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Author Topic:   Montuak Range

DaveS posted 05-24-2001 02:38 PM ET (US)
I've been considering a whaler for years and finally will be in a postion to purchase on in the next year. I really like the lines of the Montuak but don't have that much information concerning the range of this boat. I've read quotes in magazines that state they are the "jeep of the sea"...the adds we see in the magazines and from posts on various BB's claiming to go out 20 miles in one. What is the safe range in one? Knowing there is no below the floor fuel tank, how much fuel can be carried along? I'm not looking for a canyon runner, just something to fish the inlets/bays and run a few miles (or a few more) offshore when the conditions are right. This is going to be my boat for the next 10 years, well, maybe, so I want to make a the right choice...I'd be looking at something used...
Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated...
DaveS
triblet posted 05-24-2001 04:32 PM ET (US)
The standard Montauk gas tank these days
is about 24 gallons. My gas mileage with
a 90HP carbureted two stroke is about 3 MPG.
Do the math. A 70HP four-stroke would do
a bit better (4MPG?).
The standard tank goes beneath the seat.
No reason you couldn't carry a 6 gallon
reserve tank or two on longer trips, if you
aren't hauling too much stuff.
johnk posted 05-25-2001 11:15 AM ET (US)
I'm a bit surprized at the 3mpg on the Montauk. I've found that fuel economy inproves when you bring the anchor ...in...
:^)

My '86 Montauk (with 2001 90hp Johnson OceanPro) gets ~6mpg at a 4000rpm cruise (about 32-33 mph). My previous motor(1986 90hp OMC) didn't do quite as well, but was in the ~5 range as I recall.
My 25' with a single 2001 Yamaha OX66 225hp get about 2.7mpg at a 4000 cruise fairly loaded.
good luck..
john
triblet posted 05-25-2001 01:53 PM ET (US)
I should note that 3MPG is with at least
two people, and 250 pounds of dive gear
on board, and is in the ocean at around
20 knots.
Chuck
andygere posted 05-25-2001 02:20 PM ET (US)
I think milage is highly variable depending on load, sea conditions and the outboard used. I'd be surprised if I could even manage 3 mpg with my thirsty old Johnson 85 horse. One of these days I'm going to use the mpg calculator function in my GPS and see what I really get. In the meantime, I make a habbit of checking my tanks (by lifting them)frequently, and carrying an extra 6 gallons when I'm fishing offshore.
whalernut posted 05-25-2001 08:00 PM ET (US)
I agree Andy, my old 75` 85 h.p. Johnson just chews up the fuel! And it throws out an oil slick at low speeds and idleing, not a good combination, but I can`t afford a new 4-stroke at this time, with the high price of gas of late, I am going to do less trolling and more drift and anchor fishing this summer! Regards-Jack Graner.
lhg posted 05-25-2001 08:31 PM ET (US)
I would think that the gas tank of choice for a Montauk would be one of the 27/28 gallon capacity models, assuming you are only using one engine. The Tempo's are about $105 and the higher quality Pate's are more like $275.
If a 6/8 HP kicker is planned, twin 13 gallon tanks could be a better solution for you, but only if different fuels have to be carried.
Otherwise, get the same engine brands/connectors, and engines that use the same fuel, either both plain gas or both pre-mix, and simply switch the gas line to the engine running, from the 28 gallon tank.
Most engines on a Montauk should give you about 5mpg, so with a 28 gallon tank you could achieve a maximum safe range of about 130 miles.
scottfarm posted 05-25-2001 09:16 PM ET (US)
If you have a gps use your trip reset option showing you miles traveled since last reset amd divide by gallons to determine exact range and mpg.
johnk posted 05-25-2001 10:19 PM ET (US)
I tend to agree with lhg. For use in a single day, range has ..never.. been an issue for me. This '86 has the stock (marked) 27 gallon tank. It now carries a 2001 90 hp Johnson OP, but before, it was powered by the original '86 90hp OMC. A typical fishing day is usually a half day, either 5:30am till my arm gets tired at noon or 1:00 pm, or a trip out at late afternoon till (past) dark. A trip on the Potomac River casting for Stripers here is generally a 30 minuite run to the fish, drifting, positioning, running to another spot, drifting, positioning, etc, etc, etc.
I think the most fuel I've ever been through in a single day was a morning trip fishing, then tubing the kids around for a few hours that evening... and I had plenty to safely put the boat back on the trailer.
