One of the most popular hobbies of Australians is boating. This popular activity is beloved by everyone and it’s no surprise that there are a lot of Australians who own a boat (or two!). Whether it’s fishing, leisure cruising, or watersports, there is always something to do and explore with boating. While boating provides everyone with an enjoyable experience, it’s not without its issues. Boating can be costly to maintain and operate. Just like owning a car, you need to spend money on fuel for your boat engine to run and sustain a day of the voyage. Unfortunately, fuel nowadays is getting more and more expensive and spending money on them can hurt your budget. If you want to maintain your costs for your boat fuel needs, you need to adjust your ways. Thankfully, there are effective ways and habits to save your hard-earned cash from spending too much on boat fuel. Here are some of them.

Shut Off the Engine When Idling

In times when the plate boat needs to idle, boat owners should power down their engines to save gas. Times like these include the ones spent at the docks waiting for friends and other passengers to arrive. Boaters should also shut off their engine when they’re fishing while anchored to conserve the fuel for their engines.

Plan Your Routes

Plot which route you’re going to take to whatever destination you’re heading to so you can avoid unnecessary detours that may lengthen your travel time or find yourself dealing with strong waves. As much as possible, choose direct routes from point A to B.

Clean Your Hull

A dirty and unkept hull can double up your engine’s performance. A hull that’s dirty and full of marine growth can make your boat heavier. It could also damage your hull over time. Take a close inspection of your Quintrex or Yellowfin boat. Are they looking shabby? Make sure to clean your hull regularly to prevent marine growth from keeping your engine working efficiently.

Maintain Your Propeller

Another reason why your engine may use too much fuel is because of a faulty or fouled propeller. Inspect your propeller for dents, missing blades, or marine growth. Replace your propeller if it’s damaged or clean it with antifouling cleaner if you found any marine organisms on your propeller.

Don’t Overload

Heed your boat’s maximum capacity. Don’t carry more boat accessories than your boat can manage. Overloading puts additional strain on the engine and increases fuel consumption. You can usually find the maximum capacity information on your boat. If you can’t find it, you can call its manufacturer or a dealer of your boat’s brand to help you out.

Monitor Your Fuel Consumption

Install a fuel flow meter or use the boat's built-in fuel consumption gauge to track your fuel usage. This will help you identify any sudden increases in consumption and take corrective action.

Use Quality Fuel Only

Don’t use any fuel for your engine. Make sure to fill your engine with the appropriate fuel for it. The reason for this is that using the wrong type of fuel for your engine can damage it and affect its efficiency negatively. 

Minimise Wake Near Shores

Reduce your speed near shorelines, marinas, and other sensitive areas to minimise wake, which can cause erosion and disturb wildlife.

Service Your Engine Regularly

It’s no secret that well-maintained engines operate more efficiently which lessens your fuel consumption. Schedule routine maintenance checks. Service your engine to your local marine technicians or boat dealerships that offer engine servicing and maintenance. Servicing a boat engine includes oil changes, filter replacements, and spark plug inspections. If you have a Yamaha outboard, you can acquire the Yamaha outboard servicing facility offered by marine boat stores which are Yamaha dealers.