Just installed the Navman

A

Alyssa Jean

New member
Just finished installing the Navman 3100 on Anna Leigh. It takes cutting a 2" hole in the helm. I put it to the right of all the gauges where is fits just like it was made to be there. The tranducer wire was not too difficult to pull down the starboard side behind the head and under the galley using a long wire coat hanger. Cut the fuel line and installed the transducer. Powered it up and programed it to the values needed for my boat. Next thing is to take it out for a couple of hour cruise and calibrate the gallons/hour.

Also installed a red LED night light above the helm. Same 2" hole saw into the starboard end of the overhead shelf.
 
Remember to adjust your sampeling time. I didn;t pay that note any heed until about the third trip. Increasing the frequency really helps dial in the accuracy with our fuel sipping boats.
 
Where did you end up with the fuel flow damping number. It allows 1-99 seconds of damping. I think in "people talk" this means that it takes a reading every 4 seconds if set on 4, 10 seconds if set on 10 etc. Sort of averages over a period of time I think.
 
I think mine was set at 10 or 20 from the factory and I believe it is at 50 now. That puts em consistantly within 2% and I think that is fine. It usually tells me I have burned more fuel than I actually have but the difference is nominal and I would rather have the error on that side.
I hope this helps...
 
:idea David, that sounds like a bright idea with the light. :idea Pun intended. Sounds like a couple of real sweet upgrades. I never again plan to use up good space, or cut/drill holes in any building product for a fuel gauge indicator. Still real old school in we should be able to see it or at least stick it and check fuel and any other wet liquids we need to maintain life as we enjoy it on the boats... water too. :teeth
Got me one of the LED shake-n-bake flashlights. Real sweet. Great night light on the boat with the blue tinted light not being as hard on the eyes, and mounts pointing towards the ceiling in the end of a roll of paper towels...with a paper towel wraped around the bottom. This will get me thru till I check out some more perminant LED light set ups for sitten around and navigating at night. Looking forward to some pics David. :photo
 
The LED lamp is from Hella Marine. You can see it and others at their website. www.hellamarine.com. I have had this one in a box for about a year, I think I bought it at West Marine.

It comes in a bunch of different colors. This one has 3 red LEDs. Mounts flush into a 2" hole. The switch just forward of the light is a small rocker type switch.


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LED_light_001.sized.jpg
 
Bringing this back to the top with added info.

Finally was able to get the boat in the water for the first time since Late Dec.

The following Rpm/Gpm/MPH are on a 25 with 150 Honda. The water was calm with no particular current or wind. Trim tabs were set down four lights, or abour half way.

RPM GPH MPH
2500 1.3 6.2
3000 2.3 8.0
3500 3.8 9.6
4000 4.0 12.5
4500 4.8 15.5
5000 6.1 19
6000 9.2 27
 
David,
Thanks for posting those numbers. Fuel burn in the 4 mpg range at slower speeds and only dropping to 3 mpg at higher... sounds good to me! Frankly, I was expecting a higher burn rate than that, based on what I've been reading.
I was concerned about that "slow death by starvation" thing that El and Bill talk about on their site. We are looking forward to putting those numbers to the test.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Here's a plot ot the mileage and RPM (I hope). There is a MPG hump at 4500, just where the VTEC (sp?) takes over, but MPG stays at 3 MPG all the way up. Also, note that once you get on plane the RPM vs speed is linear, no loss of efficiency.

Boris

RPM_AL.jpg

MPG_AL.jpg
 
I wonder what you would see by getting more weight forward and backing off the trim tabs. I see a .5 mpg change difference in fuel consumption just based on moving weight forward rather than dropping the tabs on my 22.
 
IF we get out today, I will jot down my numbers and post them. Right off the bat I see that with my ProPulse 4 blade I have been getting higher speeds at the given RPMs, and am going about 13.5 MPH at 3500 RMP and 19 MPH at 4500 RPM. How that correlates to GPH or MPG remains to be seen. I assume you are running a ProPulse 4 blade also, correct? Since you say it was calm with no particular wind or current, this is kind of surprising, I am pretty sure we run heavier than you do. It should be interesting to see what our numbers are.


Anna Leigh":brf6stwl said:
Bringing this back to the top with added info.

Finally was able to get the boat in the water for the first time since Late Dec.

The following Rpm/Gpm/MPH are on a 25 with 150 Honda. The water was calm with no particular current or wind. Trim tabs were set down four lights, or abour half way.

RPM GPH MPH
2500 1.3 6.2
3000 2.3 8.0
3500 3.8 9.6
4000 4.0 12.5
4500 4.8 15.5
5000 6.1 19
6000 9.2 27
Click to expand...
 
