Fuel burn, 248 Coastal

willy · #1 06-20-2008, 08:52 PM

Any of you fellows know what a 248 Coastal (mid 80's) with a 260 HP I/O carb would do with fuel burn at cruise, and what that cruise should be with a clean bottom and a fairly recent engine. One for sale by me here that is sweet and well equiped but I am leary of what the numbers might be.

macojoe · #2 06-20-2008, 10:27 PM

My buddy had one and we use to fish off shore all the time. He repowered it all new from key to prop!!
This was some time ago and I might be off a little? But we would go out between 25 and 30 miles, move around here and there and shut down for drifts while Cod fishing.
Curz low 20's for speed. At the end of the day we would put 60 gal in almost every time, some times a little more.

Hope that helps?? I will try to talk to him tomorrow to see if I can get any better info from him.

THEFERMANATOR · #3 06-21-2008, 04:16 AM

Depends on which 260HP it has. The early style 260 rated at the flywheel(86 and older) were not the best on fuel, burn roughly 12-14 GPH at cruise. The 87+ got revised cylinder heads(and some got roller cams), and then in 96-97 the VORTECS came out and made another leap forward. The SEARAY I redid last year vurned roughly 10-11 GPH running at 3200-3600 RPM cruise(weather permitting), and cruised in the low to mid 20's. It averaged a bit better than 2 MPG loaded heavily with a good prop. Originally the boat was rated for about 17 according to some SEARAY literature I found. On a 248 COASTAL though, I don't see 2 MPG being that hard to obtain. And if you can find a later model EFI it will pay for itself.

reelapeelin · #4 06-21-2008, 05:39 AM

You'd look good in that Coastal, Willy...better go for it!!...heck, days ya don't wanna spend, just drift around and sip Mojitos!!....

willy · #5 06-21-2008, 12:11 PM

I like that idea Oz, nice to see ya pop up here and there.
The boat is a 1986, the transom floors and deck over cuddy etc. are solid as a rock. the cover area over the gas tank has the standard flex to it but is strong. Stringers and area around bulkheads like in front of the helm seats are very solid. They have an expensive full hard top on it from about four years ago with rod holders etc. They even have aluminum reinforcement under the gunnel that goes to the floor for where the back pipes of the hard top mount. Full expensive enclosure for it also, looks to be in good shape.
The engine is year unknown to me or the owner, when he bought it three years ago the previous owner had a complete rebuild engine put in and it is fresh water cooled, new risers and manifolds etc. at that time. I believe it is the alpha outdrive and it was completely serviced last september by one of the better shops here in NJ (D&R Marine) and he has the receipts.
Has some brand new $1500 combo FF/GPS on it that I have not seen yet as it was stored for the winter. New VHF system. Oh and a brand new heavy duty dual axle trailer.
The hull is cherry, just had a strip down done last year and a new bottom paint job done.
Only thing I found wrong when I checked it out was a thru hull valve which I believe is for the potti system is frozen open in the cabin area. At least I could not move it.
The boat has a new wash down system, new cable controls for the engine and a load of other things.
The fellow owns a small buisness next town over and he bought the boat to take his three employees out fishing a half dozen times a year but he has some type of degenerative eye disease and has lost most of his sight. Nice older gentleman, I have talked with him three times and have got the price down to $9000.
I have never had an I/O boat before, plus this thing is huge, you can play ping pong on the cockpit floor and fish and spank a few super models while your doing it.
Sea trialing it tommorow.
Any tips on these things to look for?

charlie_the_tuna · #6 06-21-2008, 05:29 PM

sounds like a hell of a deal willy. i say go for it.
i have the same engine and i know its alot more boat but i figure i burn about 8-10 gph at a nice cruising speed.
the thing really sips fuel.

willy · #7 06-21-2008, 09:49 PM

yea does not look bad, will find out in the afternoon tommorow. What should this engine cruise and max out at rpm wise.

THEFERMANATOR · #8 06-21-2008, 10:30 PM

Depends upon the model. Most of them will cruise comfortably from 3000-3400, but depending upon the heads and intake max could be 4000-5200.

willy · #9 06-22-2008, 08:23 AM

thanks

willy · #10 06-23-2008, 07:44 AM

Well the weather turned to crap and thunderstorms were popping all around. We decided not to take the 50 minute tow to the coast. Ran the boat on the combo muff and direct hose attachmnet it has for the engine. Ran it thru all rpms and had it running for about 30 minutes. Never skipped a beat. It needs and oil change and a couple of minor dress up issues attended to but it looks real nice. The full curtains will need some re-stiching at the end of this season and it needs a full set of new zincs put on.
This is the cleanest big Welli I have ever seen. The outdrive engages good with a little clunk and it is a little vague when you come out of gear, into neutral.
The trailer is brand new with disk brakes on all four wheels, has only been dunked once in its short life. The electronics are brand new and the top of the line large screen Lowrance with thru hull transducer and external antennae on top of the hard top. New VHF also.
I like it a lot but am in a big quandry with myself right now, this is a big boat. I don't know if I can afford to run around a 11-14 gallon per hour boat and am afraid if the gas gets much more expensive I won't be able to afford it at all. Plus with the huge nice teak swim platform on the back and the bow sprit I will put on for anchoring the overall length will be about 31 feet. Up here at 105-120 a foot for a slip it will be pricey every year to keep her in one.
Love it though.
Any thoughts from you guys that are running a big boy like this or have run one.