What speed do you choose to cruise?

[AK_Albin36]

Survey Question: What is your favorite cruising speed on your Albin 36 Express Trawler, and why?

For me, its 7.5-8 knots, which is 1400-1480 rpm on my single CAT 3126B 450, burning 4 gph.
Why: Fuel economy, autopilot, and de-stressing the log/boat watch.

[joreyn]

I agree. I like to cruise between 1400 and 1500. With the twin Cats I burn about 5 GPH and average around 9 knots. Low stress, and easy to keep a lookout. I will actually adjust up or down a little depending on how many miles I want to cover that day. I use my chartplotter to plan the course, and use the course data screen to pick the speed that will get me where I need to go in 4 to 5 hours or less. I also use the rotary knob on the autopilot to drive by wire. Went from Kingston (near Seattle) to the Broughtons and back last summer. Estimate near 900 miles, maybe more with all of the Island hopping.

I will say that going through the rapids Yaculta, Gillard, Dent, Greene Point and Whirlpool, I did push the RPMs up quite a bit to blast my way through. Going North, it is impossible to hit them all at slack. Dent is the most challenging, so I set out at Yaculta 1/2 hour before the slack at Dent. Yaculta was still running like a river at that time.

[SalmonK]

Hello!

Youve given me (a single-engined sailor) an opportunity to ask a question that has bugged me for a long time:

Why, in the interest of fuel economy, doesnt/cant a twin screw vessel be run on one engine?

[joreyn]

You'll have to oversteer to counter the fact that the boat will want to turn pretty strongly. Also, the unpowered prop moving through the water will turn the shaft which is not good for the transmission.

Other than that, you can do it. On those occsions when I have fished using the trolling valve, I only run one engine.

[Mariner]

2,000rpm, 10gph, 10kts.

It makes all the calculations easy; time fuel consumption, etc... I will slow down when I've got all day to get somewhere, but more often I just need to get where I'm going and the extra fuel burn is not a big concern. And honestly, I don't think it's good for a diesel to run around at low RPM all the time.

[arcticspud]

Hello!

Youve given me (a single-engined sailor) an opportunity to ask a question that has bugged me for a long time:

Why, in the interest of fuel economy, doesnt/cant a twin screw vessel be run on one engine?

It will damage some transmissions if you are not running them as there is no lubrication will it is spinning. Mine says to secure the shaft if you plan to operate without that engine running.

[joreyn]

I hear the best way to do this is to clamp a large pipe wrench to the shafts.