Boat Fuel Consumption Calculator
Boat Trip Fuel Cost
Estimate fuel usage and cost for a boat trip
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Boat Range Estimator
Estimate how far you can go on a tank of fuel
Formula
GPH = Engine HP x Burn Rate x Throttle Load Factor; Burn Rate: Gas = 0.1 gal/HP/hr, Diesel = 0.055 gal/HP/hr at WOT
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fuel does a boat use per hour?
A general rule of thumb: gasoline engines burn about 0.1 gallons per horsepower per hour at wide open throttle (WOT). A 200HP outboard at WOT burns about 20 GPH. At a typical cruise (50% throttle), it may burn 7-10 GPH. Diesel engines are about 45% more efficient.
What is the 1/3 fuel rule for boating?
The 1/3 rule is a boating safety guideline: use 1/3 of your fuel going out, 1/3 coming back, and keep 1/3 in reserve for emergencies, adverse conditions, or navigation changes. This means you should plan trips based on 2/3 of your tank capacity.
Why does throttle position matter so much?
Fuel consumption does not scale linearly with throttle. Due to propeller load curves, going from 50% to 100% throttle roughly triples fuel consumption while only increasing speed by 30-40%. Cruising at moderate throttle is much more fuel efficient.
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