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Driving Long Distance In A 'bu


augie09

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hi, wondering whats the longest/furthest everyone is comfortable driving their bu in one shot. not talking about trailering, but getting from point A to point B on the lake. I never have to go more than a few miles from launch/dock to find good water, but this summer brostock is coming to my lake and I was thinking of going to see it. My dilemma is it would be ~55 miles on water to get there, or 1:30 of driving on highway.

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My buddy took his bu to catalina. Not of the actual mileage on that trip, but a rough ride in open ocean. He's done it a few times, so I'd imagine your drive shouldn't be to bad. As much as I would say trailer it there, it still would be cool to just boat the whole way there. Just will use more fuel probably

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I drove my 91 Euro Skier (Mercruiser) 95 miles from Bullfrog marina to Wahweap marina at Lake Powell with no problems many years back.

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My buddy took his bu to catalina. Not of the actual mileage on that trip, but a rough ride in open ocean. He's done it a few times, so I'd imagine your drive shouldn't be to bad. As much as I would say trailer it there, it still would be cool to just boat the whole way there. Just will use more fuel probably

Wow, I've done that trip by 38ft sail boat before, and the regular ocean swells were enough to get some people in our group sea sick, can't image in a bu'.

edit. now that I think about it, it was san diego bay to san clemente, but still...

Edited by augie09
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Wow, I've done that trip by 38ft sail boat before, and the regular ocean swells were enough to get some people in our group sea sick, can't image in a bu'.

edit. now that I think about it, it was san diego bay to san clemente, but still...

Are you trying to figure out if 35 gallons will at least get you there?

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I drove my 91 Euro Skier (Mercruiser) 95 miles from Bullfrog marina to Wahweap marina at Lake Powell with no problems many years back.

Now that's impressive. I drove my '82 Trans Am from Michigan to Tucson AZ in college, straight thru. Probably a similar ride.

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I take mine from Burnside Marina to State Dock on Lake Cumberland every year. It's about 50 miles by water and about 60 by land. Of course this is a pretty smooth lake when we do it. (During the week around dinner time)

What are your concerns in doing this?

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Are you trying to figure out if 35 gallons will at least get you there?

no, there are plenty of marina's on the way, and I imagine the bu is fine, just never have taken it on a 2-3 hour non stop boat ride in the 'bu (2nd season owning it) and just being a worry wort. I image if I take 35-40mph I can get there in 1:30ish, but that's almost WOT, probably around 25-30 is better.

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We have done a few trips of thirty plus miles each way. It is fine as long as the water stays ok. I would say you are right about the cruising speed being closer to 25 mph.

It can be a great time for the eveing cruise back.

Edited by Malibuzer
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A group of guys in wakeboats out of Miami driver over to the Bahamas chain islands every year... Bimini etc... I belive its 46nm out over the gulf stream. They do a ton of planning and do the trip when conditions are pretty much flat. they plan a refuel and restock for food and ice, beer and make 7-10 days of it, ten sleeping on beaches or on their boats. Snokel dive for lobster, spear fish for other stuff and grill it righ there fresh.

Absolutely gorgeous, they camp out in the barrier reefs and fish, snokel and watersport in 60ft crystal clear water. I need to find those pics.

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A group of guys in wakeboats out of Miami driver over to the Bahamas chain islands every year... Bimini etc... I belive its 46nm out over the gulf stream. They do a ton of planning and do the trip when conditions are pretty much flat. they plan a refuel and restock for food and ice, beer and make 7-10 days of it, ten sleeping on beaches or on their boats. Snokel dive for lobster, spear fish for other stuff and grill it righ there fresh.

Absolutely gorgeous, they camp out in the barrier reefs and fish, snokel and watersport in 60ft crystal clear water. I need to find those pics.

yes pics

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Does the lake get rough? I know on our vride sometimes it seemed like getting "home" was 4x the distance out when the wind came up. What's reasonable on flat water at 32 gets pretty irritating on rough water at 14.

