Around The World Voyage : Commentary |
November
29, 2001
Dear Dave, Ray and Tom:
Checking
the weather - 10:00 am November 29 - I see more of the same
for you.
The easterlies should be consistent for the next three days
with winds -
ranging from 10 to 18 knots. The current should be favorable
too - showing
1/2 to 1 knot flowing in a westerly direction. I would think
your speed
should start working upward. There's nothing brewing that
looks like it will
give you trouble in the foreseeable future.
I
figured by 12:00 Hawaii time today (Thursday 29th) you should
have only 996
miles to go and if you had 620 gallons yesterday - you'd have
to average 1.74
MPG to make Majuro - running out of fuel. If you had 680 -
it's only 1.57
MPG.
I
just finished analyzing the remaining fuel and distance and
I'd like you
to consider the following:
If
I'm correct about your distance remaining at 12:00 today (Nov.
29), you have 996
miles to go. You probably have 48 gallons less fuel than you
had yesterday so
I assume it's 572. At 572 gallons you have to make 1.74 MPG
to run out of
fuel at the entrance to the lagoon at Majuro (you still have
10 gallons in
the day tank). If you had 680 yesterday than you'll have about
632 today so
you only have to make 1.57 mpg.
If
you increase speed to 1500 rpm your boat speed should increase
by by 4/10
of a knot. If you've gotten 6.2 knots at the 1400 rpm you
should get 6.6 at
the 1500 and be getting 2.85 mpg. You'll burn 2.31 gph.
If
you increase to 1600 rpm your speed should go up to 6.9 knots
and burn
2.77 gph and get 2.49 mpg.
At
6.9 knots you should be to the lagoon entrance in 144 hours
and burn 359
gallons. You would have 261 gallons in reserve (29%) or up
to 321 gallons
remaining if you actually have the 632 remaining today (35%).
I
think you need to reconfirm all these numbers, check your
fuel - and if
I'm right - it's time to speed up.
Regards,
Jim