Bimini Crossing Fuel & Speed Data ( if comfortable please contribute data)

[Betik]

There has been some discussion about fuel consumption for the 2017 Bimini crossing. There have been 3 boats that have shared data and I have been able to put together the attached 2 files.

File 1: contains key metrics which I believe to be predictive of fuel consumption. Populate at your best ability. Do make stuff up. If you do not remember or you think that your guess is shaky please leave it blank.

File 2: this is just a sample of how you can get average speed and standard deviation for by looking at your Inreach. Please note that you need to start with the first good observation ( ie do not use the intercostal speed in your calculations). If this is too much hassle, feel free to send me your inreach link and I will type the data for you.

If you are comfortable please populate the attached files and send them to me so I can maintain it and if we get enough data, we can build a predictability model.
If all goes well, the morning before departure we can plug in key metrics and predict the fuel consumption. This tool could be used to postpone or aboard a crossing as well determine necessary speed to "guarantee" arrival with one fuel tank.
I am hoping for a beta model for 2018 crossing and a calibrated version for the 2019 crossing.

Chart 1: distance vs. speed as pulled from each boat's inreach ( 10 minute intervals)

Chart 2: distance vs. speed as pulled from each boat's inreach ( 30 minute intervals ( average of three 10 intervals )

Chart 3: Gallons used as a function of average speed
Chart 4: Gallons used as a speed variability ( standard deviation of the speed from the 10 intervals)








PS. Some of you might have seen ( of hopefully saw) my post on the Bimini 2018 where one of the conclusions was that variability was not a determining factor. After getting @Glen's Inreach, I was able to more accurately align my inreach data with @Bruce's and @Glen's data. That being said, the conclusion no longer stands.

 

[swatski]

Well, guys - if you want it - I could try to contribute fuel efficiency data with some of the mods that I'm running.

For example, running Stock ECU vs RIVA/Maptuner X reflashed. Or - tabs deployed vs retracted (although that is kind of a given). OEM cone vs L13 - would be too much work for right now.

I would need to know exactly what to do as my water-time is very limited.

I would think maybe MPG - cruise at constant speed (w/RideSteady) - comparison (Stock vs Reflash)? or constant RPM? or certain distance - up and down the same stretch? IDK - I would need help design that kind of testing.

If I know exactly what to do, I might be able to collect and return some data.

--

 

[hobineros]

NOAA publishes buoy data that is free to grab... if you know how to query a webpage and have it fill out ur table automatically for you... that could be a helpful way to interpolate wave or wind speeds into the mix for a prediction tool.

 

[hobineros]

I don' have an inreach, but I was pretty close to Bruce most of the trip and I soaked 49.5 gallons on the way to Bimini. Pulled in on one motor sputtering and one completely off to avoid killing the fuel pump.

 

[seadude]

You might be overthinking this - these boats get sufficient mpg to make the trip at any speed under ideal conditions.
It all comes down to load and external factors like wind, waves, current and the resulting course and speed deviations.

 

[Betik]

Well, guys - if you want it - I could try to contribute fuel efficiency data with some of the mods that I'm running.

For example, running Stock ECU vs RIVA/Maptuner X reflashed. Or - tabs deployed vs retracted (although that is kind of a given). OEM cone vs L13 - would be too much work for right now.

I would need to know exactly what to do as my water-time is very limited.

I would think maybe MPG - cruise at constant speed (w/RideSteady) - comparison (Stock vs Reflash)? or constant RPM? or certain distance - up and down the same stretch? IDK - I would need help design that kind of testing.

If I know exactly what to do, I might be able to collect and return some data.

--

That will be SUPER AWESOME.

I am very Bimini focused, but what you are eluding is a "fuel impact" study for a given mod. I will be more than happy to help design trials and analyse the data. Furthermore, if you are planing on runing the stuffy on Saturdays I could probably come and join you in the water to help take measurements. Speaking of measurements, how will you be able to measure fuel burned? Are you thinking of the MPG indicator?

Anyway, please let me know which modes do you think add value and I will design the trials for each.

