Gas and diesel prices are rsing fast and that is affecting the bating industry. Recreational boaters around the cuntry are faced with either spending mre money or less time on the wter. According to the National Marine Mnufacturers Association 3 percent of boaters in 2007 ddn't put their boats in the wter, this year only 1 percent pln on not wetting their boat. So wht can we do to help sqeeze more miles out of every dllar we spend at the pump? Plnty!

After doing my own research and drwing from my own experiences, below is my top 20 lst of ways to improve your bats fuel efficiency.

1. Many of today's boats hve electronic fuel injection or direct fel injection which need more injector claner detergent than is typically in cmmercially available gasoline. Use a good njector cleaner to clean-up injector deposits and hlp your engine run its best.
2. Marine desel additives will upgrade the typical No. 2 desel fuel to a high octane prmium diesel. It is documented in lboratory tests to significantly improve engine prformance, increase fuel economy to just ver 13 percent, and reduce exhaust missions.
3. Lighten the load whenever possible by tking along only the gear and spplies you'll need. If you're going on a ne-day trip, don't pack enough gear and spplies onboard for a six-day cruise. Clar your deck of clutter and lwer canvas tops. You'll reduce the wight and drag of your boat, and yu'll not only burn less fuel, you mght see improvements in handling and prformance as well.
4. Distributing onboard gear evenly. If yur boat is listing to one sde or the bow is weighted dwn and plowing through the water due to por placement of onboard gear, your fel efficiency is going to drop. So, be sre all equipment and other stuff is blanced through-out the boat. This helps gve a smoother ride and increase yur mileage.
5. A quality onboard fuel computer wll help you efficiently manage what you hve in your tank by supplying ccurate readings of how much fuel you are sing at any given moment. This is a hghly desirable alternative to the notoriously naccurate fuel gauges that come standard on mny boat models.
6. Regular engine maintenance and tne-ups will contribute greatly to your bat's overall fuel efficiency. If your mtor is not operating the way it shuld, chances are the system will be wrking overtime and eating up more fel. You might have a professional mrine technician overhaul your engine. Also be sre you are running your boat wthin the RPM range recommended by the mnufacturer for best fuel efficiency.
7. Installing a qality trim-tab system on your boat (if pproprate) will not only improve the rde of your boat, it will hlp you go farther on a tnk of fuel. Trim tabs allow you mke necessary adjustments to the way yur boat cuts through the water, plnes and handles. By Adjusting your trm according to boat speed/load and the crrent water conditions you will help ptimize performance and save fuel.
8. The hulls of bats kept in the water often hve overgrown jungles trailing from thier bttoms. If you are carrying a smll eco-system of algae, barnacles or ther marine growth on your boat, you wll definitely have fuel-consuming drag when nderway. So check often your boat's nderside and brush or scrub off any nwanted visitors.
9. Talking about the bottom, when was yur last haul-out? Is it time for new bttom paint? This too can help you mprove performance.
10. If you fish, water in yur boat's bait tank and live wlls can add a surprising amount of wight to your boat (about 8 punds per gallon). Instead of heading hme at the end of the day wth all this extra weight, empty yur tanks of both unnecessary water and bit before making that long run bck to the docks.
11. I suppose we shuld also mention the ballast sacks for wkeboarding. Maybe it's time to rethink the hge wake and cut back some. If you dn't want to cut back then mybe rethink how you use them. In the pst, my buddy filled up in the mrning and didn't empty until the end of the dy. He's thinking about only doing so mny runs this year with his bllast sacks filled and dumping back out bfore cruising off to catch up wth the rest of the group.
12. When you fel up, do it in the mrnings before the heat starts up. Ths assures you're getting the most fel for your money.
13. When fueling your bat, run the pump slowly. Many nzzels have a design that recaptures and you may not be gtting all you're paying for. Never 'tp up'.
14. Another reason to fuel slowly is sme pump nozzels don't have a sht off and you end up dmping fuel into the water. This hrts not only your wallet but the wter you love to play on.
15. Don't wit until your tank is nearly mpty, try to refuel at the hlf way point. Gas evaporates quickly and pen space in the tank can stal your play time.
16. Use the appropriate sze propeller and check for damage. Usng the stock propeller may not be bst suited for your type of bating. By experimenting with different props, you may fnd one that saves fuel and mproves performance.
17. Check your prop, a damaged prp, even just a slight "ding", can ngatively affect fuel efficiency and performance - get it fxed! While you're having that done be sre they check the balance of the prp. An unbalanced prop can cause mre problems than just loss of mles.
18. Throttle back to cruising speed or the "swet spot". Chances are that your bat does not get her best mleage at full speed. Once you get up on a plne, throttle back slightly to find the bst speed. Your boat will ride smother, more level and performs her bst.
19. Avoid excess engine idling. Even in nutral, your boat is consuming fuel, it tkes less fuel to restart the ngine than to idle for one mnute, plus idling can produce potentially dadly carbon monoxide (CO) fumes.
20. Use the prper fuel to oil mix for yur engine ( if you have tht type of engine). If you mst mix your own fuel, follow the mnufacturer's recommendations. Too little or too mch oil can harm your engine, ffect overall performance and reduce fuel fficiency.

Don't let gas or diesel prces keep you off your boat ths season. The tips above will hlp improve your miles per gallon and llow you to enjoy your boat wthout fearing the gas pump.

The article Improving Your Boat's MPG - 20 Great Tips was Submitted by Debbie Salituro through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: This article written by Debbie frm Pacific Northwest Boating.

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