3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

[bowler]

Hello all,

I'm very close to changing my 17.5 ft bowrider to a 20ft ski boat. I need more power!!!! Anyways, has anyone else changed from a 3.0 to a 5.7 in similar boats where both were primarily used for wakeboarding/towing? If so what the difference in fuel consumption. Will my eyes be watering when i hit the pumps????? I know it's got to be higher but by how much? I've read a few theories such as the bigger engine doesn't work as hard etc but I'd like to hear from someone in a similar situation. It'll probably be happening either way but i am curious!

i hope this makes sense (i'm typing in a hurry!),

D.

 

[Black as]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

Your choice going to a 5.7 litre is a great idea and yes you are correct a bigger engine doesn?t have to work as hard, but at the same time a liitle more on the fuel cost's

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

Depends on the boat, but my father inlaws Malibu Reflex will easily slurp 15-20 gallons in a day of skiing wakeboarding. And if you are fat sacking the boat, expect to burn even more.

 

[rallyart]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

There is no question that a 5.7 is better than a 3.0 if you plan on doing any tow sports, even in a 17' boat.
When you are cruising the two engines burn the same fuel. When you are starting the 5.7 will get people up without a problem and you won't need full throttle. The 5.7 will burn more gas if you are going top speed, but at 30 the difference will be negligible.
A 3.0 in a 20' boat used for watersports will leave you hating your boat.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

A 3.0 in a 20' boat used for watersports will leave you hating your boat.

I've got one in my 19.5 and I like it

 

[ThreeMileBayWaker]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

I went middle of the road with the 4.3 .... It has enough power and fuel costs are well... I can kill 35 gallons no problem in a weekend, too many beginners always falling, lol.

 

[mrsemi05]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

im sooo happy i found this!!!! i have been woundering if my idea of swapping to a 5.7L was a good one because i used to have an 85HP merc that went thu 12 gals in 1 day of water sports and was worried i went to like 30gals in half a day for my trouble

 

[bowler]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

thanks for the replies,

its looking like a 2001 super air nautique at the mo. its got a pcm 5.8 with mfi. hopefully it'll be more economical than the similar engine with a carb. i need to get a bigger tow vehicle as well but i think the time has come to get the kind of boat i always wanted. sieze the day and all that!

D.

 

[rallyart]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

The 2001 is an exceptional boat. Nice choice. You will find that the inboard is very fuel efficient when you are travelling from above wakeboarding speeds to about 35 MPH. Above that speed and it starts to suck a lot of fuel as the hull never lifts more out of the water. I've never regretted getting an inboard once. Take the time to practice manoeuvering it around so you know how it handles. Docking is easy, once you have learned the technique which is different than a sterndrive.

 

[bowler]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

The 2001 is an exceptional boat. Nice choice.

So i hear! Problem is it's in england and I live in Ireland. Think I'm going to have to get it surevyed by a third party and then collect it at the ferry terminal. The seller sounds legit but I need piece of mind. I can't ignore the countless threads I've read on iboats over the last two years warning about buyer beware. There are a couple of other interested parties who live closer but isn't there always!

Wish me luck.

D.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

I've made a similar change over the years, going from 4 cylinder to 8. Our boarding/skiing patterns haven't changed...3 aging guys, 2 days per week, all summer long, taking turns on back-to-back runs until we're tired. Then we go to work. Boarding only, with occasional slalom pull. No pleasure cruising, no racing, no high speed runs, no nothing...I drive to launch, we ride, we fatigue, I load the boat, and I tow it home. 3 days later we repeat. We're about 10 years into this pattern...very regimented and predictable.

We started with a 1992 18 ft Rinker 181 with 3.0L 4 banger. I could count on about 5 gallons per day.

Wanted more. Sold it. Purchased:

1999 20 ft Stingray 200LX with 5.0L Vortec 2bbl V8. I could count on about 6 gallons per day.

Like any red blooded male, I wanted MORE. So...

I pulled out the 5.0 and installed a 5.7L 4bbl Vortec into the same boat. I can still count on about 6 gallons per day.

So in my experience I've seen no substantial change. Pulling watersports at 19 to 23 mph in ANY boat of similar size and hull design will take the same amount of power, and therefore the same amount of fuel. Those that drink more are poorly tuned. A properly tuned carb motor will get the same mileage as a properly tuned EFI motor. But not many understand how to properly tune a carb, so I agree usually the FI's do a bit better. I believe my increase in fuel consumption had nothing to do with the engine size, and everything to do with the fact that my new Stingray is heavier than the Rinker was.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

There is a big change in consumption when you go from a bowrider to an actual ski boat, which is what the OP was asking about.

 

[mr_tiemann]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

Hey guys. I just got 95' Bayliner with a Merc 3.0 with a tower and went wakeboarding yesterday for the first time on it and had no problem at all getting out of the water. Was a little worried at first because I went from a 4.3 to the 3.0. Yes I would love to have a nice V8 wakeboard boat but was very pleased.

 

[Rellik546]

Re: 3.0 to 5.7 merc - fuel consumption for wakeboarding?

we put 6 people in my 17" with a 3.0l mercruiser and i we board behind it all day and kill about 8 to 10 gallons. this includes probably 10 miles of running up and down river. 2 hours of straight board/tube time count on burning more gas tubing esp if your trying to throw the person of the tube aka going faster.