How many times have you seen boats waddling along with the nose in the air and the stern sitting heavily in the water? To get the best from your engine, the hull needs to as level as possible, otherwise power is being wasted trying to push the hull up, rather than along. You may need to move your passengers or heavy gear around until the boat is more or less on an even keel. In a small dinghy, with perhaps just one person aboard, try using a tiller extension to move the weight forward. You’ll notice quite a difference in performance – and fuel consumption.