[Finsticker77]

Ok airboaters. I recently purchased a 17ft Panther with a 383 stroker and 78" 2 blade whisper tip prop. We took it out the other night and fished for 4 hrs and never got above 2000 rpms we put in close to where we fish so didnt need to go fast. In four hrs of easy use we burned 20+ gal of premium fuel. Is this normal? Seems excessive to me but I'm new to this. I didn't expect airboating to be cheap but i was kind of hoping a 40gal tank would last long enough to shoot a tournament.

 

[jb-hunter]

On subject of fuel but off subject of airboat... I got a deal this summer (I thought) on a late model Larson Ski boat with a 1979 200 Evinrude. Took it out tubing and skiing... less than 2 hours later, gauge says empty. Added high dollar fuel at a Marina to get back to dock and check it out... no leaks, no issues.

I go to camper and Goggle consumption... rule of thumb is 10% of HP in Gallons "per hour" at or near wide open throttle (WOT). I filled it up and tried again, yep, 20 gallons an hour pulling tubbers and not at WOT.

Luckily, got a good deal and turned it the next week for what I had in it. So if math matches, 350hp motor would burn 35 gal an hour at or near WOT, 20 gal at 4 hours at 2K RPM may not be too far off.

 

[Trash man]

It cost us a min of $100 a night fishing like you're talking about in our airboat it was a 18x8 with a 502 and a 60 gal tank

 

[Fullbore]

Ok airboaters. I recently purchased a 17ft Panther with a 383 stroker and 78" 2 blade whisper tip prop. We took it out the other night and fished for 4 hrs and never got above 2000 rpms we put in close to where we fish so didnt need to go fast. In four hrs of easy use we burned 20+ gal of premium fuel. Is this normal? Seems excessive to me but I'm new to this. I didn't expect airboating to be cheap but i was kind of hoping a 40gal tank would last long enough to shoot a tournament.

if your going off the fuel gauge and its the boat i think it is the fuel gauge isnt set right.... we've fished 10hr tournaments and burnt 20gals and im on the gas alot

 

[Hitman13]

Hard to say if you have an issue but it does not sound abnormal with a carbureted motor. If it's running smooth and you don't have a fuel leak then it's probably using what the motor needs to push the weight.

I had a 20ft boat with a 598 in it with a 104gal tank. Depending on how much you had to run, you could burn 75-80 gallons in a 12hr tournament.

Running a 427 LS7 now and can fish several nights on the 70 gallon tank.

 

[Finsticker77]

if your going off the fuel gauge and its the boat i think it is the fuel gauge isnt set right.... we've fished 10hr tournaments and burnt 20gals and im on the gas alot

I filled it up to the brim before going out and then filled it up again when I left the lake. 20gal in 4 hrs. never got it up on plane

 

[Finsticker77]

Fullbore, I'm pretty sure this is your buddy's old boat!

 

[mudfish]

I think I use 5 gal a hour running or bowfishing (502/502)

 

[Fullbore]

Fullbore, I'm pretty sure this is your buddy's old boat!

Yeah it is, and I suppose I haven't seen the new motor, the last 383 did burn 40gals and a 5 gallon jugs worth in ten hour tournament. The 350 was alittle more friendly on fuel... And in deep water plan was a pain, get it in skinny water about a 1' or 2 off the bank and it's a rocket

 

[eshaw]

This sounds like some EXPENSIVE bow fishing to me. But the fun factor would be a riot!

 

[jb-hunter]

Now we understand the "This boat don't run on thank yous" sticker on the air boats.

I thought... bunch of whiners, I put like 12 gal of fuel in every 4 trips for my 90 Yamaha and maybe 1 to 1.5 gallons a night for the generator. I'd pay that much just to have company along for the trip. I burn more diesel just getting to the lake.

But $100 a night, no thanks, can't play that game long.

Cool factor and fun, might be for like $300, then I'd be done.

 

[slowpoke]

Ok airboaters. I recently purchased a 17ft Panther with a 383 stroker and 78" 2 blade whisper tip prop. We took it out the other night and fished for 4 hrs and never got above 2000 rpms we put in close to where we fish so didnt need to go fast. In four hrs of easy use we burned 20+ gal of premium fuel. Is this normal? Seems excessive to me but I'm new to this. I didn't expect airboating to be cheap but i was kind of hoping a 40gal tank would last long enough to shoot a tournament.

I would agree with you, seems excessive. We have a 16' narrow hull with a 383 and a 40 gal tank. I don't know the exact numbers on what we get because we haven't ran it that much but I can tell you for sure it's better than that. I am thinking of one instance this year we unloaded and ran about 3 miles, fished at idle for about 4 hours, and ran back and we burned around 12 gal. I don't really know what to tell you to do other than have a carb man check it out. I know the big blocks suck the fuel but I really don't think you should be using that much at easy use.

 

[Mwhite]

Seems high to me. I have 16x8 Panther with 400hp smallblock and can fish twice that long on half fuel if spend whole time fishing and just on and off throttle. Riding around goes quiet a bit faster.