OceanSMART
Fuel Efficiency Guide
Protect the marine environment by running your boat efficiently - be OceanSMART
Engine Operation - Pull'er back
- Speed is the singular most important factor to influence fuel consumption. The underlying principles are worth going over.
- Energy is expended in making surface waves alongside and behind the boat.
- The effort expended in creating these waves is known as the wave-making resistance.
- As speed increases, the amount of effort spent making waves increases disproportionately to the increase in speed.
- At higher speeds the engine itself may not be operating at its most efficient, particularly at approaching the maximum RPM.
- As a result significant fuel savings can be had through speed reduction.
- Improving fuel efficiency
Regular Maintenance - Keep'in it oiled
- Run in a new or reconditioned engine carefully.
- Follow the engine manufacturer's maintenance programme.
- Change oil, filters and separators regularly
- Make daily inspections of the shaft, bearings, couplings and stuffing box for increased vibrations, dirty filters and sufficient lube.
- Entrust complicated mechanical work to a qualified mechanic.
Fishing - Lose the drag
- Reduce gear drag
- Consider gear monitoring during operations.
- A more efficient gear may increase productivity and catch rates, while reducing energy costs.
- Audit your system to discover areas where you can reduce drag and fuel consumption.
Over 60% of all resistance comes from the drag on the netting while fishing. Ways to reduce drag:
- Reduce the amount of netting surface
- Increase mesh sizes
- Decrease twine sizes
- Introduce super fibres
- Consider a net monitor to help audit your fishing operations.
Check out our OceanSMART Fuel Efficiency Guide