The scariest thing on a Kuwait boat trip is running dry far from shore. Most fuel emergencies are bad math done before casting off, and planning takes ten minutes.
Split your usable fuel three ways: one third out, one third back, and one third that you never touch unless something truly goes wrong. The return leg is not the outbound leg: the wind shifts against you, the sea builds, and the boat is often heavier with ice, gear, and catch.
If your tank holds 200 litres, plan an outbound run that uses about 66. The rest is not spare capacity, it is your safety net.
Consumption is not constant across the throttle, and most hulls are most efficient at cruise rpm. Measure it once:
Engine hours beat distance. Currents and head seas make distance lie, but the hour meter does not, so plan in litres per hour, not kilometres per tank.
Load is the biggest factor. Every passenger, cooler, and crate adds weight and drags economy down, and the gap widens on long runs. Hull type comes next: an efficient hull needs less power for the same speed, so two similar boats can burn very different amounts. Then sea state: holding speed into chop means more throttle and more fuel.
Heat matters too. Kuwait summer humidity pushes consumption up, especially with the AC running or a full family load, so plan a bigger reserve in July and August than in January.
Before leaving, check tide times and sea state to pick the calmest window to cross. The B7R app gives tide times and heights for Shuwaikh and Shuaiba ports along with sea state.
Treat half a tank as empty. At the halfway mark, head home or to the nearest fuel point. Do not wait for the gauge to reach zero: boat gauges are approximate, and an empty tank mid-Gulf cannot be fixed.
Shuwaikh and Shuaiba are the usual stops, and longer runs need fuel planned before departure.
Ballpark figures only. Hull, engine, load, and wind move them significantly:
The real hazard is the return trip. A headwind home means more throttle, more fuel, and a slower trip just when you are tired and the light is going. Make your return reserve bigger than your outbound reserve, and check wind direction before you set the departure time.
Keep a simple log of litres, engine hours, load, and wind per trip. After a handful of runs you have your own real burn rate instead of somebody else's rumour. A catch log and navigation tools keep your days organised, plus an SOS button for what nobody plans for.
Carry spare fuel only in approved containers, never fill a jerry can past the safe line, and keep it secured and ventilated in the open air, not in a closed cabin.
Use the thirds rule, learn your own burn rate, and respect the heat and the wind. Download B7R free on Google Play and leave the stress on shore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.q8dm.b7r