Most 2-cycle motors achieve optimum fuel efficency on a planing hull at ~4000rpm. If you're forced to run lower due to sea conditions, your mileage will suffer..
Good Luck....
john
FISHNFF posted 05-25-2001 10:28 PM ET (US)
With my 1998 Alert/Montauk and a 1996 Merc 75 and 58 gallons of fuel out(28+19+11)and 500 lbs fish in with half the fuel in, I got about 4MPG of running 4000-5000RPM and trolling 1500-1800RPM for about 5-7 hours, 42 miles running one way, total 125 miles. The new 2000 Merc 4 stroke 90 seems to get around 6MPG in average fishing. This is all in mostly ocean conditions. The best I got was 7MPG while cruising @3500-4500 when the motor was still new. Haven't had a chance to take it for the long haul yet, but would love to leave the 19 tank home for more room. On all my local trips now, I just use the 11 in the console.
lhg posted 05-25-2001 10:43 PM ET (US)
That's what I'd call some serious fishing, especially in a Montauk!
How do you like the Merc 90 four stroke? Is the 386 lb weight a problem at all?
alvispollard posted 05-25-2001 11:25 PM ET (US)
With a Mariner 100 hp and Yamaha 8 hp Four stroke, a Tempo 28 gal. tank and 3 gal for Yamaha, you can go easy 20-25 miles offshore, troll 5-6 hours, and never worry about the gas. The trolling motor is the key and an 8 hp is plenty (6 hp is enough). You will love this boat as you get 6 mpg at 3000-3500 rpm. 3-4 footers is maximum for fishing. 5-6 footers, you should head for the house. Greatest boat ever built! More fish have been pulled over the gunwales of the montauk than any saltwater boat made.
lhg posted 05-26-2001 12:04 AM ET (US)
Whaler used to have GREAT ads.
I remember the one showing a Montauk headed out to sea, complete with console rail mounted outriggers. Caption was "If you want to catch fish, follow a Whaler".
triblet posted 05-26-2001 09:35 PM ET (US)
I'm going to stick with my 3 MPG real world
estimate. We ran 27 miles today, and it took
9 gallons to fill it back up. It was a
relatively flat day for Monterey, but there
were places where I was limited to 13 knots,
and a LOT of 17 knots, which is probably
3200 RPM. I only say 4000 RPM the last mile
back into the harbor.
The real world doesn't let you got the speeds
you would like to very often. And there's
a certain amount of "overhead" that has to be
accounted for: a quarter mile of no-wake
zone in the harbor, idling while I talked
to a buddy who runs one of the commercial
dive boats about a job opportunity for him,
idling up to the dive site, dropping and
retreiving the anchor, and so on.
All this has to be planned for, and using
a best case MPG is overly optimistic.
BTW, those are Nautical Miles per US Gallon.
Chuck
scottfarm posted 05-26-2001 10:55 PM ET (US)
I went 47 miles today on 10.7 gallons(4.4mpg)Montauk--31 gallon gas tank--75hp merc--two people.
triblet posted 05-27-2001 08:32 AM ET (US)
Scottfarm: two-stroke or four-stroke?
Nautical or Statute miles? What sort of
speeds?
Chuck
scottfarm posted 05-27-2001 08:59 AM ET (US)
Triblet, miles were measured by garman 12 gps(whatever type of miles it calculates). Straight run out offshore in two foot seas at 25 -28 mph. Straight run back in 3 foot seas at 18 mph. 75hp merc two stroke.
RHLOOS posted 05-27-2001 09:51 AM ET (US)
Last Summer, I took my son and his friend, myself, fishing tackle, large cooler filled with drinks, food, snacks, bait bucket, casting net, the biggest deep cycle/dual purpose battery they offer, trolling motor and off we went. My wife took us up river to Meldahl Dam on the Ohio where we put in. We took our time, fishing/ exploring all tributaries down river to our property on the Ohio, 75 miles downriver.
Boat: 1966 13' Sport w Yamaha 40 H.P. Four Stroke, we did not use the full tank(6.5 Gal.) Do the math, better than 12 mi. per gal., it was a very windy day and i had to idle at times, another beauty of the 4-stroke, they love to idle.
