Hypothetical: best engines to look for.

[pianopraze]

I feel much more comfortable repairing/using an outboard. I can pick it up take it apart, and put it back together. You can swap dingy motor out in an emergency. Worst case it’s not a fortune to buy a new one. And not hard to take off boat and replace. Like I did on my Prout. Felt very safe with a new Honda when I was docking.

Weirdly, an inboard scares the crap out of me. I don’t work on cars. Just motorcycles and outboards.

What is best engines to look for if I have to get inboard?

Perkins? Yanmar? Not sure I would trust a Volvo. Everyone with a Volvo car I’ve known ended up replacing car when engine went out. Perkins sounds good but questionable getting parts? Yanmar sounds good as you can get parts…

Going to buy another Catamaran (hopefully 2000 or newer), just starting the search. If I can get dual Yamahas out boards I will, but if they have to be inboards what is the best?

[SailingHarmonie]

Any of the brands, well cared for, will last a very long time. Most recreational diesels are very poorly cared for, so they die an early death. In short, the previous owners of the motor have FAR more to do with your experieicne with it than the name on the block.

I have a 27 year old Volvo TMD22 that sometime this season will turn 10,000 hours. It's a Perkins block with Volvo marinizing. Parts are readily available from Volvo dealers, or Perkins dealers.

If you are getting a catamaran with saildrives, I would worry far more about those fragile beasts that the engine that drives them.