Nanni and Beta engine difference

[robert sailor]

Beta are no longer the cheap seats but they are excellent products. Sure am happy with our new 50 hp , runs like a top and is very easy to service.

[Kokanee]

I considered the 38 hp Beta vs the 38 hp Nanni when re-powerng last year.

Besides the heat exchanger and exhaust elbow there are a few other differences.

• The Beta is 38 hp @ 3600 rpm; the Nanni is 38 hp @ 3000 rpm.

• The Beta gives maximum 55 ft/lbs of torque @2200 rpm ; the Nanni gives 70 ft lbs of torque @ 2100 rpm

• A 100 amp alternator on the Nanni is standard; Its an optional extra on the Beta.

• The quote I got for the Nanni was $1000 less than the price for the Beta.

In the end - I went with a 42 hp Vetus, (Mitsubishi based) and am happy with my decision.

[Broadreach 6241]

I repowered my Walker H28 with a WM28 12 months ago and my son has the WM35 in his Jarkan 10.6m. I really like the design with all the routine servicing components at the front of the engine. The heat exchanger construction is also an improvement on most of the others. I have seen the workshop and assembly and testing at the Mona Vale (Sydney) workshop, very easy to deal with John Witchard.

Previously I had 2 x Bukh DV20 in the H28. They were great engines once but the support from the Beta agents who are also the Bukh agents in Sydney turned me right off. Biggest mistake was to install a "reconditioned" DV20.

[takeabow40]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I'm reviewing options for a repower and in doing so I've picked up that the red Beta engine and the blue Nanni engine both are Kubutta engines. Does anyone know if there are any significant differences with them?

no both kubotas but different displacement I just bought 2 betas 5 yr warranty cant go wrong

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by takeabow40

no both kubotas but different displacement I just bought 2 betas 5 yr warranty cant go wrong

What do you mean 'different displacement'?

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by zstine

Here is the BIG difference between Nanni and Beta. Beta helps you get parts and will even give you generic part numbers (just look at their web page) while Nanni has NO USA parts suppliers that I can find. I'm always told by the Nanni suppliers that they have to order the parts from France. They wanted ~$1,000 for the starter motor!
Buy a Beta if you are in the America's... in Europe, maybe a Nanni is better.

I have a 37.5hp Nanni 4.150HE based on the V1505 block... sim to Beta 38. Wish I had the Beta

Just went through this myself with the starter on one of my Nanni's. Nanni wanted $300 for a starter, but it was easy enough to find a starter for the base engine, Kubota 1105, on ebay for $30. I was even able to find the exact serial number by reading it off of the back of a paint chip on the starter.

Now that Waterways in no longer in business the parts dealers do have to order from France, which is annoying and means a bit of a wait.

[sailingfarmer]

Everyone I talked to says go Beta .... They gave up on Yanmar as the go to replacement engine once the electronics took over.

[takeabow40]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

What do you mean 'different displacement'?

more c/c.s bigger bore Kubota make dozens of small displacement motors you will notice the beta and nanni as well as sole are all different h/p only a couple but each is based on a different block the exchangers and water pumps are added by the marinizers I like beta because everything is at the front of the motor don't need to be a contortionist to change the impellor

[Cheechako]

All else being equal I would go Beta. Nanni seems to try engines and then abandon the parts stream when they go to the next engine. At least on this side of the pond...

[sailingfarmer]

Given the choice of 2 identical boats but with different engines....one being a Beta (Kubota) and one being a Yanmar... I pick the one with the Beta Kubota engine

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

All else being equal I would go Beta. Nanni seems to try engines and then abandon the parts stream when they go to the next engine. At least on this side of the pond...

I can still get new parts for my (at least) 25 year Nanni in australia, of course they are quite expensive, but at least they seem to still be supporting them in australia anyway.

Beta make a good engine. At the moment service is very good. As the company expands hopefully they will continue to offer the same suport at a good price.

But none of the big engine manufacturers have been able to provide worldwide stock of spare parts for obsolete engines at a cheap price, and I doubt Beta will be able to as well unless they go for a more centralized approach.

Even then, when they are down to the last 50 exhaust manifolds for a very old out of production engine, economics mean that the price for that part will skyrocket.

[Snowpetrel]

Saying that if I was buying new at the moment beta or WM would be top of my list. I like the way Beta promote the use of standard kubota and other parts rather than the specific beta item if possible. With my Nanni I got stock O rings for the heat exchanger for $1 each rather than the $16 for the nanni ones. There is a nagging worry that they are slightly different, but they seem to work just as well (so far!). Beta's openness is a refreshing change.

Volvo once tried to charge a friend $50 for a 6mmx 40mm bolt. Thats just stupid! Very bad marketing, Even the dealer was embarrassed about it when he looked it up. My friend went to an engineering shop and bought the right bolt for under a dollar.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[sailingfarmer]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

I can still get new parts for my (at least) 25 year Nanni in australia, of course they are quite expensive, but at least they seem to still be supporting them in australia anyway.

Beta make a good engine. At the moment service is very good. As the company expands hopefully they will continue to offer the same suport at a good price.

But none of the big engine manufacturers have been able to provide worldwide stock of spare parts for obsolete engines at a cheap price, and I doubt Beta will be able to as well unless they go for a more centralized approach.

Even then, when they are down to the last 50 exhaust manifolds for a very old out of production engine, economics mean that the price for that part will skyrocket.

That's like worrying about the cost of aspirin after you are dead...

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by sailingfarmer

That's like worrying about the cost of aspirin after you are dead...

True! But its a matter of principle1

[Rustic Charm]

Update -

I went for a Beta 50 and installed it at the end of 2018. Now we are in 2023 I still only have 370 hours on the Beta but I’ve had zero problems with it. Circumnavigation of Tassie in early 2022 and it performed flawlessly.

Fitting the Beta was a dream. Very easy to self fit in replacement for the old green death VP 2003T.

I’ve not had the corrosion problems that many have had with the pencil zinc. Mine lasts about six months. But being a steel boat I have some zincs on the hull that may be covering the engine.

Oddly enough, in July 2022 I purchased another sail boat, a 36 foot pilot house sloop with a Yanmar engine with 620 hours. It’s a 3JH4E engine so 39hp. So I’m back to traversing my home port river with attention to tides or I simply can’t make way. I still have the ketch with the Beta and last week I serviced both. Beta is so much easier to service than the Yanmar.

The main difference I’ve noticed so far, apart from HP is that the Yanmar is much quieter than the Beta. Much quieter.