Just as most modern cars are equipped with a meter that tells the driver how many miles’ worth of fuel is left in the tank, a fuel flow meter can prove helpful in boats. As its name suggests, the meter measures the flow of fuel from the tank to the marine engine itself. That measurement shows up on the instrument panel in terms of gallons per hour. From there, the meter can extrapolate miles per gallon.

More than anything, a fuel flow meter works as an indicator of what improvements could be made to the boat. If your gallons per hour begins to increase, you can infer that something is wrong with the load on the boat, the throttle position, or that you’re going too fast. Stock up on plenty of Yamaha 2m oil, but take note when that supply begins to dwindle at an abnormally quick rate. Even with the help of a fuel flow meter, you’ll need to do some tinkering to truly streamline efficiency.

1. Leave the junk at home: Piles of excess weight will increase the amount of fuel burned per hour. Cleaning out 100 pounds of junk from your car will give you up to two percent more miles per gallon – so imagine what it’ll do for your boat.
2. Decrease the water weight: Don’t keep the water in the tank topped off if you’re only going out for the afternoon. At 8.33 pounds per gallon, it can really weigh the boat down.
3. Tune up: A tune-up and new outboard motor oil will get your boat running more effectively.
4. Tune your prop: A dinged prop will slow your boat down and use more fuel.
5. A fresh coat of paint: Paint the bottom of the boat. It takes a lot more fuel to push a dirty, chipped boat through the water versus one with a sleek new paint job.
6. Keep the boat in trim: Using trim tabs or distributing weight evenly will help you move your boat through the water more easily and with less fuel consumption.
7. Watch the tide: Check tide tables, and try to travel with the tide whenever possible.
8. Use a fuel flow meter: If fuel consumption begins to rise, it’s an early sign that something is wrong.

Oil futures are trading higher today than expected after Hurricane Gustav moved through Louisiana, though they did fall to about $108 a barrel this morning. The majority of New Orleans levees held strong and the hurricane missed vital areas where oil refineries are located, though it did pass through a zone where many oil and gas-producing rigs are located and the LOOP (Louisiana Offshore Oil Port), which is an important facility where ships deliver crude oil, heating oil and gasoline. There has been some visual damage to the facilities, but the extent of the damage is not yet known. (LOOP’s website indicates that it is not operating at this time in a message posted on August 30.) At the present time, 25% of United States crude oil production has ceased and inventory levels are expected to decline until production can be brought back to typical levels.

With two new hurricanes suddenly in the mix, this week’s bulk oil prices look more uncertain. Hurricane Hanna looks to be headed toward the East Coast of the U.S., while Hurricane Ike may be headed toward the Gulf. The best-case scenario is that both hurricanes will reduce the number of ships heading toward LOOP. The worst-case scenario is that Hurricane Ike could delay repair from Gustav’s effects and postpone normal oil production. At any rate, oil and gas prices are bound to be erratic and hard to predict this week.

When choosing between a two-stroke or four-stroke outboard motor for your boat, the features of each must be considered. Two-stroke outboard motors are lighter in weight, less expensive, and often faster. They are generally easier to repair and maintain, having a comparatively simple design that has been available for almost 80 years. Two-stroke outboard motors tend to hold their resale value, remaining in high demand in the used market. On the con side, a two-stroke outboard motor produces more pollution, smoke, are non-two cycle oil injection models, have a rougher idle than their four-stroke counterparts, and are sometimes harder to start.

Four-stroke outboard motors are cleaner, quieter, smoother, provide more fuel economy, and are often more reliable. They are preferred by some boaters who run in lakes and rivers because they are generally accepted at any body of water. They do not run on an oil and gas mixture or generate as much pollution. The negatives of four-stroke outboard motors include their high expense for purchase and repair and heavy bulk, which makes it complicated to transport or position in storage without the help of a stand. Because the design for a four-stroke outboard motor is more complicated than its two-stroke counterpart, there are more parts to malfunction. However, outboard motor production will be either four-stroke or very similar. The technology for the four-stroke outboard motor is always improving, and as time goes on, there is a higher percentage of qualified mechanics to perform any necessary repairs. The current used market is very limited for the four-stroke outboard motor, though this is also growing as technology and training improves.

*Note: this comparison does not include direct fuel-injected two-stroke models.

This year, as boat sales in general seems to have slowed, there has been a 50% growth in electric boat sales. The boats still utilize outboard motor oil, yet they provide relief at waterside gas stations, which generally charge more for gas than roadside gas stations, as there is little in the way of competition.

Despite this, gas prices are remaining at $4.10 a gallon. Because of these prices there have been a lack of demand for gas, as many Americans have opted to stay home or limit their vacations this year.

Despite all of these issues, analysts are still claiming that gas and oil prices will slide once a peak (which at press time has been around $143 a barrel) has hit.