Best diesel for sailboats?

[Paul Annapolis]

You are looking at a sailboat and the diesel is the auxiliary. The sails and rigging, which are often the most overlooked aspects in selecting and buying a boat are the "engine" of a sailboat. Are you planning to sail more or motor more? Probably sail a lot more, but maybe you'll motor ten or 20 percent of the time. Most diesels will last for thousands of hours of use but your rigging and sails are probably more expensive to maintain and over time to repurchase. They are exposed to the elements such as uv and salt and water all the time whereas the engine is really only exposed to a dark enclosed area. Opinions about a volvo or a yanmar are just that--opinions and not worth a whole lot. I would look more carefully at other things on the boat and make the engine a secondary or tertiary issue. How old are the sails? How do they look? Has the rigging ever been replaced? But as for the engine--Im more concerned about which boat's interior provides easier access for basic maintenance and which one is easier to bleed!

[Celestialsailor]

That’s all fine and dandy. But the thread was about the best engine for a sailboat. Of course sails are important and I’m sure there have been multiple threads for that as well. Opinions?...Try owning a Volvo 2000 series and you’ll have one too. But you’ll need a boat first.

[Paul Annapolis]

Wow...that was quite a lot of non sequiturs for one post..(But you'll need a boat first??)

[Singularity]

Without stating which engine I have:

-Parts are cheap and ubiquitous

-It is in wide service, well known

-Most important (to me)...the answer to practically every conceivable troubleshooting problem is already somewhere on the internet--specific to my engine make and model. While engines are engines, to me it's a big plus that I can simply google every question I have about the engine and it's operation, and, if I have time, I can rebuild the thing using Youtube videos specific to my particular engine.

For non DIY-types the third point seems less relevant but, even if you don't DIY, having the capacity to help diagnose your problem and having familiarity with the remedy helps you understand if the mechanic you hire is competent, ripping you off, etc.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by aweofthesea

Thanks Rick,
another unrelated question...
We are Canadian and would like to buy a used boat in Grenada. We do not plan to bring the boat back to Canada, and will most likely leave the Carribean within a year, go through the Panama Canal and explore the south Pacific.
Would we be on the hook for any VAT or other taxes on purchase in Grenada?

Al.

Reference:
http://www.gov.gd/sites/default/file...vised_2009.pdf

I believe the revenue tax in Sint Maarten is only 5% so one may consider transporting the boat to a different jurisdiction to consummate a purchase. But then one would be exporting the good from Grenada and that may need to be declared before the boat departs. Always loads of details to determine as to proper taxation reporting and payments. https://www.taxexpense.com/saintmart...gst-sales-tax/


Boaters often do not attain the proper export documentation and then rue the day later, e.g., New Zealand and Australian departures with intent to sale abroad.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Wow...that was quite a lot of non sequiturs for one post..(But you'll need a boat first??)

So is claiming Annapolis is the sailing capital of the world. I’m just sayin.

[Mickeyrouse]

Originally Posted by Compass790

Those 2 have very high parts prices.
I'd suggest a kubota base engine like the Beta otherwise just from scuttlebutt not experience. They have much cheaper parts prices & you can get parts from a tractor dealer.

Many marine power plants are marinized short blocks of generally available utility Diesel engines commonly used on construction equipment , pumps, generators etc. If you can find what the base engine is- for example, a Westerbeke 55-4 is a marinized Isuzu 4LE2- then short block parts such as injectors, glow plugs, cams, pistons, rings, etc, can be bought somewhat cheaper from the dealer that handles those core engines. Where there is no cross-reference are the parts that the seller uses to marinize the short block: hoses, belts, alternators, raw water pumps, heat exchangers, gauges, elbows, harnesses, etc. It is on these parts- what you are most likely to periodically replace- that they have you cornered. I have seen similar parts to after-market automotive priced as much as ten times. And all manufacturers do about the same thing price-wise.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Singularity

Without stating which engine I have:

-Parts are cheap and ubiquitous

-It is in wide service, well known

-Most important (to me)...the answer to practically every conceivable troubleshooting problem is already somewhere on the internet--specific to my engine make and model. While engines are engines, to me it's a big plus that I can simply google every question I have about the engine and it's operation, and, if I have time, I can rebuild the thing using Youtube videos specific to my particular engine.