Rob
masbama posted 05-29-2001 11:54 AM ET (US)
JohnK: How is the 2001 Johnson 90? I want to repower and can get one at a good price. It will replace a 1990 Johnson 60hp.(Good motor but underpowered) Weight is a factor because I fish a lot of shallow areas. Is VRO hooked up on yours?
johnk posted 05-29-2001 07:24 PM ET (US)
I'm extremely happy with the 2001 Johnson OceanPro 90 hp. Replaced the original 90hp OMC with it early last fall. It's much lighter (and smaller) than the mid '80's version, and I don't think you'll have any problems with weight. I see a number of people on this forum favor smaller 50's and 60's. I personally wouldn't have anything smaller than a 90 on mine. It planes the Montauk instantly, fuel economy is great, and you can cruise at a nice clip while keeping the rpm's down. Should promote a long life.
Yes the VRO is hooked up. The oil tank and battery reside in the console and take up no floor space. Very clean installation..
good luck
john

daverdla posted 05-29-2001 08:23 PM ET (US)
John,
I have a montauk with the battery and oil tank in the stern. Do you feel that you give up very much storage in the console? I've been thinking about moving my battery and oil into the console.
Thanks
Dave
johnk posted 05-29-2001 11:19 PM ET (US)
DAVERDLA,
I don't feel I'm giving up any storage in the console. ...For me... in a boat the size of a Montauk, uncluttered floor space is at an absolute premium. I absolutely can not stand anything around my feet (like batteries, fuel tanks, hoses, wiring, etc,etc) while boating (or fishing). The battery is housed in a battery case in the front/port corner. The (new) oil tank is directly aft of it, with the oil fill directly in front of the port side door. Because they're both protected, in terms of storage, I feel that the same bottom footprint is still available. Personally, I feel as though I have lost absolutely no storage room in the console, and this configuration makes a very neat installation as I have 100% of the floor space the Montauk was born with...
as always, thanks
john
FISHNFF posted 05-30-2001 02:21 AM ET (US)
lhg, The weight does make the boat perform differently, and not really to my liking. When running with a heavy bow mounted trolling motor, it does not like to trim up and will severly porpoise. With my Merc 75 2 stroke, it ran much better. I do not like the lower unit choice for the new 90 4S (2.07 vs. 2.31). Need to run a 16" prop for proper performance and still lacks torque of my 75. I really love the Suzuki 90 , except for the weight! 436 is way too much for a Montauk.
Scott, what year is your Merc 75? Mine was a 1996. Had lower unit, trim motor, coils and CDI changed under warranty. The oil fill had a nasty habit of leaking when tilted. otherwise ran great.

scottfarm posted 05-30-2001 05:57 AM ET (US)
FISHNFF, My 75 merc is a 1995 model with the same nasty habit of oit tank leak when tilted up. I bought an O-ring at the parts store that was a little oversized and it stopped most of it. Some of the leak is from the carbs while tilted up.
Clark Roberts posted 05-30-2001 09:54 AM ET (US)
Dave, as you can see from the above post, fuel mileage will vary all over the spectrum depending on engine, sea state, speed, load.. etc, etc... I have fished a Montauk offshore many, many miles and have even taken a 17 Newport (same hull as Montauk) to The Bahamas and back! No problem with the hull at all, as it will take much more than the pilot! My advice is to make sure you know your engine and have it in top tune! Leave nothing to chance and carry a spare set of spark plugs, spare prop and a spare 3 or 6 gallon fuel tank complete with hose, connectors and squeeze ball. In other words a complete spare fuel system! Take along the proper tools to replace plugs and prop (you may have to replace prop while floating in a vest... I have!)... Also it's a good idea to practice removing the thermostat (s) so you will know how and where! Have a top notch VHF and a Cell phone at the ready also!
Gee, guess I'm getting overly cautious in my old age but I remember spinning the hub on a prop on a friends boat, many years ago, about 10 miles offshore in Atlantic and I asked my buddy if he had a spare prop. He said "yes" and I asked where it was and he said "in my garage at home!". Lesson learned! Fortunately the hub would hold at idle so we put the lines back out and came on home. Happy Whalin'... Clark.. Spruce Creek Navy
triblet posted 05-30-2001 11:20 AM ET (US)
I'll second what JohnK said about the deck
space.
And one more variable in range is trim. I
usually run trimmed way down on the ocean
for a better ride. It would get better
mileage trimmed up, but would porpoise more,
and slam harder on the occasional square
wave.
