I Smell Gas.. Wait No I Don’t
This story happened yesterday and has taken me all this time to report.. Honestly every time I think about it I start laughing so hard that I can’t type on my iPhone.. We all know of the being trapped in Montana snow story and the broken transmission in St Louis story from our “reporting from the side of the road reporter” Paul Harrison.. Well .. You guessed it. Here is another one.. I can’t make this stuff up!!!
While out on an amazing photo shoot yesterday of Paul and Karens insane now 1st place Tahoe winner “Barnwood” we noticed that right in the middle of the shoot she just stopped.. So we head back..
Barnwood is dead in the water.. No Gas! Apparently 50 bucks of fuel at 6 bucks a gallon isn’t enough for a day on this massive lake… So we run off to to get fuel.. 1/2 hr later we arrive back on the scene with a gallon of gold.. Mike Mayer the restorer on board makes sure we are reminded that this is a Tahoe winner.. Yes they carried the trophy with them.. Mine would have been under my pillow …
Now imagine this.. A entire crew of people on our shoot boat.. Don Ayers, texx with video while Marty was getting us around..All with cameras and 10000 jokes.. What fun day.. It was over so fast..
This was going to be milked for all it was worth.. The transfer of the gas took a looong time so as to make sure all was documented..
One turn of the key and the magnificent scipps motor came alive and we were back shooting.. Barnwood is amazing and came to life on the water after 30 years in a barn.. This was her grand entrance to the public.. Gas or no gas.. She lights up a camera.. We will have some of the shots later but here is a small taste of un cleaned up shots..
Paul, there is no shame in running out of gas. It just proves that you’re out there having a good time. With that boat, the paparazzi will always be within shouting distance.
Some get to rescue Paul in a beautiful snow-covered landscape in Montana, others come to the rescue on one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. I, on the other hand, have the honor of getting him off a dirty street corner and into a greasy garage in St. Louis. Although I’m glad I was there to help, somehow it just doesn’t compare…
Paul & Karen, Congratulations! The boat is (make that boats are) beautiful, gas or not.
We thought we were just goiong on a short shoot, then return and load it up. As it was, $50 of gas lasted about 40 minutes at less than 1500 rpm – probably a 12 GPH rate or so. Well, now I know. That was the FIRST time we had the boat out on any lake. A small fuel leak at the forward carb fuel inlet (which Herb Hall graciously repaired early yesterday morning) had prevented us from running it earlier.
We were only about 1 mile from a marina and were enroute when she sputtered. Marty and Matt had sped off to the marina before we stalled as they were almost out as well. No matter – certainly worth some good natured ribbing and as all can see, a stunning Tahoe day on the lake.
The photos tell the story. We all had such a fun time. Martys huge riva was drinking fuel like a drunken sailer..
Another perfect adventure! If you are going to have one, it beats being dead in the water, in the dark, in the middle of the lake with storms approaching! And it always helps to have a photo boat nearby. Congratulations Paul, you will be the razzed about this until someone else has an adventure!
Sure glad I wasn’t there! Sounds like even a dog would have been uncomfortable!
As to the gas consumption, I don’t buy it. (and glad I didn’t have to!!)
Even the Scripps must do better than that? I suspect you are not getting all you can out of the tank. Intake too high or something?
What a magnificent boat though! thanks to all for the pics.
John in Va.
I will monitor it for sure. The engine had low hours of bench time on it so is still tight. That probably has something to do with it, as perhaps does the elevation. I put about 36 litres in it in BC before I left, which is about 10 US gallons. There was a small amount in it before that, perhaps 2 gallons – from running in the shop. It ran for less than a couple of minutes before we left the marina, so I know quite clearly how much we had. You are correct about the pick-up – there was some fuel in the bottom of the tank but who knows how much – the engine was not getting it. Either way, that fuel consumption was significant and exceeded my expectations, which were low to begin with.
They only put in about 8-9 gallons.
If tuned well the scripps might burn “only” 7.5 gallons per hour per 100 hp produced, but with it being the first time out, 10 gph per 100 hp is not unreasonable. That would burn the 12 gph at an average of just over 50% power. They probably could have sucked the tank dry in just over 20 minutes at full throttle.
Thanks for that calculation. We were running at about 50%, following strict instructions from the mechanic. The engine is not in a great tune yet as it requires some hours under load – about 10 – before a final set up and power timing is done. This was probably the most fuel it will ever burn, but it will always be a hog. We ended up having to go further than we thought down the lake to meet the shoot boat as well. Things like this are tough, becuase I don’t want to put in 60 gallons, burn 10 then tow it 1200 miles home with all that extra weight in the back.
Aside from this silliness, it was a gorgeous morning for a cruise. The Scripps is a marvelous engine in a boat of this size, despite it’s startlingly prodigious fuel consumption.
The good news is the consumption is not likely to get worse!
If you are from Canada, wouldn’t it make sense to fill up in one of the lower tax US states on your way to and from Tahoe? You should be able to fill it for $3.50 a gallon or less.
About $4 here in Tahoe I think. Gas at home is about the same ($1.10 or so per litre 3.6 litres to US gallon) no real advantage there. That is the the price at gas stations – marinas obvisouly higher. About $5.50 at Tahoe for marine fuel. It would be about $650 to fill the SP and the Gar at the dock. Ouch.
Diesel here is about the same or even more than in Canada.
Ya can’t have fun unless you are pushing the edge. We are all here to back each other up, that’s part of it.. It was a very fun day, that did not end til I collapsed in bed around 9
You know you are old when you think $60 worth of gas should last you more than 40 minutes on the water!
Thanks Matt! I’m glad you took such delight in our misfortune.
I will admit, being out of gas 15 minutes from the historic Obexers Marina on beautiful Lake Tahoe in Barnwood isn’t all that bad.
Heading back to Obexers in a little while with the family for the Gathering of the Gars…..this place is awesome!
ARRRGH!, Paul! You are fast becoming (through little fault of your own) the butt of the month joke. I presently hold the second position in our club . . . with a certain amount of pride . . . but, I am old (sorta) . . . so, what do I know??? On the other hand, you are not old . . . :~)
I’m cool with being a foil – it is all in good fun. I get into some messes, but maybe it is because I am so busy doing stuff? Like Mike said, being out in the middle of Tahoe for a while on a beautiful day is not that bad. It is not a bad way to learn about the fuel consumption of a Scripps 208!
Maybe I am curseed – my brand new truck is giving me trouble down here as well.
I will be careful on my next long journey – to Lake Geneva next month. I don’t want to provide Matt with any more material.
Paul: No worrys: Had a boat burn, Boat sink. This year absolutly bullet proof boat , just uses 5 gal of gas all weekend.
Hell, he offered my wife and I a ride at Lake Geneva in September … guess I better check the gas before we leave the dock!
Maybe he got confused between US gallons and Imperial gallons?
Boy you must be old if you really know the difference.
Wow! Always an adventure with Paul! Last year it was batteries, this year it’s fuel! But it comes with the territory. After driving to car shows for the last 16 years, I have so many blow up stories, and flat tire stories, you would wonder why I still did it!
And a seperate note, that boat looks absolutley beautiful in the water, you guys!! It looks natural! Congratulations on your first prize as well.
The lawn mower looks good in the back yard by the way!
Talk to you when you get home!