Wide Open Throttle

[Tagerman]

Hypothetically if you had a 23 year old boat would you say it is safe to run it extended periods of time at wide open throttle? I would think not but I want your opinions.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Depends on the motor you have,some can take it depending on condition of the motor,some cant. I run my 1985 mercruiser 140 full out for 1/2 hour + at times,fullout but I can fix it if I wreck it if need be. Havent wrecked it yet in 4 years!
Grub

 

[emilsr]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Hypothetically if you had a 23 year old boat would you say it is safe to run it extended periods of time at wide open throttle? I would think not but I want your opinions.

Are you talking about the boat in your signature line?

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Beat it like a red-haired step-child until it bursts through the hull, and dies.
Marine motors are SUPPOSED to be run that way!

 

[Slip Away]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Why would you want to running anything at WOT for extended periods anyway ? Unless of course it was an unlimited hydroplane.
Do you own the piston powered Miss Budweiser by chance?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

If you can afford the gas, run it like you stole it.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Merc recommend they be run at 70% of WOT in continuous use. Personally I wouldn't run an old motor at wot for longer than a few minutes. If I break it my mechanic will be a happy man!

 

[Mason78]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

My boat is a 94 with 400 hours on it. I will run it wot for 30 minutes or so when joy riding. I try not to make a habit out of it mostly due to gas consumption. Just watch the temp gauge!

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

I don't run my newer 4-stroke at WOT for stretches longer than a few minutes. However, I'll run my old 50s and 60s 2-stroke motors (3hp & 5hp) at WOT as long as I need to as long as their lubed with a 24:1 ratio of gas and oil

 

[Opnine99]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

I only run mine WOT for a few minutes at a time ....mainly because I can watch my fuel gauge needles fall quickly and my pocketbook does not like that.

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Sure, run it WOT if you want to (and as mentioned, can afford the gas). If it breaks, it had problems and was gonna break eventually anyway.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

when you get on plane you are Good. why waste gas.???

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

My boat is 24 years old and the engines are 27 years old... they were on the bottom of the hudson river and sat for 3 months full of water all the way to the top... Winter of 09/10 I bought the boat they were in for parts and yanked em... they got new oil pumps, rear main seals, timing covers (old ones rusted), one oil pan (also rusted), spark plugs, timing chains, carb rebuilds and fresh oil. I run them the same as I would any other engine... Usually I don't go too far because of fuel cost but last saturday I ran 12 miles into Louisville at WOT and 45 plus MPH cruised around for a few and ran 12 miles back, again at WOT..... Burned over $100 but made for a fun ride.

Couldn't care less how many years old the engine is... Heck, my ONAN is from the 40's and it gets worked to it's max without mercy

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

WOT not too much. 85-90% quite a bit and that's still haulin butt. But then also spend a lot of time at -5% trolling. So I don't know which is harder on it!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

I would not run an I/O or IB at WOT for too long. They are not designed for it. An OB is designed to be run wide open...

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

It depends on the boat and motor. I can't imagine buying a go fast boat to run at 1/2 throttle??? If it's like mine and 23 years old then be prepared to replace as needed. That's the price of a go fast, but to run WOT for 15 min. then put-put the rest? I don't think so.

With a pocket full of gas money and 40+ miles of open Lake Erie to Put-In-Bay, then it's as close to WOT as I can get. :rockon:


Being retired, I'm long on time and short on cash, so I try and back down to 3k and 30+mph, but that just hasn't worked so far. :facepalm:

huts

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

The question posed was is it safe to run at WOT for extended periods. Given perfect conditions of water, traffic and power package, I guess so. Is it smart? No. What purpose is served running your vessel for long periods at its performance limits? The potential for trouble rises exponentially with speed. Before this boating season is out, there will be two or three YouTube videos posted in this very section of boaters who meet with grief operating in such a way.

 

[lrak]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Is it smart? No. What purpose is served running your vessel for long periods at its performance limits? The potential for trouble rises exponentially with speed.

This dummy has a 1992 28HP Johnson (26kts WFO, rated for 40HP) and a 1996 6HP Evinrude (5kts WFO, rated for 10HP). WFO is simply for getting where you want to go!

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Wide Open Throttle

Run my '92 454 at WOT at times, when conditions permit, just to see if everything is good (plus it's a ball to do 52 mph on GPS). And she has 1305 hours on her origional, unopened Big Block and Bravo 1. So if your's is in good condition, then drive it like you stole it if you want to and it's safe to do so.

There may be times when you NEED to run at WOT, like a bad storm coming in fast, and you would want to know if she'll take it. If she's gonna break, you would want it to happen when you have the time to deal with it and there are no bad things gonna happen if she does crap out.

Fuel costs, though, are a whole different set of conversations.