What is your normal cruising speed?

What speed do you like to cruise?

  • Total voters
    257
I listed 26-28 knots. Seems about right for my boat. I'm also not afraid to run 40 knots when I can. At the end of the day.... according to "SmartCraft"... I'm alway's in the 1.2 MPG range. About 200 miles.
 
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sfergson727 said:
2007 Sundancer 340
12 foot beam
twin 8.1s with V-Drives
about 16500 lbs in normal configuration
3500 RPM / 26.7 mph / .84 mpg

If I am not going anywhere far away

1400 RPM / 7.5 mph / 1.8 mpg
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Really? Below planing speeds make me crazy.
 
oh oh oh oh!
 
Autopilot. Now I have something to add to the "What don't I like about my boat thread."
 
I voted 22-24 knots

2007 44 Sedan Bridge
Beam - 14'3"
Twin 500 hp Cummins - Inboard
Displacement - 28,500lbs, dry
Diesel fuel
Estimated .75mpg, 32 gph
 
I answered 30+ Knots.

Typically my "sweetspot" is 3000-3100 RPMs which is 32-33mph on GPS.

1997 330 Sundancer
11' 6" Beam
12,000-13,000lbs
Twin 454 carburated (300hp ea.), Bravo III outdrives
around 1 mpg

:)
 
Tom and Robin,

We love our 2001 340. We normally cruise in the 3600 to 3800 rpm range we will get about .79 at about 27 MPH. We made a cruise last September from Destin to Shreveport via New Orleans then south to cross the Mississippi at Venice, LA south of NO. Trip was 829 miles, 49.5 engine hours and 1128 gallons of gas. We had 144 miles up a river with a very strong current then 179 miles up a river with a very weak current.
 
Four Suns said:
My boat going 14 knots throws a huge wake compared to going 26 knots... I would guess the wake at 14 knots is over 4 feet high.
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That I believe, last year while coming home from St Michaels we were just entering Kent Narrows. We were already slowed down to 6 knots. Well here comes a 48 Sedan Bridge from the other direction, he had just started to throttle up. Good lord we got his broad side from his wake and we got slammed.

BTW you went going through Kent Narrows last season around September?:huh:
 
I Voted 20-22 knots.....

Boat year/model 2003 410DA
Boat beam 13' 10"
Configuration Twin CAT 3126-TA 350HP V-Drive
Displacement spec sheet...22,500...real world..24,500+++
Fuel type: Diesel
RPMs at that speed 2250-2350 RPMs (I added this row)
Estimated fuel mileage at that speed. according to the books 18-20 GPH.....accroding to a seasons 'average'.....1.1sMPG


quality time said:
I voted 20-22 knots
Boat year/model: 2001 380 Sundancer
Boat beam: 13'
Configuration: Twin 3126 CATS (V-Drives)
Displacement: 21,000 lbs
Fuel type: Diesel
Estimated fuel mileage: not what it should be...
Click to expand...

Aaron, I'm surprised that your cruise is the same as mine! What RPMs do you normally run and what HP are your CATs?
 
Carpedmman said:
I answered 30+ Knots.

Typically my "sweetspot" is 3000-3100 RPMs which is 32-33mph on GPS.

1997 330 Sundancer
11' 6" Beam
12,000-13,000lbs
Twin 454 carburated (300hp ea.), Bravo III outdrives
around 1 mpg

:)
Click to expand...

That's not even 30 knots. How did you figure 30+? 33 mph = 28.7 knots.
 
hack4alivin said:
That I believe, last year while coming home from St Michaels we were just entering Kent Narrows. We were already slowed down to 6 knots. Well here comes a 48 Sedan Bridge from the other direction, he had just started to throttle up. Good lord we got his broad side from his wake and we got slammed.

BTW you went going through Kent Narrows last season around September?:huh:
Click to expand...

I generally don't do that around channels. However, if I'm on open water several miles from shore and some jackass wants to come around my wake, have at it. In close quarters, channels and their entrances I have to go 7-8 knots or I'll sink people.

Also, I always call out to boats in narrow water ways and will request they slow down so I can give a no-wake pass. Unfortunately, about 50% of the boaters will not respond, flip me the bird, or say stupid stuff like "what's your hurry?" at which point I will pass them at a less optimal speed.
 
I answered 20-22 knots - I'm usually at about 26-28 MPH on the GPS. This seems to be about perfect and the engines are at 3100-3200 RPMs.
 
ok Gary..I'm going to show my ignorance here again... When you say you want them to slow down, is it so that you can maintain plane so that you throw off less wake or so that you can slow?
 
Larry&Leisa said:
ok Gary..I'm going to show my ignorance here again... When you say you want them to slow down, is it so that you can maintain plane so that you throw off less wake or so that you can slow?
Click to expand...

"slow down" means cut the throttles. This happens all the time down the ICW. You can be in the middle of NOWHERE and some sailboater will be poking along (motoring) at 6-8 knots and you come up behind him on plane. I'll get off plane and go 8 knots behind him... but you can't expect someone behind you to follow you for 50 miles at 8 knots. That's when I radio them... and about half of them cut the throttle and say "thank you" and I'll pass them at 6-8 knots. The other half, going smack down the center of the ICW, you have to pass at 10+ knots and then they radio you and yell at you about their coffee spilling. The 480 DB will maintain plane all the way down at 12 knots with the tabs down (which is great for stinky weather)... No one wants to be in that wake though.

Yeah I know... you are responsible for your wake...

Have I mentioned how much I hate going down the ICW? It's like river boating that never ends.
 
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I cruise as fast as will safely get me to my destination. Anywhere between 13mph-35mph.
 
Full load of fuel water and all other supplies with two people. I cruise at 3,500 rpm @ 28knts

1997 Sea Ray 290DA
Beam 9'8"
Displacement 10,000 lbs
Configuration Twin 4.3
Speed 28knts
Estimated Fuel Milage @ speed 1.0 to 1.5 GPM
 
Half tank fuel, Full tank of water, full fridge and coolers!

1992 Sea Ray 350 EB
Beam 11'5"
Displacement 11,500 lbs probably closer to 12,500 lbs
Twin 7.4 L 330 hp
Bravo II IO

2200-2400 rpm
20 - 22 knots
Estimate milage 1.25 - 1.5 GPM
 
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