This is how I would design a Trim tab test. Currently I am suggesting a 30 minutes run per trial, but that will take over 24 hour run. Maybe we can reduce the trial run time as long as we are comfortable with the gallon consumption.

For most of your mods, I thinking that instead of 4 level which the trim tabs have yours will be 2 levels ( with OR without) . Off course, I am thinking here is fuel, but we can measure speed, RMP etc.






Trial15A251
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A325: Deploy 25%
Step A415: accelerate to 15 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial15A252: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A253: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6


Trial15A501
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A350: Deploy 50%
Step A415: accelerate to 15 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial15A502: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A503: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A751
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A375: Deploy 75%
Step A415: accelerate to 15 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.


Trial15A752: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A753: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A1001
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A3100: Deploy 100%
Step A415: accelerate to 15 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial15A1002: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A1003: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6






Trial20A251
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A325: Deploy 25%
Step A420: accelerate to 20 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial20A252: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A253: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6


Trial20A501
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A350: Deploy 50%
Step A420: accelerate to 20 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.


Trial20A502: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A503: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A751
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A375: Deploy 75%
Step A420: accelerate to 20 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.


Trial20A752: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A753: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A1001
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A3100: Deploy 100%
Step A420: accelerate to 20 MPH
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial20A1002: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A1003: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6





Trial25A251
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A325: Deploy 25%
Step A425: accelerate to 25 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial25A252: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A253: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6


Trial25A501
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A350: Deploy 50%
Step A425: accelerate to 25 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.


Trial25A502: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A503: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A751
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A375: Deploy 75%
Step A425: accelerate to 25 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.


Trial25A752: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A753: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A1001
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A3100: Deploy 100%
Step A425: accelerate to 25 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial25A1002: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A1003: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6



Trial15A01
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A30: Deploy 0%
Step A415: accelerate to 15 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial15A02: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial15A03: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A01
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A30: Deploy 0%
Step A420: accelerate to 20 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial20A02: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial20A03: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6


Trial25A01
Step A1: Fuel boat at gas station A and lunch.
Step A2: undock and drive until no wake.
Step A30: Deploy 0%
Step A425: accelerate to 25 MPG
Step A5: navigate a predetermined route of way-points for about 30 minutes.
Step A6: retrun to No wake zone and dock.

Trial25A02: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

Trial25A03: add X number of gallons of water in the boat to compensate for the weight of the burned fuel.
repeat Steps A2 to A6

 

[Betik]

I don' have an inreach, but I was pretty close to Bruce most of the trip and I soaked 49.5 gallons on the way to Bimini. Pulled in on one motor sputtering and one completely off to avoid killing the fuel pump.

WTF. Really !!!!!!that is very strange. I think I need to ping @Water Girl to see what she burned. It kind of sounds that both you and me were on fumes and @Bruce had put rum or something on his fuel tank.

@hobineros you have no trim tabs and you had 3 adults on your boat right ?

 

[Betik]

You might be overthinking this - these boats get sufficient mpg to make the trip at any speed under ideal conditions.
It all comes down to load and external factors like wind, waves, current and the resulting course and speed deviations.

LOL you are right.

 

[Betik]

NOAA publishes buoy data that is free to grab... if you know how to query a webpage and have it fill out ur table automatically for you... that could be a helpful way to interpolate wave or wind speeds into the mix for a prediction tool.

if I asked you to help me with NOAA data will that make me look greedy or stupid? We only need less than 10 observation points per trip, so I does not have to imported automatically. I can just type them in as long as I know I am looking at the right metric. Because right know, I have reserved space for forecast and observed waves, wind, period etc. I just need to find a source to populated.

 

[Bruce]

I have not found actual buoy wave data near our path. Wind data is available from the weather station at the entrance to Port Everglades. The Bimini weather station operates sometimes and increases forecast accuracy.

 

[bronze_10]

i just listen for my name!

 

[swatski]

@bronze_10 I'm with ya, LOL.
@Betik Next time I respond to a thread I should at least read the title.... my bad!

--

 

[Betik]

i just listen for my name!

