Real Fuel Capacity

[leek]

I am considering a run offshore to fish for tuna and may need to go out about 65 miles. My tournament 225 has 96 gallon tank. Has anyone ever run the tank down far enough to determine how much usable capacity there is?
In my larger boat the last 30 gallons is not usable as the pickup is in the front of the tank and the boat runs nose up.

 

[CJBROWN]

The aft inspection plate on mine is above the sender and pickup, clear at the back of the tank. I can't imagine yours is any different.

I would think you could use all but a gallon or two. But I've never run it down far enough to run out :roll:

You could always throw a couple of five gallon jugs on board for your first run just to make sure you're covered.

In any case, I would think you would have plenty of range, at least a couple of hundred miles.

EDIT: BTW, where do you run out for tuna in the NW? I boated up there for thirty years and never heard of going after tuna. Or are you coming down into Oregon?

 

[Tuna Man]

On my 24 Explorer I could just about empty the tanks. Main tank capacity was 92 gallons, I often used 91. Aux. tank was 56 gallons and I was able to get about 54 from that one.

Unfortunately, after 'running the tanks dry' a few times I learned that low pressure fuel pumps do not last too long. So now I will swap tanks with my new boat about five gallons before I use the full capacity.

One last thing to consider (I'm sure you know this already), you probably will not be able to use the entire capacity when the seas get rough.

Hope this helps

 

[Curmudgeon]

I recently replaced the 93 gal tank in an older 225. I put 5 gallons in to check the system (on the trailer), and it ran just fine for almost an hour. I think the more pressing question is your fuel burn. Plan your trip for no more than 30 gals out, 30 gal in, and 1/3 reserve. Some might say that's excess reserve, but I've never heard anyone complain about having excess fuel ... :wink:

 

[G8RDave]

My 228, which seems to share hulls with the 225, allows me to run the tanks (I have a main and auxillary) almost completely dry. Either that or they hold more gas than they say or the gas pump lies.

 

[Grog]

Maybe start with a 40 mile run and see how much you have left. You should never plan to use all the gas on a run. If something happens, you're probably going to run out and then it gets ugly.

 

[plymouthgrady]

fuel

Something else you MUST consider is the weather, wind and waves. You will burn considerably more fuel going into a head sea vs. running with a following sea and that's kind of tough to anticipate/calculate.

 

[BobP]

Get three or four gallon plastic portable fuel containers, fill and take with you. Pour in main tank if needed or not, upon returning.

 

[BobP]

Correction, get three or four six gallon plastic portable fuel containers ...

 

[gw204]

As a point of reference, my 1985 204 CC with 2002 carbed Merc 150 would burn between 40 and 45 gallons on a trolling trip 30 miles out. That was with moderate weather and total distance covered was between 100 and 120 miles.

If you're running a carbed or EFI motor, forget it...you don't have the fuel capacity should things get nasty.

 

[leek]

The local Grady Club is planning three trips out of Westport. The last few years the water has been warm enough to get tuna 30-60 miles out. Running at the sweet spot of the boat I get almost 3 miles per gallon. At that rate I would only use 1/2 of the tank for out and back and the rest would be used for trolling and reserve. If I go I will take some emergency fuel but if the Tournament's gas tank is similar to the responses above I should not have any problems. Also going as a group feels like the right thing to do, expecially for a 22' open boat.