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Step 1
Use the idea of 1/3-1/3-1/3. One third of your fuel is needed for the outbound trip, one third for the inbound trip and another third as a backup in case inclement weather or water conditions delay your trip.
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Step 2
Notice if your boat has fuel gauges. These will tell you how many gallons of gas you are burning per hour.
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Step 3
Determine how long it takes you to get to your destination. To determine how much fuel you need, multiply the time it will take you to travel by the number of gallons you use per hour. The result is the amount of fuel you need. Three times that amount is the amount of gas needed for the entire trip.
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Step 4
Prepare a boat speed table if you do not have fuel gauges on your boat. To do this, determine how fast your boat travels at any engine rpm. Then, determine the fuel consumption at that rpm. Use fuel consumption information provided by your engine manufacturer.
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Step 5
Divide the boat speed in knots by the amount of fuel consumed in gallons per hour. This gives you your boat's nautical miles per gallon. Add the nautical miles per gallon with the fuel remaining at each level of the table to determine the distance you can travel.
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Step 6
Remember that boat speed and water currents can increase fuel usage up to twice as much.
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Step 7
Plan ahead for any boat trip. Assuring that your fuel calculations are correct could save you from an emergency situation.