Chuck

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Author	Topic: Montuak Range
DaveS	posted 05-24-2001 02:38 PM ET (US) I've been considering a whaler for years and finally will be in a postion to purchase on in the next year. I really like the lines of the Montuak but don't have that much information concerning the range of this boat. I've read quotes in magazines that state they are the "jeep of the sea"...the adds we see in the magazines and from posts on various BB's claiming to go out 20 miles in one. What is the safe range in one? Knowing there is no below the floor fuel tank, how much fuel can be carried along? I'm not looking for a canyon runner, just something to fish the inlets/bays and run a few miles (or a few more) offshore when the conditions are right. This is going to be my boat for the next 10 years, well, maybe, so I want to make a the right choice...I'd be looking at something used... Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated... DaveS
triblet	posted 05-24-2001 04:32 PM ET (US) The standard Montauk gas tank these days is about 24 gallons. My gas mileage with a 90HP carbureted two stroke is about 3 MPG. Do the math. A 70HP four-stroke would do a bit better (4MPG?). The standard tank goes beneath the seat. No reason you couldn't carry a 6 gallon reserve tank or two on longer trips, if you aren't hauling too much stuff.
johnk	posted 05-25-2001 11:15 AM ET (US) I'm a bit surprized at the 3mpg on the Montauk. I've found that fuel economy inproves when you bring the anchor ...in... :^) My '86 Montauk (with 2001 90hp Johnson OceanPro) gets ~6mpg at a 4000rpm cruise (about 32-33 mph). My previous motor(1986 90hp OMC) didn't do quite as well, but was in the ~5 range as I recall. My 25' with a single 2001 Yamaha OX66 225hp get about 2.7mpg at a 4000 cruise fairly loaded. good luck.. john
triblet	posted 05-25-2001 01:53 PM ET (US) I should note that 3MPG is with at least two people, and 250 pounds of dive gear on board, and is in the ocean at around 20 knots. Chuck
andygere	posted 05-25-2001 02:20 PM ET (US) I think milage is highly variable depending on load, sea conditions and the outboard used. I'd be surprised if I could even manage 3 mpg with my thirsty old Johnson 85 horse. One of these days I'm going to use the mpg calculator function in my GPS and see what I really get. In the meantime, I make a habbit of checking my tanks (by lifting them)frequently, and carrying an extra 6 gallons when I'm fishing offshore.
whalernut	posted 05-25-2001 08:00 PM ET (US) I agree Andy, my old 75` 85 h.p. Johnson just chews up the fuel! And it throws out an oil slick at low speeds and idleing, not a good combination, but I can`t afford a new 4-stroke at this time, with the high price of gas of late, I am going to do less trolling and more drift and anchor fishing this summer! Regards-Jack Graner.
lhg	posted 05-25-2001 08:31 PM ET (US) I would think that the gas tank of choice for a Montauk would be one of the 27/28 gallon capacity models, assuming you are only using one engine. The Tempo's are about $105 and the higher quality Pate's are more like $275. If a 6/8 HP kicker is planned, twin 13 gallon tanks could be a better solution for you, but only if different fuels have to be carried. Otherwise, get the same engine brands/connectors, and engines that use the same fuel, either both plain gas or both pre-mix, and simply switch the gas line to the engine running, from the 28 gallon tank. Most engines on a Montauk should give you about 5mpg, so with a 28 gallon tank you could achieve a maximum safe range of about 130 miles.
scottfarm	posted 05-25-2001 09:16 PM ET (US) If you have a gps use your trip reset option showing you miles traveled since last reset amd divide by gallons to determine exact range and mpg.
