If you’re like me, you’ve felt the pinch of gas prices this winter. In fact, I can still remember the days when gas was ninety nine cents. And remember when gas rose to over a dollar? No one could believe it!

Well, as you and I both know, those days are long gone. But there are still ways boaters can have a great time on the water and save money. So today, let’s look at some ways you can save money on gas while boating this summer.

How to Save Money on Gas While Boating

• Make sure your propeller allows your specific boat motor to rotate at the designated revolutions specified by the manufacturer. Try to hit within 500 revolutions of your motor’s top RPM.

• Trim your boat so that the weight sits evenly in the water. Not too far forward, and not leaning back too far, either.

• Speaking of weight, make sure that you’re not carrying too much extra cargo (and no, your kids don’t count as extra cargo).

• Smooth as a baby’s bottom—that is how you want the hull of your vessel. This will ensure that your boat glides like a knife through butter.

So there you have it. I’m all out of analogies, and that sums up our tips on how to save money on gas while still enjoying boating this summer.

Of course, if you really want to save money on gas, you could always buy a sailboat; however, your kids might not enjoy tubing behind a sailboat— you’d need some pretty strong wind!

What are some ways that you save money while boating?