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If the question is "Can it be done"? Sure, the boat would easily handle it. Could be a fun adventure. The biggest problem will be if the weather gets rough.

But I don't think I'd do it for a few reasons, ie; if the weather gets rough and it would take far more gas than driving by truck & dropping the boat in.

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With that kind of drive, I would look at changing out the prop for the ride. This way you can cruise 40-45 with out being at WOT.

only got 2 acme 537's...

Is Brostock at Bull Shoals again?

Captain Ron's at LOTO

If the question is "Can it be done"? Sure, the boat would easily handle it. Could be a fun adventure. The biggest problem will be if the weather gets rough.

But I don't think I'd do it for a few reasons, ie; if the weather gets rough and it would take far more gas than driving by truck & dropping the boat in.

good point, if weather is anything but sunny and low winds, truck will win out, might be a game day decision.

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Took my 07 LSV on trip from Stockton CA to Sacramento CA. Took all day around 25-30 mph but did it on a single tank of fuel. I think its about 110-120 miles round trip

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My buddy took his bu to catalina. Not of the actual mileage on that trip, but a rough ride in open ocean. He's done it a few times, so I'd imagine your drive shouldn't be to bad. As much as I would say trailer it there, it still would be cool to just boat the whole way there. Just will use more fuel probably

Wow! That water gets VERY rough if the wind picks up (been out there in 10+ft swells). I can't imagine doing that trip in a wake boat... I think I would be on shore with the ladies... lol

Edited by elc
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My buddy did the catalina ski race when he was 11, behind his dads 18ft flat bottom. Says he remembers not seeing the boat, just rope cutting through swells. I guess when you're geared for it at a young age, its not so bad INSIDE the boat :)

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I've done the full length of Lake Chelan a few times in the Bu which ends up being something like 45 miles. Second what everyone else says...it is completely condition dependent. It's a pleasant 1.5 hour cruise in smooth water, but the evening where we were running out of daylight and had 3-4' swells from the wind was a totally different story. Tough to make it even a few miles in that crap. I've seen a few boats swamped really bad out there before and hope to never be one of them.

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Took my 07 LSV on trip from Stockton CA to Sacramento CA. Took all day around 25-30 mph but did it on a single tank of fuel. I think its about 110-120 miles round trip

I have done this also. I did get caught two different years. Even in the Sacramento Delta the wind can come up (not forecast ) and both times I was going at the worst gas mileage speed to keep the nose up and reduce the spray coming over the nose. Both times I put my ski vest on inside the boat. Not a comfortable feeling when the wind comes up. I have taken an 18 gallon rubbermaid bucket and carried extra gas inside the bucket. I did HAVE to use it one time.

However, I love cruising the Delta. Go a little distance. Float. Go a little distance. Float. I dislike having to make distance in a short time although that is an advantage in a fast boat. I have learned to keep the fuel topped off.

Edited by DONTW8
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we run on shasta lake all the time we will run from one side of the lake to the other dont really know the miles from one end to the other but i can be a few hours ea way i never worrie about the boat making it i worrie more about running out of the beer, lol their are many marinas so gas is always around!

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no, there are plenty of marina's on the way, and I imagine the bu is fine, just never have taken it on a 2-3 hour non stop boat ride in the 'bu (2nd season owning it) and just being a worry wort. I image if I take 35-40mph I can get there in 1:30ish, but that's almost WOT, probably around 25-30 is better.

Do you have a high altitude prop? I figured a 35MPH cruise speed would be ideal. Our Bu will do 47MPH and have to back off the throttle otherwise it is bouncing of the rev limiter...and I don't exactly want to run at a constant 5600 RPM. I normally cruise between 35 and 40 MPH if I am trying to get somewhere in a reasonable time, beyond that it becomes diminishing returns for speed vs RPM.

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