1976 yacht engine future, which way to turn?

[JustinT]

Hi all
Some may have seen my other engine posts on here.
Basically I have a 1976 yacht, the hull is really strong fiberglass and my wife and I are very happy with the actual yacht, it sails well and seems like it will last a good few years more. The 10ft beam makes the 28ft boat very spacious and it also moves easy in the water.
The issue is it has a 1976 Bukh DV20 inboard which I have had to redo the head due to a stuck exhaust valve. And still the engine is not working.
So we gave up for now and bought a Tohatsu 20 outboard long shaft just to get it to our mooring in a city (Inverness).

We have been advised to simply remove the Bukh. The hours I may have to work on it do make me wilt. I have been advised to just buy an new or partly used Yamnar inboard and have done with it.

Or, we could just use the Tohatsu, or get a better outboard. The Tohatsu pushes it along at keel speed just fine, 6 knots. Way better than the ailing Bukh was.

I'm happy to sail her but also, sometimes where I live, and now that the yacht lives on a canal (but next to a sea lock) one just has to motor it.

So, it's still going to be a sea going yacht and a canal yacht.

I was wondering what others thought, especially others whose experience is the same (a sailing yacht used both at sea and on a canal)

Obviously, spending tons of cash on a 1976 yacht could be madness.

Cheers!

[hpeer]

I would look to find more local info, perhaps YBW would he a better source, more local info.

I have a Volvo MD7 that runs just fine, but I can imagine myself in your shoes someday. So I looked at replacing the engine with a Beta. What I discovered was that changing engines also meant the prop was wrong, exhaust was in wring side, water intake on wrong side, mounts would have to be redone, etc. For me the ideal solution would be to get another MD7 and do a drop in. That would be only a small bit of work. It may be the same for you.

If the engine needs replacing look for a rebuilt.

But, maybe this engine can be rebuilt?

I kinda doubt you will be happy with an OB in the long run.

The other question is why worry about resale value if the boat if you are happy with it? What is its value to you? Love the one you are with.

[Fore and Aft]

Justin if you look on Facebook Market place under marine diesel lots of options come up. I would fit something like this Beta below, of course you will need to change the propeller and engine mounts so the costs will up add up. But still a diesel engine is nice to have in a swell.
Cheers

[dlj]

There was a thread not long ago on this engine.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...errerid=225653

Some time back I was looking at a boat that had a similar engine, and I contacted Bukh and they told me I could send them the engine and they would do a complete factory rebuild. I don't know if they still do that. When I say some time back, I have no idea how many years ago that was... But Bukh has been an excellent company in my past experience.

If you plan to keep this boat for a number of years, and you already have an outboard so you can use the boat now, I would look very seriously at contacting Bukh and see how much it would cost to get this engine factory rebuilt. If I could afford it. That's what I would do. Taking that engine out and putting it back in is not difficult.

dj

[JustinT]

Having used the inboard and outboard and both playing up, its hard to say which is more tricky: trying to get to the inboard in the tight space they gave the engine or, trying to get to the outboard from the ladder at the back or a dingy.

[thomm225]

Wind Hippie Engine Replacement for her boat.

Her engine is an old Bukh.

Also, there are lots of used Bukh's online for sale.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35558223975...-53481-19255-0

https://www.bing.com/search?q=bukh&q...&ghacc=0&ghpl=

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVldLekNQxw

[Cheechako]

Having the diesel is much better than an outboard. Maybe take it out and see if someone can rebuild it? You dont need a lot of HP. Not sure what small diesel options are out there cheap... but maybe...
If your seagoing trips are few , the OB is OK. Not convenient in a seaway though.

[deblen]

Hi Justin:
For least expense,I agree with H Peer post #2.
Much less cost & much simpler to replace DV20 with another DV20.
They still make & sell the DV20,so it is a "current" model & parts should be available for long time.
Google "used Bukh DV20-UK". I got several hits.
20HP in your 28ft boat should be adequate power to maintain hull speed in any conditions,so there is really no benefit to replacing with a different brand.

Have a diesel mechanic look at your current engine while it is still in boat,if possible.

After clearing several faults with your very neglected Bukh,you are very close to diagnosing the current ,hopefully final, problem.


Cheers/Len

[JonSea37]

A 28 footer with an outboard ? If bucking a head sea, it will spin wildly out of the water with every wave...not a good thing when you may need it most! I would look for another engine! The weight below adds to stability. 86 and still sailing my Challenger 32!

[skipperpete]

In Aberdeen shire UK there’s a guy who sells complete lifeboats with relatively new Bukh engines for between 3 and£5,000, also Bangladesh shipbreakers sell lifeboat engines by the hundreds….. I’ve actually been to Chittagong and bought from the numerous sellers, these guys have Lister, Yanmar , Bukh, Mitsubishi, Sabb etc
The UK guy advertises on “Apollo Duck” and has done so for over 20 years, the Bangla’s advertise on “Alibaba”, do some browsing!

[Lepke]

As much trouble as your Bukh may be, most outboards are less reliable.


Its always cheaper to fix than rebuild. and it's always cheaper to rebuild than replace.


Have a real mechanic look at the engine. It may be the best money you spend.

[Foswick]

A little bit conflicting advice here. First, it is perfectly reasonable to consider an outboard. I sailed for 12 years with a 9.9HP on my Catalina 27. Granted, it was an inboard-outboard configuration and a long shaft, and we had power tilt. But, I never once wished we had an inboard on that boat. She has been in some crazy conditions without the smallest problem. It is just a matter of doing a little homework and ensuring you get a good configuration for your boat.

Not saying inboard or outboard is right for you - just that there is nothing wrong with considering an outboard.

Also, while it is almost always cheaper to fix than rebuild, these days, many people are finding that it is cheaper to replace than to rebuild. I hate that it is true, but we found that as well when pricing out rebuild/replace options for our 32-footer. In fact, it isn't even close.

If you are considering rebuilding or replacing an expensive engine, it starts to come closer to favoring a rebuild, but we've priced out a few engines lately for different boats and the answer has been the same - we would save thousands of dollars by just replacing - even before factoring in the sale of the old engine.

But, I think the best advice here is to have a mechanic come look at it. It seems like another expense, but any time I have paid for a mechanical survey/opinion, it has actually saved me money.

[Foswick]

... I should clarify. If you are willing and able to do all/most of a rebuild yourself, that changes the economics.

[JustinT]

Thanks for all these thoughts! Really does help.
Now to put the thinking cap on.

[Wotname]

There are a thousand good reasons why 99.99% of cruising sailboats are fitted with a inboard diesel engine. No need to repeat them here except to say that say storing enough outboard fuel below decks is not an option for most of us.

Fix or rebuild or replace is the only viable question. Any which way, the first step is to remove the existing engine from the boat. The second step is to take it home to assess it calmly and 'in comfort' or replace it.