Larry Rick wrote: Normal Alternator draw is approximately 40 amps (70 amps when running watermaker). Fuel Burn Chart: RPM GPH RPM GPH 1100 0.88 1500 1.91 1200 1.08 1600 2.2 1300 1.28 1700 2.60 1400 1.57 1800 3.25 *Note these burn rates are for Done Dreamin' other boats may be different. THE FLOAT PLAN >From the above, it is easy to determine the number of hours tell all fuel is exhausted. This number is pretty much fixed, and will only change if your electrical usage changes. REPLY - with some questions. By how much does the fuel burn rate change when you run the water maker? When you run the water maker, what is the exact battery voltage? What alternator & regulator is being used to power the water maker? Regards Arild

Fuel Management for Done Dreamin' Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Nuku Hiva, Marquises Departure April 14, 2005 - Arrival May 4, 2005 THE FUEL Starting Fuel onboard at departure Puerto Vallarta Port Main 460 Starboard Main 460 *Fuel in jugs 20 Wing-Tank 10 Total 950 *The Jerry jugs were to store used oil. I thought I might as well fill them with diesel and empty them into the mains, which I did on the second day out. THE BURN RATE Done Dreamin' has a digital tachometer that is accurate to 1 RPM I have done extensive testing of burn rate at every 100 RPM from 1000 to 1800 RPM Normal Alternator draw is approximately 40 amps (70 amps when running watermaker). Done Dreamin' has only passive stabilizers—active ones consume considerable more fuel. Fuel Burn Chart: RPM GPH RPM GPH 1100 .88 1500 1.91 1200 1.08 1600 2.2 1300 1.28 1700 2.60 1400 1.57 1800 3.25 *Note these burn rates are for Done Dreamin' other boats may be different. THE FLOAT PLAN From the above, it is easy to determine the number of hours tell all fuel is exhausted. This number is pretty much fixed, and will only change if your electrical usage changes. The float plan is where great care must be used and where the many variables can greatly affect the miles per gallon that you get. To start with, the use of Pilot charts for wind and current become very useful. A computer program like Visual Passage Planner can be used very effectively to establish the best route based on several criteria. In our case, proceeding South early in the trip added 43 miles over the rumbline, but saved us 19 hours. Of course, this must be tempered for what the actual weather is doing. THE RESULTS Total Miles 2,757.0 nm (float plan was for 2775, we cut the corner a little) Total hours for trip 489.5 Total Fuel Consumed 693.0 Gal. Fuel remaining 247.0 Gal. not counting 9 gallons in wing tank Miles per hour 5.63 Gallons per Hour 1.42 We increased RPM towards the end to 1600. Miles per Gal. 3.98 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS We had excellent weather for the entire trip. Wind seldom above 20 knots and seas were usually 4-6 feet mainly swells from astern. Because of this we only used our Para-vanes about 1/3 of the time. This gave us an added .5 to .6 knots increase in speed when they were up. The generator was used for about 9 hours during the cruise except for the last two days when we succumb to its usage for air-conditioning. The first half of the cruise was done at 1200 RPM. We then picked it up to 1400 RPM until the last 3 days when we increased to 1500-1600 RPM to have a daylight landfall. A spreadsheet and graphs were used to monitor fuel available vs. miles to go. I was greatly surprised by the ocean currents. They ranged from as much as 2 knots from the west (passing through the equatorial counter current) to 1 ½ knots from the East. I would estimate that we averaged almost ½-knot of current to our benefit. The wind was pretty much as anticipated almost nothing for the first 300 miles then picking up the NE trades, dropping off to almost nothing through the doldrums and then picking up again as we entered the SE trades. Most winds were in the 10 to 15 knot range. I must emphasis one very important point! When you are dealing with very low cruising speeds such at 4 to 5 knots, the current and winds become a huge factor on your progress either helping you or hindering you. They are just a bigger percentage of the equation than when you are doing 7 or 8 knots. So don't think that you can jump in your little ship and take off on any 3000 mile leg. Would I go from Marquesas to Puerto Vallarta? Only if I had an extra big reserve tank of fuel. It is a very different story when you are slugging into headwinds and a foul current. Happy cruising. Larry Larry Rick Done Dreamin' Nordhavn 40 #33 Site: http://gricknet.homedns.org/ Email: <mailto:donedream@pacbell.net>donedream@pacbell.net