Let’s be honest for a moment. If somebody seems in a hurry, I’ll tell them 9knots, maybe even ten if I want to appear as a speed demon. Someone taking it easy I’ll say 8. If they ask whether I mean miles per hour, I’ll say yes. It’s so much more polite than appearing smug and I say I don’t care. Truth is that not only do I not really care, I often don’t even know.
Reality is that I push the throttles forward until the engines make a sound that matches my mood. Which usually translates to about 1400 rpm, give or take. If I do give or take, I give or take from the port engine because it’s throttle lever is a bit smoother.
No, but really, we get there when we get there. Only days I pay closer attention is when I need to make slack. In which case I go early to not miss it, get there early and usually run it early anyway, cause who wants to wait.
So yeah, I go 8 too.
Its really funny after awhile how little the exact speed seems to matter. It’s like asking what time it is. I don’t know that either. I have a vague sense of what meal we are closest to and that also becomes the exact time, such as “a little before our mid morning snack”.