Well, we FINALLY got the boat to leave the dock this year. Well, better late than never. For those that don't know, I picked up my 1980 Carver Mariner from an estate this past July, and quite frankly with gas prices so damn high we've been content to sleep on the boat in airconditioned comfort while taking my single engine Glastron out for day trips...
Well, with Fall upon us, and the beautiful Hudson River foliage combined with an awesome weekend last weekend, we wanted to take the big boat out. I spent a few days installing new carburetors last week to cure the biggest mechanical issue facing us, and then off we went...
Well, I have to say I was surprised. I drove that boat 25 miles on 25-30 gallons of gas!!! She cruised at close to 20 kts at 3100RPM, which seemed so good I'm actually going to borrow some gizmo from my boss at Mahopac Marina to make sure my tachs are accurate. Compared to my last big boat, a 1975 Carver, this boat uses 1/3 less gas and runs 5-7 MPH faster at the same RPM. Its the same hull, and same engines (Ford 302) although my older boat's MerCruisers were rated at 225HP each and the newer Pleasurecrafts are rated at 220, so I assume there are better props or the boat is trimmed better or something. In any case, we drove some 90 miles up and down the Hudson and had a blast...
Well, with Fall upon us, and the beautiful Hudson River foliage combined with an awesome weekend last weekend, we wanted to take the big boat out. I spent a few days installing new carburetors last week to cure the biggest mechanical issue facing us, and then off we went...
Well, I have to say I was surprised. I drove that boat 25 miles on 25-30 gallons of gas!!! She cruised at close to 20 kts at 3100RPM, which seemed so good I'm actually going to borrow some gizmo from my boss at Mahopac Marina to make sure my tachs are accurate. Compared to my last big boat, a 1975 Carver, this boat uses 1/3 less gas and runs 5-7 MPH faster at the same RPM. Its the same hull, and same engines (Ford 302) although my older boat's MerCruisers were rated at 225HP each and the newer Pleasurecrafts are rated at 220, so I assume there are better props or the boat is trimmed better or something. In any case, we drove some 90 miles up and down the Hudson and had a blast...