Wrapping My Head Around Trawler Speeds

[linedoctor]

Thanks to Crewdog we have this great training video of very slow boats demonstrating outstanding maneuvering skills. Imagine how it would've looked at 25 knots!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... Canal.html

 

[Boatagain]

Wow! 😱

My favorite part is the soundtrack. Those nattering voices sound just like the cacophony going on in my head during my maiden voyage on Tug Dawg. 😉

 

[Longbranch Louie]

I like looking at NMPG on the gauge vs using gallons per hour. By watching the economy this way I find that at times I can go a knot faster (decreasing time) and I get the same or nearly the same fuel used. Sort of a balance between fuel burn and time on the water.
Out here in the west, coordinating the departure time to go with the tide and currents can give us an increased "free" knot or two, or three. Also, with the 31 for instance, we can get the same NMPG going 15 or16 k as we do going around 12.
Maybe its just simpler for me because I rate economy with my car in mpg too.

 

[Capnron]

Looking at the fuel specs for these boats, it seems that once you get past hull speed the NMPG doesn't change much with increasing speed. Apparently the semi-displacement hull designs are well done.