What's the normal cruising distance in a 25ft planing boat?

[PCUK]

In my previous 12 metre displacement cruiser we would do 100 miles a day at 10 knots as a comfortable days cruising. With my next 25ft planing boat this would mean a comfortable range of 250 miles a day which is a decent distance on a long cruise. So what do most long distance (relatively) cruising boats attain per leg when on a long trips?

 

[Geoffs]

In my previous 12 metre displacement cruiser we would do 100 miles a day at 10 knots as a comfortable days cruising. With my next 25ft planing boat this would mean a comfortable range of 250 miles a day which is a decent distance on a long cruise. So what do most long distance (relatively) cruising boats attain per leg when on a long trips?

My 25ft boat was designed to have a V8 so has a reasonable 320 litre tank. I have a diesel so gives me a comfortable 250 nM range, allowing 20% contingency.

The most I've done is 150nM in a day, that was from Limehouse, E London, to Brighton, and was quite comfortable in terms of fatigue and stress. That was unusual, generally, about 70nM is normal.

 

[landlockedpirate]

We have covered about 170nm in a day on open sea passage in the Med, boat was a 26ft sportscruiser with a 5.7l V8. In truth its as far as I would want to go in a day on a boat of that size and only with very calm conditions.

I usually plan legs of 50-60 miles because its more comfortable.

 

[Sheppy]

I think your question rather depends on your chosen boat - hull config and engine type. Many petrol boats a have limited range simply because they can't carry enough fuel, obviously diesel is going to be better and could even double your cruising limit. But all that really means is that you need to make sure your route includes refueling points, so a longer uninterrupted journey would be harder to plan, and might force you to make significant detours. Trouble is most 25' boats are petrol, but there are some diesel ones about.

The hull config could make a difference too, if you get a good deep V hull then I suspect you can handle a slighter wider range of see states. But a typical US style shallow V might mean that you don't wish to travel too far in any one day as the ride might be more uncomfortable.

 

[Latestarter1]

50 year old 23ft Fairey Huntress, 315 hp single diesel, Ray Hunt deep V hull, keeps on going pretty much regardless of sea state, provided that you do not mind getting wet.

200/210 NM absolute max safe range.

Does not seem like we have made much progress..........

 

[[2068]]

On a smaller planing hull, anything much more than 100nm a day counts as "madness"
If conditions are perfect, then madness can be quite fun.
But on FP, I never plan for legs longer than 80 or 90nm if I can help it.

 

[Scarron]

45 year old Triana 25', 500[ish]hp single petrol V8 duo-prop sterndrive, Sonny Levi deep V hull, runs across the top of most stuff [reasonably dryly].

Theoretical max range; approx 250nm till you are on fumes, that's 100 gallons of unleaded later... oh and you'd be fairly deaf too after 8 hours!

 

[rbcoomer]

Interesting thought of 250 miles - that'd be quite some run! I think perhaps the major factor is the speed you are travelling and the concentration required - 5-10kts is leisurely and allows plenty of time to take in hazards, study plotter or charts and admire the view - even make tea! At 30kts this requires significantly more concentration and the tea's not such a good idea Once you reach 50kts+ I think you really need 100% attention 100% of the time and beyond that a navigator/co-driver becomes a good idea for any distance. High levels on concentration are tiring over long periods so suspect that's another factor in the more sensible distances others seem to set their limits at?

 

[PCUK]

All good points. I suppose I'll have to rethink long passages as a 14 ton pointed house-brick is going to be quite different to a 2.5 ton GRP whizzer!

 

[MapisM]

On a smaller planing hull, anything much more than 100nm a day counts as "madness"
If conditions are perfect, then madness can be quite fun.

+1 on the first statement above.
And I'd be careful on the second, either.
Even in a decent sea, helming non-stop a 25' boat for 100nm is indeed demanding.
No matter how you look at that - be it 4 hours at 25 knots, or 3h/33kts, or 2h/50kts.
Actually, the latter (shorter) time can be even harder than the first...

 

[Latestarter1]

Fairey and Levi boats were regular entrants in old Cowes-Torquay, approx 170 miles.

Likes of Lady Violet Aitkin and Bobbie Currey had their party frocks in the cabin ready for the evening bash at the Imperial.

Are we concluding that modern vessels in this length node are not as seaworthy??

 

[julians]

Anything more than 20-30 miles feels like a long slog to me, unless its moderately flat.

