Volvo engine with saildrive vs Yanmar engine with saildrive

[dave cooper]

I am building a new Bob Perry designed sailboat with a 53-54 HP diesel with a saildrive, so I am looking at both Volvo and Yanmar. From what I have read the Volvo saildrive is better, but people seem to like the Yanmar engine better. I am looking for suggestions.
I put up a web site on the new boat LUCKY GIRL. It has a drawing of the engine installation.
Right now I can't decide which engine to use. I have talked to two local mechanics and one says go with Yanmar, the othe says to with Volvo.
I will be using a four blade MaxProp.
The link to the boat is;
The Perfect Sailboat
http://theperfectsailboat.com/wordpress/[/URL]

[colemj]

Which Yanmar saildrive? The only one you should consider is the SD60, but that is pretty much a new, untested design. Yanmar saildrives in the past have been real nightmares (SD20/30 excluded).

Volvo saildrives pretty much don't have many problems, and their electrical isolation is certainly an advantage over Yanmar.

As for the engine, you will get green haters here for sure, but in a new install, I don't see problems with either one.

Mark

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by colemj

Which Yanmar saildrive? The only one you should consider is the SD60, but that is pretty much a new, untested design. Yanmar saildrives in the past have been real nightmares (SD20/30 excluded).

Volvo saildrives pretty much don't have many problems, and their electrical isolation is certainly an advantage over Yanmar.

As for the engine, you will get green haters here for sure, but in a new install, I don't see problems with either one.

Mark

Agree for the most part, but I do not think Yanmar makes a non-electronic engine in that size anymore. If so, I would prefer the Volvo and not be susceptible to electronic gremlins shutting me down.

[colemj]

Yeah, I don't know what is available from either in that size, but would prefer non-electronic and non-turbo.

And personally, I would be making my engine choice based on the saildrive, if the saildrive installation is already cast in stone.

Mark

[Scout 30]

The sail drive is clearly a weak link when compared to a straight shaft. If I were building this from scratch I'd seriously check out Beta.


betamarine - Engine View

[Captain Bill 3]

Since you are building from scratch I see no reason to go with a sail drive as opposed to an inboard with shaft and feathering prop. You should also use an Aqua Drive and a PYI propeller shaft seal ( there is no better, worth every penny). The AD will take all the prop thrust off the engine mounts, allows shaft to coupling misalignment, quiets driveline noise and vibration, permitts the engine to float on its mounts just like it does when it's in neutral. The PYI seal will allow you to have a dry bilge, be sure to use the water injection on the seal.
I converted my sail boat from an in/out board to a straight inboard using all the items I have mentioned. The boat is a Gerry Hoyt design and is capable of planning at 15 kts with 160 hp by design.
I made a good living repairing/replacing out drives and sail drives and raising sunken boats due to OD failures as a marine mechanic and BoatUS Towboat captain/owner, contact me if you need any help, 301-466-5151 or herringbaytowing@comcast.net.

[dave cooper]

My new boat is a 43.56' LOA daysailor/weekender/summer cruiser for Puget Sound.
The engine is a in a water tight compartment separated from main cabin and accessed from a lift up hatch in the cockpit sole.
Bob Perry thought the best set up would be with a sail drive, and I like the idea with my engine compartment design.
But the idea of the transmission failing to shift into neutral or reverse as I pull up to the dock is not something I look forward to.
Has anyone heard anything good or bad about the new Yanmar sail drive?
The Perfect Sailboat

http://theperfectsailboat.com/wordpress/[/URL]

[mayacove]

WHY AM I GETTING THIS, "To view this page, you must log in to this area on cdn.socialknowledge.com:80:" EVEN THOUGH I AM LOGGED IN?

[cpa]

When repowering my Compass 47 (which has a saildrive), I was in the same position. The Yanmar SD60 was not out at the time, but from what i was able to research the older Yanmar Saildrive was problematic. I choose a Beta B60 with the Twin Disk Technodrive Sea Prop60. I would not hesitate to make the same choice. I have about two years on the setup and it has been perfect.

If Beta Marine was not an option and I HAD to choose between the Volvo and the Yanmar, I would pick the Volvo. I have never loved Volvo motors, but the saildrives seem to have a better track record (when I was looking). I don't know a thing about the SD60. Maybe it is a great unit.

[marlinmike]

sail drives are like I/O's on power boats, terrible idea for long reliability, straight shaft and you will never regret it.

[Scout 30]

One of the biggest problems with sail drives is dissimilar metals. There is no way to avoid it & zincs will not save the aluminum in the long run. Keeping growth off the units is another problem. I would never buy a boat with one & can't imagine putting one in a boat on purpose. While your at it you might as well drop a sledge hammer on your toe.

[witzgall]

I wish anyone who poo-pooed saildrives would state their personal experience with them. My personal experience, after sailing with one for a 2 year cruise, is that they are great. There are also drawbacks to shaft systems that nobody ever mentions in these threads. Ugh.


Chris

[2Hulls]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

One of the biggest problems with sail drives is dissimilar metals. There is no way to avoid it & zincs will not save the aluminum in the long run. Keeping growth off the units is another problem. I would never buy a boat with one & can't imagine putting one in a boat on purpose. While your at it you might as well drop a sledge hammer on your toe.

[RANT]OMG!!! I'm doomed! How have I survived this long???? And I own TWO sail drives and TWO sledge hammers!!![/RANT]

BTW - It's "you're" when you mean "you are", not "your".

Dave - I have two 14 year old Volvo 120S-E saildrives hooked to two MD22-L Volvo Penta engines and until recently were spinning two Volvo 3 blade folding props. I have had very little trouble with any of this. Yes, they require good care. I am preparing to replace the sail drive "bellows" which Volvo recommends replacing variously at 5 or 7 years. I don't know anyone who has honored this term and I'm now replacing mine DIY just because it seems right - and because I'll have a story to tell to shaft drive religionists when I want them to buy me a rum.

The challenge with Volvo is the expense of their spare parts. But with the right attitude this becomes a sporting event and I've won a few bets finding the cheapest non-Volvo (usually just non-green) replacement parts. I once sourced a Leece-Neville (non-green) starter for US$250 vs the identical (green) Volvo starter for $1500.00. And quicker.

Dave

[witzgall]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

One of the biggest problems with sail drives is dissimilar metals. There is no way to avoid it & zincs will not save the aluminum in the long run. Keeping growth off the units is another problem. I would never buy a boat with one & can't imagine putting one in a boat on purpose. While your at it you might as well drop a sledge hammer on your toe.

Define "Long run"
Our Wauquiez from 1984 showed no galvanic issues. It was sailed on the Great Lakes, the entire east coast of the USA, Europe, Bahamas and the Carrib.

If pressed, most of the nay Sayers will say either "It is well known that..." Or I knew a guy who knew a guy...


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by witzgall

Define "Long run"
Our Wauquiez from 1984 showed no galvanic issues. It was sailed on the Great Lakes, the entire east coast of the USA, Europe, Bahamas and the Carrib.

If pressed, most of the nay Sayers will say either "It is well known that..." Or I knew a guy who knew a guy...


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

You were a lucky fellow then or you did something to look after those saildrives others were not doing. We had 3 P35's on our dock and they eventually all took their boats offshore(great offshore 35 by the way) 2 of them had saildrives and they all started corroding and were eventually were replaced but to be fair they did get almost 15 years out of them. The one with a shaft had much fewer problems and sold for quite a premium over the saildrive version.