410: Lagoon 410 Yanmar vs Volvo ~30-40hp

[Saltyrope]

Volvo verses Yanmar. My experience is that they both can have their problems but the pre small sump Yanmar 27 hp was a good'un and the latest 3 cylinder Yanmar is also up to about 3 litres of sump oil again and seems to be a more rugged engine.
I have a 2003 Volvo Penta, the last of the Volvo built ones. It has had a few things that needed attention and is a bit noisy. Probably what one would call an 'enthusiasts’ engine with its individual injector pumps all needing individual adjustment. If I had the time to tinker, I would probably enjoy all the fine adjustments and corrections needed to get it running 100%. When Volvo put their stamp on Perkins Prima engines the engines were squeezed for more horsepower but now it seems that reason has come back with higher capacity and lower revs being offered.
I still do not know the answer as I have seen Yanmars spit the dummy and Volvo Penta’s do the same. I am leaning towards a 4 cylinder Perkins and would be quite happy if it was called a Perkins and not a Volvo badge. The Perkins parts are cheap enough as are the Kubota parts. I can’t really explain why not a Yanmar and justify my Perkins leaning to the one I want being 4 cylinder, having a water cooled gearbox and for some insane reason don’t want a Yanmar in my S&S. No reason except eccentricity. So, I think the Yanmar’s are good and so are the Perkins. The Kubota based Beta and such like engines seem to have retained much of their ‘tractor’ heritage and their larger size is the only draw back that I can see. I can’t fit one in and when replacing my 2003 29 hp, I figure that my preference for a slow revving engine will give me ample HP at around cruising at 2000 rpm or below with a 38 to 40 odd HP 4 cylinder Perkins, or Volvo Perkins. I will ask for white to get away from ‘what is green, lives in a boat and costs lots of money to keep alive’ syndrome. In fact, I advocate all V.P engines would do well to find a new different colour and white would certainly be a good visual check for any seepage. Yes, I know what the makers say about the revs but HP at high revs is akin to a sewing machine to me and peak Torque is, in my opinion, where the cruising revs should sit. Happy motoring.