Antares 9.8 fuel consumption.

[Chris from Bangor]

Evening peeps, newbie here.

Currently I have a Larsen 240 sports cruiser with a 5.0MPI merceuiser. I love it but she’s a thirsty beastie

In the last couple of years my beloved wife has started to enjoy the odd weekend away and we are thinking of upgrading to something a bit larger.

Thing is, if I’d my choice we would be selling everything, buying one of those wind powered boat thingies and sail off around the world, she’s not so keen.

So I want a boat that’s comfortable for her and has a decent economical range for me. We have looked at the Antares 9.8 with the Nanni engines and it seems it will do the job.

Has anyone any data on how economical she is?

My current boat is petrol and does about 44 ltrs to the hr at cruise. So am hoping I’ll see some saving with a diesel, even if it is a twin.

Any help well appreciated

Chris

 

[Momac]

10 years ago (can it really be that long) I changed from a 23ft single engined sports cruiser to a 33ft flybridge with twin diesels on outdrives.
So a fairy similar change to yours except my 23ft was a diesel.

I estimate the 33ft boat consumes 60 litres per hour at 23kts

 

[Chris from Bangor]

Hi Momac, thanks for your reply.

That’s not too bad.

I suppose it depends on the boat. It would be great to hear from someone who owns or has owned an Antares 9.8.

 

[TheCoach]

This is the official Beneteau stats. In my experience they are a little optimistic but not far out.

If your after a small flybridge that is big enough to stay away in and has decent/safe decks and engine access I don't think you can beat them.

Cheers
TC

 

[kawasake]

Good boat the Antares 9.8
Never mind fuel consumption
Boat like that is going to cost you more to run and own than the Larson anyway!
‘Chris from Bangor’
Is that Bangor N.I
Or
Bangor Gwynedd?

 

[oldgit]

On slight tangent, have a boat on our moorings, Broom 37, which required re powering when the original engines, a pair of Perkins finally reached the end of their useful lives.
Skipper, wanted replacement engines that were compact and reliable, also economical and had not been cursed with any electronics. KISS.
A pair of Nannis were fitted and have proved to be ideal for the job.
Even though they are pushing several tonnes of displacement hull and net curtains around, owner is very pleased with the fuel consumption and for brief periods the Nannis will push the old girl up to speeds no Broom should achieve.

 

[dpb]

We have a 9.80 with Nanni's.
The rpm / speed table posted above reflects our experience.
Reckon on just under 4 mpg at 1800 rpm and just over 2mpg at 2800 rpm.
We live on ours 5 months per year and have owned it for 4 years.
Very happy with it.

 

[Parabordi]

On slight tangent, have a boat on our moorings, Broom 37, which required re powering when the original engines, a pair of Perkins finally reached the end of their useful lives.
Skipper, wanted replacement engines that were compact and reliable, also economical and had not been cursed with any electronics. KISS.
A pair of Nannis were fitted and have proved to be ideal for the job.
Even though they are pushing several tonnes of displacement hull and net curtains around, owner is very pleased with the fuel consumption and for brief periods the Nannis will push the old girl up to speeds no Broom should achieve.

Not arf

 

[Chris from Bangor]

The table looks good Coach and that’s so much for the real life experience dpb.

I’m based in Bangor Maina NI Kawasaki, we take our own boat to Port Patrick in Scotland pretty often and last month went north right up to Rathlin. The wee Laresn is incredibly well equipped so apart from being thirsty and small it’s really excellent.

I really I want to travel as far as boating will take me but the war office isn’t so keep on sailing boats so I want a comfortable cruiser that’s still fun and easy ran.

The Larsen uses 44ltrs of petrol an hr in cruise ((20knts)) so swapping to twin diesels on an Antares that use about 25 ltrs is a big saving, especially moving from petrol to diesel.

Also, whats the story with shaft drive? Got the leg in the Larsen serviced last year, nice £1800 thanks. Would be good motor have that to look forward too with a shaft drive. Any obvious issues with shaft drive I should be aware off guys??

 

[Momac]

Looks like 30 lites per engine = 60 litres per hour is not far off the mark.

 

[Chris from Bangor]

Yeah looks roughly like 10kts an hr equates to 10 ltrs an hr ie 20ltrs an hr.

I’ve had a Jetski and lots of speedboats on the past so I’ve got that outa my system (I think). This boat will be all about comfort, safety and distance So cruising along at 10-20 knots is fine by me.

Planning on heading to the Caledonian Canal next summer and maybe the Isle of Man for the TT, hopefully even further afield so the Antares looks like the most economical choice.

I did fancy sticking with my Don Johnson Miami Vice dream and getting a Sunseeker or Targa 34 but even DonnJohnson must get sick of chucking another couple of grand in the duel tank now and again.

 

[dpb]

We replaced the cutlass bearings the first winter. £100 each.(DIY) They should be good for a few years. The shaft seals will need replacing one day but they last years also. Apart from that it's just clean paint and change anodes annually.
Gear box oil and filter change every 200hrs.
All easy enough DIY.