 

[colingr]

40 to 50 is the most I'd enjoy tbh. We're a bit smaller though at 22ft.

Southampton to Swanage and back once was hard work. Depends on the weather though. We had a great round the Island day out (80 miles approx) which was no problem as we broke it up into manageable hops.

 

[maverickofpoole]

It all depends on the weather. If its calm switch on the AP and it's not to fatiguing so would be ok to travel all day but if in the rough stuff and you need to pick your way through without ap then it can be very exhausting. Our club has an annual foray from Poole to Braye harbour (Alderney) for the fishing. We usually take all day to do the 60 mile crossing drifting/fishing mid channel wrecks en-route covering 100+ miles in around 10 hours arriving pleasantly worn out. If we crossed straight over the 60 miles could be done in about 3 hours or slightly less on a good day arriving as fresh as a daisy. 2 years ago we came straight back with a group of 10 small boats (smallest 6 metres) in a 5 increasing 6 which took us over 5.5 hours of pure concentration arriving back in Poole totally cream crackered. We vowed from then on to be more selective with the weather after all it's supposed to be enjoyable.

 

[MapisM]

Are we concluding that modern vessels in this length node are not as seaworthy??

Nope, we were simply assuming to be talking of pleasure boating here, which the CTC ain't.

 

[Latestarter1]

Nope, we were simply assuming to be talking of pleasure boating here, which the CTC ain't.

Referring to the original Cowes Torquay, when it was going for a blast, then a big party afterwards, not the Cowes Torquay Cowes..

 

[chris1955]

In April 2008 I delivered my Sealine S34 from Denia, Spain to Marmaris, Turkey with the help of one crew member. Our cruising range was to the next refuelling point (but realistically we had the on-board tanks, plus and extra 250 litres in containers which gave a 'safe' range of around 300 miles), with an average of 200 miles per day, although the longest passage was 265 miles from Sicilia to Kefallonia. Even with autopilot most of the passages were gruelling with starts most days around 06.30. The rest times were determined by the weather, with an average of 2 days at sea followed by one or two on land waiting for the next weather window. We allowed 16 days to do the trip and managed it in 15 with 8 days actually at sea. We experienced a wide variety of sea and weather conditions, with probably the worst seas in the Golf of Corinth.

Would I do it again? Yes, but not in such a restricted time scale - the passages were monotonous and the excitement and fun was gone by the time we left Mahon heading for Sardinia after day 4! It took us 2 weeks to get over the trip, when we got back home!

In truth, the answer to you question is - How long can the crew stand being at sea? and How deep are your pockets with regards to fuel? Just remember that a well serviced boat will go on for endless hours, providing you keep putting the fuel in, and in most sea conditions, but the crew will not!

 

[burgundyben]

45 year old Triana 25', 500[ish]hp single petrol V8 duo-prop sterndrive, Sonny Levi deep V hull, runs across the top of most stuff [reasonably dryly].

Theoretical max range; approx 250nm till you are on fumes, that's 100 gallons of unleaded later... oh and you'd be fairly deaf too after 8 hours!

We both know that's rubbish, after 8 hours on your boat you'd be completely deaf with bleeding ears.

Have you seen the noise abatement order on the HM website?

 

[MapisM]

Referring to the original Cowes Torquay...

Aha, I see.
Though as much as I love small speedboats, a 170nm blast in a 25' has never been my idea of pleasure boating.
I mean, not even 20 years ago...

 

[Scarron]

We both know that's rubbish, after 8 hours on your boat you'd be completely deaf with bleeding ears.

Have you seen the noise abatement order on the HM website?

Ah yes, you will have noted I commenced the post with the word 'theoretical' - theres no way I'd want to be on the boat for 8 hours unless a good proportion of that was moored up drinking beer!

3 or 4 hours from the Solent to Guernsey or Torquay would be more than enough thanks... it's supposed to be fun.

I was reading a report the other day on the 69 Round Britain Powerboat race in which one of the 'Miss Bovril' works Triana 25s was commended for catching the fleet up by doing two stages in one day, leaving Dundee at 5:30am she ran down to Whitby where she refuelled then forged on to Great Yarmouth arriving at 11pm having completed 307 miles in one day - good effort!

Thanks, noise abatement info duly noted. I think I'll argue that I have made 'reasonable efforts' to comply.