BetaMarine or Yanmar. Which would you choose?

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by dannc

High parts cost of Yanmar are a surprise to me.


Yanmar engines are used in tractors sold by Yanmar and JD. Might be in other brands too. Have people tried to source engine parts from tractor dealers?


Later,
Dan

Obviously you haven't been into a John Deere dealership in twenty years, you will absolutely have heart failure. I was John Deere, now Kubota, hands down.


Cheers folks

[Captain Puget]

Beta - best quality, best warranty and definitely best distributor network and support policies.

[peter loveridge]

Kubota engines are found on millions of third world tractors. common rail engines have no place on small boats ( my engine mechanics don't like them much in big boats either)

[oleretlmn]

yanmar parts are out of sight, beta best now and long term

[SV__Grace]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Thanks guys, I was favouring the Yanmar but I need to re-jig the beds to get it to fit whereas it's like the Beta was designed to fit the hole. And then I just discovered tonight that the oil has to be sucked out of the Yanmar dipstick to change it. Even my lawn mower has advanced past that stage. Also a bit annoying the dealer refuses to sell it without demanding to commission it (for an appropriate fee, of course). The Beta concerns me a little bit in that is is a higher revving and less powerful engine overall so I need to cross my fingers that it will drive the existing prop ok. I do like the Kubota engine though and I did install a Beta into our last boat that ran like a top.
Wolfgal, I hear you but the bearing and shaft were fine prior to splashing and I'll most likely do the install dockside so pulling the shaft isn't an option. If we go the Beta and find it bogs down the plan is to install a feathering or similar prop at the next haul out which would be in about 12 months and in a location having more facilities then we have here. Then I'd more than likely replace the shaft, bearing and - most of all - our funky old school stern gland.

I've had both, and strongly prefer the Beta. We love our Beta.

My previous boat came with a newly installed Beta 30 and it was a dream. Besides being reliable, easy to maintain, and strong, it was a traditional below-cockpit installation and access was by removing the companionway stairs. All maintenance items were front and center and easy to reach- oil dipstick and filter, fuel filter, impeller. A feature of the Beta is that some of these items can be located where you want them, which is way cool.

So when we re-powered our current boat, we yanked the nasty 90hp Ford Lehman and installed a Beta 85hp, which is 1/3 lighter and smaller so we gained valuable space in our engine room and lightened the boat a bit.

Diesels are work horses and LOVE to run at 80% of max RPM and will do so FOREVER. The worst thing you can do to a diesel is run it at low revs consistently. I wouldn't worry about higher revving and a less powerful engine. My boat is 20 tons and our Beta pushes it at hull speed without a problem and I've never missed the higher horsepower Ford.

Most sailboats have bigger engines than needed to please the customers, but with a displacement hull all that matters is that the engine push to boat to hull speed, more horsepower doesn't do anything other than waste fuel.

In addition to modifying the engine mounts to fit, be prepared to replace your driveshaft if the profile isn't the same as your previous engine. Both of these items are not problematic and are part of most re-powers. Being a less expensive engine, there is more room in the budget for making it fit, and trust me, it is sooo worth it. Just be sure your installer knows what they're doing and has many rave reviews from satisfied customers.

[stormalong]

I chose Beta 17 years ago. Sill have the boat and I am happy with the engine (BV2203 50 HP).

A couple of things from other posts:

Beta can do custom brackets to make installation easier. I did that - no engine bed modification meant fast install - well worth the cost.

Beta tops out at 2800 rpm, Yanmar is the high revving engine.

As already said Beta is Kubota and parts are available everywhere, no price gouging on supposedly custom parts. Also, they do not hide who supplied what. Just ask and they will tell you who made the engine mounts, the electrical parts, etc.

My engine was factory painted Kubota blue. I don't know if this is an option. I worked directly with the factory on some customization and the man I worked with told me he could paint it Kubota blue if I wanted. I was working with the managing director - I think Beta was much smaller then.

BTW, The managing director was a small boy during the WWII London bombings. Interesting stories. I doubt he is still there. He may have been the founder of the company too.