For non DIY-types the third point seems less relevant but, even if you don't DIY, having the capacity to help diagnose your problem and having familiarity with the remedy helps you understand if the mechanic you hire is competent, ripping you off, etc.

I agree, it is a very important, and time and headache saving item.

Here's an example:


Engines 101 - The BIGGEST & BEST collection of M25 Series Universal Engine Information on the Internet, plus some M35, too

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Diesel_Engine


**********************************

Sometimes you don't even have to google it, 'cuz informed boat owners and their associations, have already done the heavy lifting for you.

I have included this link in many answers to questions about my particular engine in many different boating forums, since this engine was installed in a variety of different boats. "We" (our C34 community and international association) have been assembling this type of information since they started making our boat in 1986 and we began an Association website in the 90s.

I also have the "luxury" of living in the country with a Kubota tractor dealership less than 2 km from my home. When I lived in SF, I'd just call the closest tractor dealer who was maybe 40 miles away. There was a Universal engine shop on my way to the boat and comparison shopping was easy. Tractor stores save a lot of effort and money.

[CWayne]

Lived with a Yanmar 44HP for 22 years. Never changed injectors, never had any failures. but I use a 10 micron fuel filter. and changed the oil regularly. I carried many engine spares but never had to use them.
I now have another boat with a Beta 44HP, it's 7 years old and starts instantly, runs smooth as a sewing machine. I have to replace the cooler zinc anode every 2 to 3 months due to erosion as it's located in a terrible location. BTW, the Yanmar doesn't use an anode.

[wesevans]

Yanmar hands down the best

[Mickeyrouse]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

https://bukh.dk


The above is the best.


Beta is decent.


Avoid marinized Mistsubishi blocks. Imho.


I think Nanni, Sole, Vetus and Westerbeke may be Mitsubishi blocks.



Cheers,

b.

Smaller Westerbekes are Mitsubishi the larger are Isuzu. At least that’s what the tag on my 55B4 says. I’ve had both. No complaints about the core engines on either. Not too impressed about how Westerbeke marinized them.

[donradcliffe]

As long as I have a choice, I would NEVER buy a common rail diesel for a cruising boat, including the new Yanmars. I have had a common rail engine light up with all kinds of red and yellow triangles and tell me under no circumstances should I run this engine, and I should call the dealer immediately.

Having shut down the engine the previous day without a hint of a problem, I turned the key off, checked the oil and coolant levels, and tried again. This time it sprang to life without any warning messages, and stayed that way from Ft Lauderdale to Maine

My logic was I was smarter that its computer, and if it truly ate itself, I was in a great place to deal with it. If I had been in the Solomon Islands or coming up the Red Sea, I would have been truly screwed.

[jknight611]

Between Yanmar and Volvo, my choice would be Yanmar, they can use some tractor parts, but not universally. 30 years ago I have an Volvo MD1, ran fine, and certainly was a novelty, it it had a few rather minor oil leaks. I stopped by the dealer in New Orleans to pick up a gasket set with the good intentions of changing gaskets as need/time permitted. The gasket set was $1200 USD! I ended up making gaskets as needed and that experience alone has soured me on Volvo marine engines (even if they were reasonably priced now). Beta has some good options.

[MicHughV]

this subject has been beat to death elsewhere on this forum.....the good...the bad...and the ugly...the cheap...the expensive...parts availability....parts prices...ad infinitum...every poster on this forum has his or her opinion based on their particular knowledge or experience. I've had 4 different diesels on past boats and they all had their good...and bad points...good maintenance and regular oil changes, etc, are "owner" input. even the best engine in the world will suffer if not maintained, likewise a bottom of the pile engine may run forever with a loving hand caressing the engine. good, clean fuel, regular maintenance, etc, that is what is important !!! and that starts with YOU !!!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by CWayne

Lived with a Yanmar 44HP for 22 years. Never changed injectors, never had any failures. but I use a 10 micron fuel filter. and changed the oil regularly. I carried many engine spares but never had to use them.
I now have another boat with a Beta 44HP, it's 7 years old and starts instantly, runs smooth as a sewing machine. I have to replace the cooler zinc anode every 2 to 3 months due to erosion as it's located in a terrible location. BTW, the Yanmar doesn't use an anode.

My 4jh had a zinc.