johnk	posted 05-25-2001 10:19 PM ET (US) I tend to agree with lhg. For use in a single day, range has ..never.. been an issue for me. This '86 has the stock (marked) 27 gallon tank. It now carries a 2001 90 hp Johnson OP, but before, it was powered by the original '86 90hp OMC. A typical fishing day is usually a half day, either 5:30am till my arm gets tired at noon or 1:00 pm, or a trip out at late afternoon till (past) dark. A trip on the Potomac River casting for Stripers here is generally a 30 minuite run to the fish, drifting, positioning, running to another spot, drifting, positioning, etc, etc, etc. I think the most fuel I've ever been through in a single day was a morning trip fishing, then tubing the kids around for a few hours that evening... and I had plenty to safely put the boat back on the trailer. Most 2-cycle motors achieve optimum fuel efficency on a planing hull at ~4000rpm. If you're forced to run lower due to sea conditions, your mileage will suffer.. Good Luck.... john
FISHNFF	posted 05-25-2001 10:28 PM ET (US) With my 1998 Alert/Montauk and a 1996 Merc 75 and 58 gallons of fuel out(28+19+11)and 500 lbs fish in with half the fuel in, I got about 4MPG of running 4000-5000RPM and trolling 1500-1800RPM for about 5-7 hours, 42 miles running one way, total 125 miles. The new 2000 Merc 4 stroke 90 seems to get around 6MPG in average fishing. This is all in mostly ocean conditions. The best I got was 7MPG while cruising @3500-4500 when the motor was still new. Haven't had a chance to take it for the long haul yet, but would love to leave the 19 tank home for more room. On all my local trips now, I just use the 11 in the console.
lhg	posted 05-25-2001 10:43 PM ET (US) That's what I'd call some serious fishing, especially in a Montauk! How do you like the Merc 90 four stroke? Is the 386 lb weight a problem at all?
alvispollard	posted 05-25-2001 11:25 PM ET (US) With a Mariner 100 hp and Yamaha 8 hp Four stroke, a Tempo 28 gal. tank and 3 gal for Yamaha, you can go easy 20-25 miles offshore, troll 5-6 hours, and never worry about the gas. The trolling motor is the key and an 8 hp is plenty (6 hp is enough). You will love this boat as you get 6 mpg at 3000-3500 rpm. 3-4 footers is maximum for fishing. 5-6 footers, you should head for the house. Greatest boat ever built! More fish have been pulled over the gunwales of the montauk than any saltwater boat made.
lhg	posted 05-26-2001 12:04 AM ET (US) Whaler used to have GREAT ads. I remember the one showing a Montauk headed out to sea, complete with console rail mounted outriggers. Caption was "If you want to catch fish, follow a Whaler".
triblet	posted 05-26-2001 09:35 PM ET (US) I'm going to stick with my 3 MPG real world estimate. We ran 27 miles today, and it took 9 gallons to fill it back up. It was a relatively flat day for Monterey, but there were places where I was limited to 13 knots, and a LOT of 17 knots, which is probably 3200 RPM. I only say 4000 RPM the last mile back into the harbor. The real world doesn't let you got the speeds you would like to very often. And there's a certain amount of "overhead" that has to be accounted for: a quarter mile of no-wake zone in the harbor, idling while I talked to a buddy who runs one of the commercial dive boats about a job opportunity for him, idling up to the dive site, dropping and retreiving the anchor, and so on. All this has to be planned for, and using a best case MPG is overly optimistic. BTW, those are Nautical Miles per US Gallon. Chuck
scottfarm	posted 05-26-2001 10:55 PM ET (US) I went 47 miles today on 10.7 gallons(4.4mpg)Montauk--31 gallon gas tank--75hp merc--two people.
triblet	posted 05-27-2001 08:32 AM ET (US) Scottfarm: two-stroke or four-stroke? Nautical or Statute miles? What sort of speeds? Chuck
scottfarm	posted 05-27-2001 08:59 AM ET (US) Triblet, miles were measured by garman 12 gps(whatever type of miles it calculates). Straight run out offshore in two foot seas at 25 -28 mph. Straight run back in 3 foot seas at 18 mph. 75hp merc two stroke.
RHLOOS	posted 05-27-2001 09:51 AM ET (US) Last Summer, I took my son and his friend, myself, fishing tackle, large cooler filled with drinks, food, snacks, bait bucket, casting net, the biggest deep cycle/dual purpose battery they offer, trolling motor and off we went. My wife took us up river to Meldahl Dam on the Ohio where we put in. We took our time, fishing/ exploring all tributaries down river to our property on the Ohio, 75 miles downriver. Boat: 1966 13' Sport w Yamaha 40 H.P. Four Stroke, we did not use the full tank(6.5 Gal.) Do the math, better than 12 mi. per gal., it was a very windy day and i had to idle at times, another beauty of the 4-stroke, they love to idle. Rob
masbama	posted 05-29-2001 11:54 AM ET (US) JohnK: How is the 2001 Johnson 90? I want to repower and can get one at a good price. It will replace a 1990 Johnson 60hp.(Good motor but underpowered) Weight is a factor because I fish a lot of shallow areas. Is VRO hooked up on yours?