[skipmac]

They may be out there but I have personally never heard from a Beta customer that was unhappy with the choice. Cannot say the same about Yanmar and often the complaints as mentioned already, center around how Yanmar controls the parts and distribution.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Midnight Son

Obviously you haven't been into a John Deere dealership in twenty years, you will absolutely have heart failure. I was John Deere, now Kubota, hands down.

Cheers folks

Well, yes, yes, I have. Our dealer's prices are very reasonable. Their prices were better than local part stores for oil, oil filters, fuel filters, etc. The 48HP Yanmar engine which is in my JD tractor, has not had an issue, so I can't compare prices because I have not needed too.


Later,
Dan

[Cheechako]

I would probably go with Beta also, not a big Yanmar fan. But if you are removing a Yanmar and that makes installation a breeze I might go that way.

If I were you I would look at possible engines that create the HP you need at less than high rpm. It will be a longer lasting engine and your boat wont sound like an airplane.

[sailing_gal]

I was in the same situation a number of years ago when I had to repower my Island Packet. I had a wonderful marine engineer/mechanic who was going to do the work. He felt that the Beta was the superior engine. The boat's original equipment was a Yanmar. I had him price out the two. Basically, the cost came out to about the same because although the Beta was a cheaper engine, there was more labor involved in retrofitting it, whereas the Yanmar would be much easier to place. At any rate, he tried hard to talk me into the Beta. I finally called the broker who had sold the boat to me. She sold alot of Island Packets. I also knew that in the near future I was going to be trading up to a larger boat and I was concerned about resale value. Her response was unequivocal, put in the Yanmar because in an IP, anything else would decrease value. So, that is what I did and I sold the boat about about a year later.

So, several considerations here. Both are excellent engines. Both have parts you can get anywhere in the world. Consider the issue of installing an engine with a different footprint and consider whether you intend to sell the boat and what future buyers would expect. Whichever way you go, if you are keeping the boat, you will be happy.

[blubaju]

Originally Posted by dannc

High parts cost of Yanmar are a surprise to me.


Yanmar engines are used in tractors sold by Yanmar and JD. Might be in other brands too. Have people tried to source engine parts from tractor dealers?


Later,
Dan

Yes, since 30 years ;-)

[cottonsail]

Just installed a brand new Volvo Penta D2-50F with trans. I would NOT do it again nor would I recommend Volvo. Got 50 hours on the engine and it is really sweet. Asking for technical information from Volvo is impossible. Volvo acts like they are giving military intelligence to the enemy. In the boatyard where I did the engine change the boat next to me was swapping out to a Beta. I'd go Beta.

[Sailingmartin]

Have just repowered our Rival 36 with a Beta 35 and am waiting to use it once I can get the boat back in the water post Covid. Have had boats with Volvo and Yanmars and would choose Beta every time for ease of maintenance and simplicity. The Rival had a Bukh 36, another great engine but 30 years old, thirsty and heavy. Had a Beta 38 on another 36 ft sail boat and never missed a beat.

[davenrino]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

For me, no question. Beta for reasons stated. I like heft in a diesel. Beta has indeed proven itself over the years.

In my opinion, the common rail item is huge for a cruiser. If the yanmar is common rail and the beta is not, I personally would go beta for that reason alone. Common rail is fantastic technology but requires incredibly clean fuel, a commodity sometimes in short supply when cruising. I don't know that the yanmar is common rail, but if it is, I'd dismiss it for that reason alone.

I chose the 3YM20 because there are 2 Yanmar dealers here and no Beta dealers. Parts prices weren't a huge consideration with my 5 year warranty. Hopefully I won't need many parts in what's left of my life (69 yo). I only put 50 hours on it the first year. The 3YM30 is basically the same engine as mine and has NO ELECTRONICS. Anything bigger than the 30 does.

[onestepcsy37]

i had a perkins when perkins was one of the most widely used engines in the world - no trouble finding parts or mechanics.


now it's kubota. get a kubota (betamarine).....