Fuel Consumption Wakesurfing

[duramat 462]

I would also think elevation also comes into play as well. More power at lower elevations.

[WakeDoc 471]

I call on these numbers?

The only way I would believe that two boats with similar shapes with the exact same engine filled up with the same fuel, loaded with the same weight and same prop would have a difference of 3.5 GALLONS per hour is if you set the boats up and ran them side by side for the test.

 

Tige Z3 with the 409 HP engine consumed 48 gallons of fuel over 11 engine hours How EXACTLY was the boat used, can you show me a read out from the engine that shows the steady rate of RPMs being used through the 11 hours, did they idle 30 minutes each way for the dock while filling ballast or through a no wake zone, did they shut the engine off when switching riders, did a neutral third party conduct the test?

 

Last year we put our 2010 Centurion SV240 Enzo with a 409 PCM engine with cats in the river which has no current, loaded it for a larger than competition wake and rode for 8.72 hours burning a total of 34.88 gallons of fuel covering exactly 101.15 miles. When a rider was done we killed the engine until the next rider was ready. When we put the boat on the trailer we drained the remaining fuel and had exactly 11.08 gallons of fuel left we are guessing the .04 is the fuel remaining in the fuel line/engine. We do not know about any other boats but, we do know we have the most fuel efficient boat in the world.

[Kevin Baugh 78]

X2^

[Dreamer 96]

I checked my cap, rotor and plugs. There was some minor corrosion on the nodes inside the cap so I removed it with emery cloth but all in all it looked pretty good with 90 hours on the parts.

[superdtf 68]

OK, here's a little back of the envelope math: Let's just grant the assumptions that Dreamer's Enzo sucks 8 GPH and that the future Tige he will own only uses 4 ('cause I like easy math). And further, let's assume that Dreamer will indeed save $2500 in fuel, and let's assume that fuel is about $4/gallon (because it is). To get that kind of annual savings the following would have to be true:

1. The assumptions would have to be correct (which I doubt).
   
2. You would have to put 156.25 hours of SURFING on your boat per year. Which would typically imply another 50 to 100 hours of other kinds of hours.
   

And now I go back to my original reaction: If you're putting 200-300 hours a year on your boat, the cost of fuel is significant, but much less than the other things: Seals, pumps, maintenance like oil/tranny/v-drive, trailer maintenance, truck gas and maintenance, canvas, vinyl, gelcoat repair, props, ballast, boards, wetsuits, ropes, etc.

 

And if you are in BC and putting that many hours on your boat per year, then YOU RULE! We go several times a week and one hundred hours total is a very good year for us (Wakesurfing would represent like 25 of those).

 

Math Here:

To save $2500 dollars, you'd need to be spending $5000 and then cut consumption by half. So, gas at $4 and then use 625 gallons in the season, puts your new gas budget at $2500. And if you only burn 4GPH, then divide 625 by four and that gets you 156.25 hours of surfing.

[wakemitch 15]

You guys don't have to believe me, but it's the truth.

 

We used the Z3 at the 2012 West Coast Open and thats what we were using. We could only fill up 25 gal after the main day of the event (saturday). And we used one boat for the whole event (both sides)

 

I love Centurions, I love Supremes, and I love Tigés. Fuel consumption isnt subjective, it is what it is.

[Dreamer 96]

Local gas here is $1.30 to $1.40 per litre, which is over $5 per gallon (3.8L per gallon). We put over 400 hours on the water the last three seasons. Not sure why you are trying to redo my math.

[Dreamer 96]

I call on these numbers?

The only way I would believe that two boats with similar shapes with the exact same engine filled up with the same fuel, loaded with the same weight and same prop would have a difference of 3.5 GALLONS per hour is if you set the boats up and ran them side by side for the test.

 

Tige Z3 with the 409 HP engine consumed 48 gallons of fuel over 11 engine hours How EXACTLY was the boat used, can you show me a read out from the engine that shows the steady rate of RPMs being used through the 11 hours, did they idle 30 minutes each way for the dock while filling ballast or through a no wake zone, did they shut the engine off when switching riders, did a neutral third party conduct the test?

 

Last year we put our 2010 Centurion SV240 Enzo with a 409 PCM engine with cats in the river which has no current, loaded it for a larger than competition wake and rode for 8.72 hours burning a total of 34.88 gallons of fuel covering exactly 101.15 miles. When a rider was done we killed the engine until the next rider was ready. When we put the boat on the trailer we drained the remaining fuel and had exactly 11.08 gallons of fuel left we are guessing the .04 is the fuel remaining in the fuel line/engine. We do not know about any other boats but, we do know we have the most fuel efficient boat in the world.

 

From what I have read so far, the PCM engines, large or small, are using significantly less fuel than my current Mercruiser engine. Anyone else on here with an Enzo and the 330hp Black Scorpion that can chime in on your fuel consumption?