johnk	posted 05-29-2001 07:24 PM ET (US) I'm extremely happy with the 2001 Johnson OceanPro 90 hp. Replaced the original 90hp OMC with it early last fall. It's much lighter (and smaller) than the mid '80's version, and I don't think you'll have any problems with weight. I see a number of people on this forum favor smaller 50's and 60's. I personally wouldn't have anything smaller than a 90 on mine. It planes the Montauk instantly, fuel economy is great, and you can cruise at a nice clip while keeping the rpm's down. Should promote a long life. Yes the VRO is hooked up. The oil tank and battery reside in the console and take up no floor space. Very clean installation.. good luck john
daverdla	posted 05-29-2001 08:23 PM ET (US) John, I have a montauk with the battery and oil tank in the stern. Do you feel that you give up very much storage in the console? I've been thinking about moving my battery and oil into the console. Thanks Dave
johnk	posted 05-29-2001 11:19 PM ET (US) DAVERDLA, I don't feel I'm giving up any storage in the console. ...For me... in a boat the size of a Montauk, uncluttered floor space is at an absolute premium. I absolutely can not stand anything around my feet (like batteries, fuel tanks, hoses, wiring, etc,etc) while boating (or fishing). The battery is housed in a battery case in the front/port corner. The (new) oil tank is directly aft of it, with the oil fill directly in front of the port side door. Because they're both protected, in terms of storage, I feel that the same bottom footprint is still available. Personally, I feel as though I have lost absolutely no storage room in the console, and this configuration makes a very neat installation as I have 100% of the floor space the Montauk was born with... as always, thanks john
FISHNFF	posted 05-30-2001 02:21 AM ET (US) lhg, The weight does make the boat perform differently, and not really to my liking. When running with a heavy bow mounted trolling motor, it does not like to trim up and will severly porpoise. With my Merc 75 2 stroke, it ran much better. I do not like the lower unit choice for the new 90 4S (2.07 vs. 2.31). Need to run a 16" prop for proper performance and still lacks torque of my 75. I really love the Suzuki 90 , except for the weight! 436 is way too much for a Montauk. Scott, what year is your Merc 75? Mine was a 1996. Had lower unit, trim motor, coils and CDI changed under warranty. The oil fill had a nasty habit of leaking when tilted. otherwise ran great.
scottfarm	posted 05-30-2001 05:57 AM ET (US) FISHNFF, My 75 merc is a 1995 model with the same nasty habit of oit tank leak when tilted up. I bought an O-ring at the parts store that was a little oversized and it stopped most of it. Some of the leak is from the carbs while tilted up.
Clark Roberts	posted 05-30-2001 09:54 AM ET (US) Dave, as you can see from the above post, fuel mileage will vary all over the spectrum depending on engine, sea state, speed, load.. etc, etc... I have fished a Montauk offshore many, many miles and have even taken a 17 Newport (same hull as Montauk) to The Bahamas and back! No problem with the hull at all, as it will take much more than the pilot! My advice is to make sure you know your engine and have it in top tune! Leave nothing to chance and carry a spare set of spark plugs, spare prop and a spare 3 or 6 gallon fuel tank complete with hose, connectors and squeeze ball. In other words a complete spare fuel system! Take along the proper tools to replace plugs and prop (you may have to replace prop while floating in a vest... I have!)... Also it's a good idea to practice removing the thermostat (s) so you will know how and where! Have a top notch VHF and a Cell phone at the ready also! Gee, guess I'm getting overly cautious in my old age but I remember spinning the hub on a prop on a friends boat, many years ago, about 10 miles offshore in Atlantic and I asked my buddy if he had a spare prop. He said "yes" and I asked where it was and he said "in my garage at home!". Lesson learned! Fortunately the hub would hold at idle so we put the lines back out and came on home. Happy Whalin'... Clark.. Spruce Creek Navy
triblet	posted 05-30-2001 11:20 AM ET (US) I'll second what JohnK said about the deck space. And one more variable in range is trim. I usually run trimmed way down on the ocean for a better ride. It would get better mileage trimmed up, but would porpoise more, and slam harder on the occasional square wave. Chuck