Beta Marine Engines

[svzosha]

Does anyone have any comments about the marinized Kubota engines sold by Beta Marine? I've got to repower my Westsail 28 and am looking at their 28 HP....................thanks
Rich
SV Zosha

[Target9000]

We're just wrapping up a repower in a W32 with a Beta 38. We ordered the motor from Bud of WorldCruiser Yachts who also helped us install it. The install has been straightforward.

Before ordering the motor I spent hours searching online looking for problems or complaints about Beta Marine engines. I found almost nothing. I did find a lot of praise for them. That gave me the confidence to purchase one. I don't have any long term experience with it yet, but I imagine you'll find the same on your search.

If I had to do it again though, I'd not order the recessed panel box. I ordered that as an add on option and don't like it.

I'd give Bud a call. His price including freight beat the factory price.

[skipmac]

Good friend repowered his W32 with a Beta and loves it. Second the recommendation to get Bud Kaplan to do the deal. I believe he is an authorized Beta distributor and will know everything there is to know about repowering a Westsail.

[Iain]

I repowered my Sabre 28 with the Beta, everything went well and it runs great. I spent all that money and now she is for SALE!

[s/v Beth]

Repowering as we speak with a Beta 38. Will tell you how it goes....

[svzosha]

Thanks everybody for the input on the Beta Marine engines. Your comments have definitely helped me to make my decision to purchase the Beta 28 hp.....thanks again......fair winds to you all.........
Rich
SV Zosha

[Ocean Roads]

I have a Westsail 28, hull #2. Two owners ago put a Beta 20hp in her. Since the original engine was a Volvo 10hp, the 20hp has more then enough power to push her along! I don't think you will need the 28hp.

I have only had her since May, so no real issues. The one thing I don't like is that every time I call Beta for a part (my engine went half way underwater), they give you the Beta part number and the Beta price.

Ex. I needed a new starter. Beta price something near $300. After looking at simular Kubotas and taking a stab in the dark, got a starter of ebay for less then $99. Beta guy told me it is a special block made just for Beta and there would be no other starters around for it.

Same with oil sensor, Beta price shipped to me $40+-, at West Marine $20.

And the alternator is some crazy England brand. Hard to find parts, even harder to find a new one with out going to Beta.

But great on fuel and has some power!

[Marksman]

Repowered my 37 ft. Buchan with the Beta 28. Great engine, pushes us along at hull spead, >7 kts.

[Target9000]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Second the recommendation to get Bud Kaplan to do the deal.

Bud Taplin actually.

Worldcruiser Yacht Company
898 W. 16th Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663

Phone: 714-549-9331
Email btaplin@westsail.com

No affiliation. Just a satisfied customer.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Ocean Roads

I have a Westsail 28, hull #2. Two owners ago put a Beta 20hp in her. Since the original engine was a Volvo 10hp, the 20hp has more then enough power to push her along! I don't think you will need the 28hp.

I have only had her since May, so no real issues. The one thing I don't like is that every time I call Beta for a part (my engine went half way underwater), they give you the Beta part number and the Beta price.

Ex. I needed a new starter. Beta price something near $300. After looking at simular Kubotas and taking a stab in the dark, got a starter of ebay for less then $99. Beta guy told me it is a special block made just for Beta and there would be no other starters around for it.

Same with oil sensor, Beta price shipped to me $40+-, at West Marine $20.

And the alternator is some crazy England brand. Hard to find parts, even harder to find a new one with out going to Beta.

But great on fuel and has some power!

I'm pretty sure there are "equivalency" lists of Kubota spares (tractor prices) that fit Beta engines, which are just Kubotas with different sumps and FWC.

Find the Kubota block your engine is based on and then you have alternatives. Every marine or marinizer company pulls this crap.

[Marksman]

Alchemy is correct. Beta (and a host of others) make as few changes as possible to marinize the kubota engines, and I would be very surprised if Kubota produced a engine block specifically for Beta. Doesn't sound cost effective given the volume. The Beta BD1005 (Beta 28) is the Kubota D1005 (get the connection? wink wink, nudge nudge). The Kubota oem engine shop manual and parts list is readily available on line with part numbers and all. It would not make sense to pay the Beta mark up on tractor parts. The west coast dealer I bought mine through told me this directly and stated that he hoped he would never have to sell me parts. The only things that you have to get from Beta are heat exchanger, bell housing and such. I ordered mine with the ballmar alternator so that one is a no brainer too. Again, great little engines and with minimal homework your maintenance costs will be lower than with the "Y" brand.

[donradcliffe]

I've got 1400 hrs and 4 years on my Beta 50hp. The only problem I've had was the oil-change pump died, and Beta shipped me a new one to Trinidad in 2 days at no charge.

[Ocean Roads]

Thats how I find my parts, I use the Kubota numbers.

But the alternator is a marine specific alternator.

[S/V Alchemy]

Yes, but it's unlikely to be a Beta-specific marine alternator. By "marine-specific", I assume you are referring to spark suppression and perhaps external, variable regulation of output, right?

I have a Beta 60 awaiting installation and I specifically didn't order alternators for it. I did order, however, the serpentine double power take-off. I can't tell you exactly which alternators I will want, because I haven't got the exact sense of how many batteries I'll be charging, but they will be identical and not that big (100 amps or less) because I don't want to scavenge power and I don't want more heat down there. They will be sized just rightly to pump power into my banks while motoring, because my solar and wind should keep them above 80% most of the time.

The ability to order things like dual PTOs and remote oil filter (if it's on the bulkhead pointing down, changing it doesn't make a mess and is easier to access) was one of the attractive parts of buying Beta. That and the fact that it's a robust, no frills, naturally aspirated diesel. If I was vrooming to the start line in a J-Boat, yes, I would have a turbo Yanmar. But for days of chugging through the doldrums at 1,900 RPM in a steel cutter, I wanted a tractor engine, more or less.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Was the Volvo engine an MD6A? I have a Dufour Safari with an MD6A and am looking at engine options. If it was an MD6A, did it bolt in or did you have to adjust the mounts? Were there any other modifications you needed to do? Thank you in advance for your comments.