[superdtf 68]

Local gas here is $1.30 to $1.40 per litre, which is over $5 per gallon (3.8L per gallon). We put over 400 hours on the water the last three seasons. Not sure why you are trying to redo my math.

Not trying to re-do the math. I'm saying, "...if you are in BC and putting that many hours on your boat per year, then YOU RULE!"

 

Stop hating on someone who's trying to love you. And apologies for the whole litres to gallons thing; just a dumb yankee here.

[LakeSurfer 10]

You guys don't have to believe me, but it's the truth.

 

We used the Z3 at the 2012 West Coast Open and thats what we were using. We could only fill up 25 gal after the main day of the event (saturday). And we used one boat for the whole event (both sides)

 

I love Centurions, I love Supremes, and I love Tigés. Fuel consumption isnt subjective, it is what it is.

 

I think guys with the PCM engines believe you. For my 244, I bet I get around 5 gph. To me, that is not really a big difference from the Tige.

 

I am saying, that with the same engine/prop/weight the gph should be close.

[Dreamer 96]

Not trying to re-do the math. I'm saying, "...if you are in BC and putting that many hours on your boat per year, then YOU RULE!"

 

Stop hating on someone who's trying to love you. And apologies for the whole litres to gallons thing; just a dumb yankee here.

 

 

Not hating anyone here, just thinking I need a PCM 409 in my next boat!

[WakeDoc 471]

 

From what I have read so far, the PCM engines, large or small, are using significantly less fuel than my current Mercruiser engine. Anyone else on here with an Enzo and the 330hp Black Scorpion that can chime in on your fuel consumption?

 

We had the Mercruiser 377 Scorpion on our 2008 SV240 Enzo and the PCM 409 on our current 2010 SV240 Enzo, difference is the 2008 had a 13.5 in. diameter prop and the 2010 has I believe a 14.25 in. diameter prop other than that they are pretty much the exact same boats. Which one gets the better gas mileage, honestly have not put much thought to it, put the nozzle in the tank fill until full and head to the lake. The PCM is my favorite of the two, is it the extra horse power or larger diameter prop or a combo of both, hard to say but, it for sure has more power/pull than the 2008. I will try to make a point of figuring out the fuel consumption in the near future.

[Dreamer 96]

I rember Todd atTowanza calling it an "8 gallon an hour sport" a few years ago and thought nothing about my fuel consumption. Now reading that newer enginers are consuming half of that has peaked my interest. A perfect excuse for a new ride!

 

I just called Mercruiser and they stated that their new engines are more efficient than something from five years ago but doubted that they would use 50% less fuel.

[LakeSurfer 10]

I remember Todd at Towanza calling it an "8 gallon an hour sport" a few years ago

 

I think this was marketing and was not entirely based on science.

[David 0]

Is that an oxygen sensor I see on exhaust of the newer PCM motors? If the ecm can adjust the fuel mixture on the fly that could save allot of fuel.

[Bigcatpt 408]

03 Avalanche with 315 HP motor. 2300 lbs of ballast and 4 guys (approx 900lbs). We surfed hard and nonstop for 4 hours except to change riders at which time the engine was turned off. About 5 minutes of slow idle in/out of marina and we used 17 gallons of fuel. So about 4.25 gallons per hour for surfing.

 

Surfmoochers enzo 240 with 340 hp silver scorpion with 2200 lbs ballast and switchblade plus 6-8 people is much closer to 8 gallons per hour. That thing is a thirsty beast...but the wave is amazing!

Edited June 27, 2012 by Bigcatpt

[Kevin Baugh 78]

Yes The new PCMs with Cat have an oxygen sensor

 

I think a lot of this comes down to the new cat engines Merc or PCM will get better gas economy because of the oxygen sensor

Edited June 27, 2012 by Kevin Baugh

[DrPringle 10]

dreamer does this mean your boat will be up for sale come september?? and where u heading to shawnigan this afternoon i passed a centurion on the malahat

[ragboy(fatboy) 24]

So someone emailed me a link to this thread. I would be happy to answer about how we use our boat, etc, but at the same time want to be respectful as a tige owner. So if you have a question, let me know, be happy to answer. I have had 3 tiges, 3 motors. 340MP in 24Ve weighted 2500lbs ballast plus people, PCM343 in 2010 RZ2 weighted about ~2100lbs plus people, and now the Z3 which is weighted every time we surf with 2600lbs plus people. I am huge and have a big family, and we always host lots of folks, so on average have 1000-1500lbs of people on board every time. 24Ve had Acme 1235, RZ2 had acme 537, and Z3 1235 but is not the best prop for it, best for 343.

[Dreamer 96]

dreamer does this mean your boat will be up for sale come september?? and where u heading to shawnigan this afternoon i passed a centurion on the malahat

 

Yes, that was me on my way to Shawnigan. You looking for a surf machine?