Thanks David !! I was wondering if and when you were getting back on the water again for fuel checks. How was HI??
:smiled hope yall had a blast!!

Interesting numbers....but, I want to throw something out for kicks and grins here... on how some small differences can make a noticeable difference by days end....particuarly, if you are traveling distances.. ..and distances for several days.....as Bill and El do. Bill made me aware of this point one evening as we were figuring fuel mileage/cost vs beverage cost/savings come days end watching the sun go down.... :beer Bill... you may have thought I was not listening....but wondering when it was time for the next round... :D

Take a look closely at Anna Leigh's numbers... if I have entered things correctly... I can not figure out how to insert this excel spread sheet chart I have made...and will be glad to send it to anyone who can....but here is the jest of it... TRAVEL AT 3,000 OR 4,000 AND STAY AWAY FROM 3,500 IF CONDITIONS PERMIT...AND PAY FOR YOUR BREW... :beer

I used $3.00 for fuel...a mix of what might cost at pumps on the street vs what you pay at the marina when travel. Plug in what you wish.

So, we are looking at 50 miles of travel at $3.00 gallon for fuel.

@ 3000 RPM = 14.38 gallons or $ 43.14 a day.
@ 3500 RPM = 19.79 gallons or $ 59.38 a day.
@ 4000 RPM = 16.00 gallons or $ 48.00 a day.
@ 4500 RPM = 15.48 gallons or $ 46.45 a day.
@ 5000 RPM = 16.05 gallons or $ 48.16 a day.

OK... big deal... so what is an average of $12.94 a day... figuring the average of 3,000, 4,000, 4500 & 5,000 vs the 3500??? Not much if you use your boat 2 days a month.... but, what if you travel a week...

Well... that goes to $91 a week or $ 388 a month
Use $3.25 for marina fuel cost & ya get $98 week, $421 a month.
Use $3.25 for marina fuel cost & ya get $105 a week, $ $453 a month.

WOW... the price of that Nav Scan just went down... particuarly due to David making his own BEER ! :beer

So, I can make by boat payments by speeding up from 3500 rpm to 4000? Hummmmm Going to buy beverages anyway.... :smilep

OK, got the chart made...will/can send to those who want it and can drop your own numbers in.
 
You don't need an Excel spreadsheet, just a calculator...The number David didn't post is the one that you get from dividing the MPH by the GPH, resulting in MPG. Here it is:

3000 RPM = 3.478 MPG
3500 RPM = 2.526 MPG
4000 RPM = 3.125 MPG
4500 RPM = 3.229 MPG
5000 RPM = 3.114 MPG

Hence Byrdman's correct observation that it looks like David wants to avoid 3500 RPM. Now this is very intriguing - the previously published data suggests the 3500 RPM is the "sweet spot" for the Honda 150 and we have been trying to run there, especially since the 13.5 MPH is a very comfortable cruising speed. But on David's data, he is getting at least half a MPG less at that RPM than at the faster speeds.

I will get my numbers figured out and posted. But then since it is connected to the GPS, I think I will just run with the Navman set to display MPG rather than GPH. Today will be our first use of our Navman...we'll set RPM / speed for the best mileage.
 
Hey Pat and Patty! Enjoy the water today. Yep, each boat is differant, and even that boat is differant each day and changes during the day based on loads, waters, currents, winds... but really adds to the "need" for a Navman rather than just another "toy."

It is real fun to move things about on your boat....and change trims...etc.

Cheers!
 
Well... putting my "wish list" together as I prepare to retro the last CD18 Angler made.... my ol faithful 1984 named C-Byrd. David and Pat...thanks for your help, your numbers, and your post. Got that Navman 3100 right up top... new main motor, some type of chart plotter (Garmin 498), Navman 3100, new 18'ish gallon fuel tank that will fit under the back area, VHF radio, ... oops. going with the 50 hp Suzuki main motor...., to match my new little 9.9 suzi....that really sips fuel while trolling along, one of those Garlick (sp?) boarding ladders with the little brackets on both sides of the boat near where the cabin top meets the gunnels as to allow me to use the handles that are already there...and maybe an another one or two...or rig up some type of rope till I use it a time or 6, .... now long term I am for sure going for another satellite radio system...but got that Mexican disease "funz-r-low".... so going to have to do a little priority list...but this one will get me going. Yep, I like what I see and have read about the 3100. Should have the motor switched out and stuff mounted in about a week...so should be able to post some mileage numbers for C-Byrd next weekend. I do appreciate all the input on these and other items.
 
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