Boat review reliability?

Two different review of a nordig tug 49 :

Both claim 30 gph at top speed, which is more or less consistent with a 610 hp engine full throttle.

Bot for one top speed is 14.2 kts. For the other 17.7 kts. Quite a difference.

Where is the truth ???

 

That body of water can have significant currents, so the numbers may not have been corrected for them.

It's more like a river, you need to make a run both directions and average it.

 

Too bad they didn't post rpm on both of them

 

Most "reviews" are simply advertising favors performed by the media outlet presenting the review. This simply means they'll publish what they're told to publish. Some of the reviews might actual test the boat, but this testing usually isn't very accurate, nor well arranged (test equipment, procedures, etc.), so take it for what it's worth.

 

One looks like a 'range' chart (how far can we go?) .. the other a speed chart.(how fast can we go?)
Knots or MPH mixup, currents, RPM, goofy math, different settings on the engine, ????
Not applicable here but even operating in fresh water can make a slight difference.

 

Ondarvr might be right, in a tidal rip, GPS is not accurate because it is showing speed over the ground.