BetaMarine or Yanmar. Which would you choose?

[Michael Cobbe]

I asked a number marine engine repair shops in the Caribbean which marine engine they had to repair least and the concenus was Yanmar The marine generators concenus was Northern Liights with Westerbeke a close second.

[NorthernMac]

Remove and replace time?

I’d go beta, I recall them weighing less, good price, and I have had good experiences with their tractor brethren

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Remove and replace time?

I’d go beta, I recall them weighing less, good price, and I have had good experiences with their tractor brethren

Not counting planning and ordering time. Engine ordered with custom mounting brackets to match existing engine beds. Used existing Hurth "V" drive transmission. Work done in Foxes marina, Ipswitch England. Worked directly with Beta factory to customize engine.


Thursday: Disconnect old Perkins 4.108.

Friday: Boatyard crane hoists old engine out of boat.

Friday through Monday: Scrub oily mess under old engine, paint engine space, drill, tap for and loosely install for new engine mounts.

Monday: Boatyard crane sets new engine on engine mounts.

Monday through Wednesday: Connect up fuel, electrical and exhaust systems.

Wednesday: Beta authorized and Beta paid for mechanic inspects installation progress and we test start engine.

Thursday and Friday: Take a break and go on excursion with friends through Chunnel to France.

Saturday and Sunday install transmission, align engine and pretty much complete install.

Monday: Depart boatyard.


All work done with boat in water. A couple of weeks later departed for Norway. Time constraint to be able to exit EU to get VAT back. Calm conditions meant motored 400 or so miles to Norway. First oil change done adrift in flat calm North Sea.

Some minor adjustments to installation done in following weeks.

[nmccubbin]

Interesting comment
You may be right, but unfortunately Volvo treated so many sailors so badly for years that they have a lot of work to do to become credible
Apart from multiple engine failures, I had Volvo offer me a starter motor for $1200 with. Paper Hitachi label under the green Volvo paint. Hitachi listed the same part number at $160, and delivered faster than Volvo.
Or Volvo dealer in Miami not being allowed to ship a stock part to me in Nassau about 100 miles away, and Volvo telling me to wait a few weeks for the part from some remote warehouse. I got around by the dealer buying it personally and sending to me
Even if the new Volvo’s are as good as you say, I will NEVER buy Volvo again
Lots of other sailors have similar bad stories

[CarinaPDX]

In the 1980's Yanmar made inroads into the US market by offering more modern, lighter, more powerful diesels for less money than an overhaul of an old Volvo, and old Volvos were laying around everywhere. Comments to the effect that at that price the Yanmars could be considered disposable and never overhauled were common (but as it turned out they were very robust). Everyone was fed up with Volvo pricing. Fast forward and now Yanmar parts prices are as ridiculous as Volvo's. And the downside of having an international dealer network means defending locally higher prices against imports from lower-cost countries. I have been on both sides of the international network problem and appreciate how it can be painful to both parties. Choosing a manufacturer with a limited international network (Beta) may avoid these problems, but then parts will have to be imported by the owner as needed in many countries - a PITA. And we are usually talking about the marinizing parts so it doesn't usually matter where the engine came from. So a rational case can be made for either choice: a supplier with an international network at a premium price or one without the network and a lower parts price (maybe - I'd check that assumption).

Greg

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Not counting planning and ordering time. Engine ordered with custom mounting brackets to match existing engine beds. Used existing Hurth "V" drive transmission. Work done in Foxes marina, Ipswitch England. Worked directly with Beta factory to customize engine.


Thursday: Disconnect old Perkins 4.108.

Friday: Boatyard crane hoists old engine out of boat.

Friday through Monday: Scrub oily mess under old engine, paint engine space, drill, tap for and loosely install for new engine mounts.

Monday: Boatyard crane sets new engine on engine mounts.

Monday through Wednesday: Connect up fuel, electrical and exhaust systems.

Wednesday: Beta authorized and Beta paid for mechanic inspects installation progress and we test start engine.

Thursday and Friday: Take a break and go on excursion with friends through Chunnel to France.

Saturday and Sunday install transmission, align engine and pretty much complete install.

Monday: Depart boatyard.


All work done with boat in water. A couple of weeks later departed for Norway. Time constraint to be able to exit EU to get VAT back. Calm conditions meant motored 400 or so miles to Norway. First oil change done adrift in flat calm North Sea.

Some minor adjustments to installation done in following weeks.

Not sure the size of engine installed, but my boats mounts are pumpkin spice basic, fabing up some SS mounts for a new engine wouldn’t be a huge deal, $200 materiel and $200-500 labor, if you arnt equipped & qualifies to lay a dime bead yourself.

“Beta authorized” sounds unnecessary and very expensive

[Fishbust]

Wow 13 pages of love for the beta. Are boat builders installing them now?

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by Fishbust

Wow 13 pages of love for the beta. Are boat builders installing them now?

Follow the trends of OEM at your own risk.

Smart OEMs follow the scene of the owners.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Not sure the size of engine installed, but my boats mounts are pumpkin spice basic, fabing up some SS mounts for a new engine wouldn’t be a huge deal, $200 materiel and $200-500 labor, if you arnt equipped & qualifies to lay a dime bead yourself.

“Beta authorized” sounds unnecessary and very expensive

Engine is a BV2203 - 50 HP.

I have no idea what "pumpkin spice basic" means. Please translate into English.

You didn't read Beta authorized was followed by Beta paid for. This was part of their installation support.

"fabing up some SS mounts for a new engine wouldn’t be a huge deal, $200 materiel and $200-500 labor, if you arnt equipped & qualifies to lay a dime bead yourself." Again I don't understand what you are trying to say. What is a dime bead? The Beta marine factory made custom brackets to mount the engine to my stringers. They were made from welded steel and came painted and ready to go. I don't remember the cost but it was less that the $400 to $700 you suggest. The time and effort saved for a cruising sailor in an unfamiliar port was priceless. Steel is much stronger than stainless steel and to have these made to specifications and guaranteed by the engine marinizer was a huge benefit. If you want to take the time to DIY it go ahead.

Considering that I selected, planned and installed a replacement engine and swapped it for the old one in about eight days labor I do not understand your criticism. I also got a considerable discount on the engine and factory direct support. What's your beef?

[malbert73]

Yeah the Beta simplicity and ruggedness has me converted after 3 seasons on my beta 50 which puts out cruising speeds at 1800 rpm where I would prior need 2800 on my old Yanmar. As far as parts Amazon has many aftermarket parts like starters and fresh water pumps for cheap which work well as spares to buy time to order the “real” part. Easy because the V2203 engine is in so much industrial equipment (skid steers, tractors etc) worldwide. Yes specific marinized parts like heat exchanger are different. But I am sure you could get a new injector pump or injectors, or get them rebuilt, in nearly any country out there since Kubota is so ubiquitous