How far can you travel?

[SeaBreeze]

Since I am new to tooning, I wondering how far I can travel on my 23' toon with 90hp merc loaded for a camping trip? I would like to go on some long camping trips on the river this summer and in a few places fuel will be hard to come by. I have seen a few reports of 3-4 MPG for most outboards at cruising speed, has anyone verified that?

[Bamaman]

If you're wanting to travel on the Tennessee River from city to city, you can find sufficient gasoline along the way with normal size gasoline tanks.

I'm looking to start at Chattanooga and go as far as Muscle Shoals--approximately 200 miles by river. There's one gas pump just upriver from I-24 rest areas on Nickajack. But there are a number of gas pumps on Guntersville.

At 4.5 mpg, I'm good for just over 100 miles. And with four 5 gallon Jerry Cans, I've got another 100 miles. My problem with marina gasoline is the cost--pushing $5 per gallon in 2014.

Last August, we put in 125 miles running the length of Pickwick and back. It was just a glorious day to be on the water. I had no idea so many Memphis McMansions had been built on that lake.

[bassn386]

The answer kind of depends on a couple of factors: How big is the gas tank on your boat? How fast do you intend to travel?
I believe Mercury, and maybe your toon manufacturer, publish results on distance vs. rpm/speed. There's also a "sweet spot" where you get the best of all worlds in terms of fuel usage with a certain rpm. I think it's called best cruise or something like that.
Have fun!!

[Bamaman]

Every year, there is a very large gathering of boats cruising the 5000 mile Great Loop of America at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama. (See GreatLoop.com) Many yachts take side trips up the Tennessee River, and they universally claim our river to be the premier inland cruising in the U.S.

With 650 miles of navigable water (Paducah to Knoxville), it's quite a treat to take a long odyssey on the Tennessee River.

[NonHyphenAmerican]

Ok,

This is either going to sound stupid, or you'll all understand.

But which way are you going on the river?

Upstream or down?

Do you go so far, and then return?

Or do you go so far and have someone meet you with the trailer?

I'd think that fuel usage would be much higher going against the current than with it.

I always thought it'd be fun to start out at Yankton SD or Minneapolis/St. Paul and travel all the way down the Missouri or Mississippi to the gulf on a "Houseboat/Pontoon" boat.

Seems like I'd probably arrange for a trailer to meet me at the Gulf as I wouldn't want to go all the way back upstream.

[SeaBreeze]

Good points made by all, I will need to contact Cypress Cay about speed vs. distance, I found nothing in the owners manual. I have a 24 gal. tank and would not want to carry a lot of fuel but will be carrying 5 gal to power small honda inverter as needed. I will going down stream about 75 miles and back on my test trip, so it sounds like I will need to carry fuel or find some along the way.

[lakerunner]

We put in the Arkansas Navigation channel once at Gore Oklahoma. Heavy current flowing as we headed down to Sallisaw Oklahoma. 32 gallon tank was full at launch. Made Sallisaw with 1/4 tank (about 30 miles) We were almost empty by the time we fought the current back up.

[OK Toon]

Loyd, thanks for that information. We have thought about doing the trip from Sallisaw to Ft. Smith through the 3 locks. But with it being 36 miles, we worried about the return trip with our pontoon and 90hp motor. We rode on a friends tritoon a few years ago and they made it just fine with a 150hp for the return trip. I guess if I tote a couple of jugs of fuel, we'd be alright.

[Bamaman]

I think you're smart to do some engine/boat testing. A twin toon boat with 90 hp @ 3000 rpms should be pushing better than 5 mpg--very efficient. And 3000 rpm's is universally where the best fuel mileage is seen on 4 stroke boats of any kind.

If your boat says you have a 24 gallon capacity, you might want to get the gas gauge on "E" and see exactly how much fuel it holds. When you test the fuel mileage, you might want to use the navigational mile markers on the Tennessee River as guidelines, as they're completely accurate.

The 100 miles below Chattanooga is about as beautiful of waterfront as it gets--to Guntersville. You only have to deal with the small lock @ Nickajack. And when a boater gets to Guntersville, there are two great hotels with their own docks--the new Windham (ex-Holiday Inn/Best Western) and the Hampton Inn.

[SeaBreeze]

The 100 miles below Chattanooga is about as beautiful of waterfront as it gets--to Guntersville. You only have to deal with the small lock @ Nickajack. And when a boater gets to Guntersville, there are two great hotels with their own docks--the new Windham (ex-Holiday Inn/Best Western) and the Hampton Inn.

Thanks for the feedback. I am going to try to make a run in a week or so from just below the Chick dam down to the marina on Nickajack and maybe spend the night and refuel and head back the next day. Should be a good test for the boat and my camping setup. If that works out and the wife does not drown me, may try a Guntersville trip.