I finally did buy a Pretorian in Alameda,Ca and per your advice, I am putting a Beta 35/with sail drive into her this month matter of fact and lots more.

Hi, Sorry I have been too busy and just saw your message. In the cold Northeast where you only have a few months each year when you can use your boat, 20 hours annual is possible. The average usage of recreational vessels in the USA is 97 hours, so ...? While the Volvo MD11D is a good engine it is 30 years old and parts are difficult. The last Volvo parts I had to get came from family in the Netherlands, so I do not work on the "Green Griefs" anymore. If the boat price is right, it is a good boat IMHO, go for it and replace the engine with a Beta sometime in the future.
Power depends on where you are, where you are going and how fast you want to motor.
Tom

Oldcal46, thought I would contact you off line. I'm buying a 1985 Wauquiez Pretorian 35 with a 28hp Volvo MD11D the guy selling the boat says it only has 600 hours.....30yrs old....600 hours....something wrong with this picture. Any way I'm heading up to Long Island to see the boat next weekend, I think with in a couple years I'll be rebuilding or replacing this engine. Please if you will share your experience of Volvo engines with me and if I must replace it is there a better choice out there and should I go with a 35hp diesel engine if I replace the Volvo.