area and have a DV 2520 with a Merc Diesel Bravo 3. I get over 3 nmpg. With fuel prices higher -much higher in the Bay Area, why would you want to go from an diesel Albin 28TE to a Parker 28 with outboards? The Albin sounds like a much better choice.

The Parker is planning hull meant to run fast with outboards. My Parker's hull wakes up and starts performing at about 21 kts. Below that I'm slogging around. So, in our rough waters, you will be slogging alot. You just can't cruise safely on most days faster than that. The Albin is designed to cruise slower with it's semi displacement hull.

Parker Marine needs to wake up and smell the coffee. 1-2 MPG with $3-4 gas is not what most of us can or want to afford. I would press the dealer to offer you a diesel or twin diesel option, or threaten to take your business back to Albin. They did diesels before, and can do it again. It would be nice if they modified their hulls for more fuel efficiency at slower speeds.

Bill Gilchrist
 
Hi Bill,

My Albin had a 6.5L GM diesel marinized by Peninsular. 3 tows in 2 1/2 years; the last from on top of the Pioneer on a tuna trip. Cruise speed fully loaded was about 15/16 knots.

I'll pay more for fuel for the perceived comfort of having a backup engine, and an engine package that will push the boat twice as fast at cruise (on those rare days you can cruise 30 knots out here).

Besides, I sold it in Jan. 2003 while my wife was pregant with our second child and I knew the boat wouldn't get much use. Also, she wouldn't step foot on it after the second tow!

I'll let you know how it goes with the 28.

Bill Dutra
Coastside Fishing Club
 
I've had a 2820 for 3 months. traded up from a 2510. I think you'll like it. good luck.
 
Hi Bill,

Congrats on the new kid! It sounds to me like you know exactly what you are getting into with a 2820. Maybe you aren't as aware of what you're in for with kids -after a few years you get to feeling old fast!

It's too bad Albin early-on chose the Peninsular vs, say, a Cummins or Volvo. For tuna, the 2820 makes some sense, twin outboards for peace of mind and the extra speed for the blue water. One thing you will like is the really solid construction of the Parker.

My boat got towed once too, 13 miles from San Gregorio to HMB. No fun from the Pioneer freaking Seamount! That's a haul!

See ya out there!

Bill Gilchrist
2520 Sport Cabin with Merc D-Tronic and Bravo 3.
Also a Coastsider!
Moss Beach, CA
 
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