Can a Fuel Flow Meter Save You Money?

Earlier this week, we provided a few simple suggestions to aid boat owners in a financial pickle. It’s amazing to consider how much money the average boater could save by just cutting down slightly on fuel costs. Recognizing that not everyone has the resources or the patience to conduct thorough tests to find a boat’s “sweet spot,” it’s time to highlight a technological innovation that does the job for you.

Just as most modern cars are equipped with a meter that tells the driver how many miles’ worth of fuel is left in the tank, a fuel flow meter can prove helpful in boats. As its name suggests, the meter measures the flow of fuel from the tank to the marine engine itself. That measurement shows up on the instrument panel in terms of gallons per hour. From there, the meter can extrapolate miles per gallon.

More than anything, a fuel flow meter works as an indicator of what improvements could be made to the boat. If your gallons per hour begins to increase, you can infer that something is wrong with the load on the boat, the throttle position, or that you’re going too fast. Stock up on plenty of Yamaha 2m oil, but take note when that supply begins to dwindle at an abnormally quick rate. Even with the help of a fuel flow meter, you’ll need to do some tinkering to truly streamline efficiency.