I am sure you don't just pull at Port Everglades and wait for to hallucinate before you start...... Nay it is the Sirens you hear calling your name. LOL

In Greek mythology, the Sirens (Greek singular: ΣειρήνSeirēn; Greek plural: ΣειρῆνεςSeirēnes) were dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(mythology)

 

[Betik]

@bronze_10 I'm with ya, LOL.
@Betik Next time I respond to a thread I should at least read the title.... my bad!

--

Haven't you learn yet not to jump to be helpful? The Yamaha's & Greek Dudes or the world they just need you for QA, but there is nothing for you....

 

[hobineros]

WTF. Really !!!!!!that is very strange. I think I need to ping @Water Girl to see what she burned. It kind of sounds that both you and me were on fumes and @Bruce had put rum or something on his fuel tank.

@hobineros you have no trim tabs and you had 3 adults on your boat right ?

no tabs... and probably 750-800lbs of human meat and maybe 140-150lbs of various other meats and beverages. lol

 

[hobineros]

I have not found actual buoy wave data near our path. Wind data is available from the weather station at the entrance to Port Everglades. The Bimini weather station operates sometimes and increases forecast accuracy.

those 2 would provide better than nothing points of reference. I'll check my script at work tomorrow and send u the db code. that's about the extent of my knowledge thou lol

 

[hobineros]

You might be overthinking this - these boats get sufficient mpg to make the trip at any speed under ideal conditions.
It all comes down to load and external factors like wind, waves, current and the resulting course and speed deviations.

They do... I made it home on 20 gallons. lmao

 

[Speedling]

I just think the mr-1 engines are leaner boats typically. Line all the boats up and head straight across and they are all probably pretty close but I be the mr-1 is ever so slightly better on fuel until the rpm's go up, but that's just how the displacment vs rpm thing works out in my head with absolutely no experience or logic to back it up, so clearly, I must be right.

 

[Ronnie]

Is all of this data collection and analysis really necessary? When I’ve taken what consider long boat trips and want to know the stats I usually just turn the navionics track feature on when I launch the boat and off when I get to my destination or back on the trailer. The app records the entire trip as an overlay to a map which I can play back. The information provided includes but is not limited to average speed, time between points, incremental and overall distance traveled, etc. it doesn’t cover fuel usage but that is easily addressed by tracking how much gas i start and end with along how much i bought along the way.

I realize this doesn’t help where past trips are concerned but it may help for the next trip. The biggest problem I see is keeping the smart phone or tablet running the app charged which is easily overcome, just plug the device into a /the 12v outlet on the boat whenever it is moving. For $10 to $50 depending on if you get the smartphone or tablet version it’s a great deal.

Here are some pics reflecting the stats of my last boat trip of this past season. It took them while the trip was being played back to me.



The overall number I would like to see is what the trip costs from the time you launched and recovered the boat. I saw a figure once that was in the $5k to $7k range and a lot of that was fuel related. I don’t think I will ever make the trip in my boat, just to far to tow from NCal but I would consider flying out with my family, renting a boat and doing the trip that way, just need a ball park cost for budgeting purposes. I don’t need to stay at the Ritz but I don’t plan on sleeping on the boat, in a tent or sharing a room / slumming it on a couch either. We would also try all the common excursions we could regardless of the price (it would be a once in a lifetime thing and if I’m already in for thousands of dollars just to fly there, I would have no reason to go economy once I’m there).

 

[bronze_10]

I just think the mr-1 engines are leaner boats typically. Line all the boats up and head straight across and they are all probably pretty close but I be the mr-1 is ever so slightly better on fuel until the rpm's go up, but that's just how the displacment vs rpm thing works out in my head with absolutely no experience or logic to back it up, so clearly, I must be right.

Theres no replacement for displacement!!.... does.... does that add anything to the conversation? Cause i do know somethong about engines. Its just all this data charting and $20 words that makes me feel like i am looking into a black hole! Ohh! How about.. early off the gas and easy on the brakes to increase fuel mileage? Anything? I just wanna be included! Lol.