 

[Chris from Bangor]

Sounding better and better !

 

[oldgit]

Also, whats the story with shaft drive? Would be good motor have that to look forward too with a shaft drive. Any obvious issues with shaft drive I should be aware off guys??

No.
Have had 3 twin engined shaft drive boats over last couple of decades and they need far less attention attention other than giving them a wiggle to check for play in the cutlass bearings when lifting out each year for annual jetwash and A/F. Might need to change every decade or so .
The three boats before that all had outdrives, some of us are slow learners and did not listen to the sage advice offered by other more experienced boaters who had previously been burned by a terrible combination of rubber, aluminium and saltwater .
Cannot recall a season where the leg-boats did not require attention of some description, failing rams, water getting in via propshafts/gearshift shaft or simply water getting past the steering fork shaft.
The only people who think outdrives are neat are those with a pair hanging of the back of their boat and hardly likely to say anything else.
£1800 buys an awful lot of fuel ?

 

[Chris from Bangor]

Yep you got that right lol

I think I’m a convert, the Mrs is onboard too. Just need to work out which kidney I’m gonna sell to get this done

Have really loved the last 4 years at Bangor Marina, nice spot and good people. I’m not looking forward to dark land lubbing days over the winter. Can wait for spring already!

 

[TheCoach]

Usually 1 Antares comes up a month for sale on the mainland, mostly down south though. Top end for a late 2009 boat is probably about £90k, have seen as low as £70k for an early boat ~2004, but generally £80k seems to be the mark.
Prices haven't changed much since we bought ours nearly 3 years ago so seem to hold value pretty well.
All of them seem to be pretty much the same spec, only variations are Volvo vs Nanni, Stern thruster Y/N and some seem to have cloth upholstery rather than cream faux leather.
Engine choice is always a debate, Volvo's seem to attract a fair bit of criticism but work well for us if maintained well. Equally Nanni's aren't without issues, I know of 2 locally that have needed significant work. I do like the EVC throttles on the Volvo's, that and the shafts make manouvering an absolute doddle.
Echo the maintenance advantage of shafts as well. We have done 1 cutlass bearing, thats all. At some point I will pull the heat exchangers and service them which will be a biggish job, and also replace the rudder shaft nylon bearings as these get a bit tight/swollen.
It was our first "proper" boat and although we did a lot of research before buying to make sure it was the right boat for us, we genuinely can't find anything we would change it for, it does everything we need it to do very well - so no "you never keep your first boat" here
We also, when cruising in the Solent, are just as happy sitting on the flybridge at 7kn enjoying the views and sipping 10l/hr as we are cruising at 20kn (their isn't much economy difference between 14 and 22kn, it only starts to really drink above 3000rpm.
Cheers,
TC

 

[Chris from Bangor]

Brilliant advice guys.

I really had the targa 34 down as my ideal boat, I’m as surprised as anyone I’ve fallen for the Antares, the interior speaks of comfort whereas the flybridge gives that outdoor boating experience I love so it’s the best of both worlds.

We got caught on the way back from Scotland in July, beautiful weather when we headed out, 19 minutes later gee and foggy. Couldn’t do more than ten it’s and the water coming over the bow every 2 minutes. Safe but very uncomfortable. The thought of sitting in comfort with the heater and window wipers going just calls out to me lol. That and no cover studs and zips to fight with when the rain starts!!

 

[oldgit]

"That and no cover studs and zips to fight with when the rain starts!!"
....and when you do summon up the will to remove all the tent and its supporting paraphernalia. its got to be stowed somewhere, usually in the underseat lockers or just left bunched up somewhere in a unsightly pile , all has to be dragged out again on the return.

The flybridge skipper is half way across the bay when the last sportsboat jammed zip finally gives up or more likely breaks.
and what about that once in lifetime risk of a shower turning up mid trip , get soaked and hope it goes away or stop and erect the tent ?


Yet another plus to any flybridge boat is the ability to choose to either sit up in the sun or stay downstairs in the warm with your heater, a patio door between you and the elements, not thin blue canvas ... totally failing to do anything much.
Also, while underway , the ability , to look into the distance to observe whats lurking ahead while sitting comfortably in a chair.

Memories of standing on tip toe to see over a screen with red watering eyes or hunching down to peer through same on a Targas , big and not so big.
That folding bolster seat never quite in the right place to be of any use ?

 

[Momac]

Yeah looks roughly like 10kts an hr equates to 10 ltrs an hr ie 20ltrs an hr.

I’ve had a Jetski and lots of speedboats on the past so I’ve got that outa my system (I think). This boat will be all about comfort, safety and distance So cruising along at 10-20 knots is fine by me.

20 kts may be okay but 10kts isn't an economical speed.

 

[Chris from Bangor]

10knts at 10 ltrs x2 engines = 10knt miles in an hr for for 20 ltrs fuel

20knts at 25 ltrs an hr x2 engines = 20knt miles in an hr for 50 ltrs fuel

So traveling at 10knts is 25% more efficient than traveling at 20knts

Am I right there?