September 8

Need your advice: Getting a diesel engine

9  comments

Rustedengine
Dear Sailing Blogging Community,

I need your advice. My 26′ S2 has a very unreliable outboard engine. It sucks and I want to bury it. It may be that my best option is to get an inboard. Something like a 15-20 HP diesel. I have questions and if you have some advice I would love your thoughts:

1. Should I invest in an inboard or just get a new outboard?
2. Does anyone have a clue how much this will cost?
3. What horror stories do you have?


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  1. I don’t think the 20,000 quote is correct. The boat I race on is a Bristol 35.5 and the owner put in a new 30hp diesel for around 11,000. Another crew member has a Pearson 30 and he put in a new diesel, probably around 20hp, and I think it ran him around 8,000.

  2. $20,000! Egads. On what planet and what currency?
    I just priced several options for our Cal 34′. The current Westerbeke 30 runs fine but the V-Drive is burnt toast and parts are no longer available for either. I plan to buy a marinized Kubota engine from Sound Marine Diesel LLC called a Beta Marine. The quote for the engine, panel, wiring transmission and mounts is $9,200 USD. Installation quote is approximately $3,500 USD.
    On the other hand, the new Harbor 25 has a nifty little inboard mounted outboard engine. Must be a heck of a lot cheaper. Ask a LOT of questions B4 you buy. Good luck.

  3. I have read your blog off and on and have never left a comment before…
    I think I may be more of a ‘KISS’ type, you know…keep it simple stupid… My thoughts on the above question are (as if anyone is really interested):
    1- How long do you plan on keeping this particular boat? If you’re keeping her like skin then maybe going with an inboard diesel would be worth the time and $$$$ investment. I’ve found used at an affordable price in my area and even new at a reasonable price.
    2- If you’re not keeping her until your age/health grounds you, then maybe the best thing is finding a good used (or spring for new) outboard with a bit more power. That way you don’t spend time fighting to install a new engine and all the wiring etc. and you can be back out on the water faster.
    Having worked on my boats diesel engine I know that I’d rather be sailing than crawling around in small spaces with prickly fiberglass trying to retro fit a diesel engine!

  4. Adam, my friend Jasper does the best research of anyone I know. he’s got an old (1958) Chesapeake 32 and last year his westebeke gas blew a head gasket. over the winter he decided on a Beta Marine Diesel. I think all in, including new shaft and prop and electronic control panel it’s close to 10k, but I’ll check. We just got her in yesterday and had some fuel line things to work out, but, uncommon for brit engineering, the thing runs like a dream. Kubota block. pretty quiet. 20hp. not cheap, but for what you get you pay, not a bad deal. I can put him in touch with you and should be posting on this bit of improvement to his boat Jose as soon as he sends the photo’s of the Beta. Drop me a line if you’d like me to connect you.
    thomas

  5. Stick with an outboard for better sailing. The additional weight, potential for problems, and significantly less motoring speed for the dollar make the inboard diesel less attractive. If you already had an inboard that’s one thing, but to add one doesn’t make much sense when a new outboard is a fraction of the cost and will give you better speed. Good luck.

  6. We replace our faryman 24hp with a kubota 20hp tractor engine. We marinised it ourselves and installed it on our Bayfield 32c with the help of our son-in-law, an automotive mechanic. Next time I would buy an outboard, easier to access and repair and it you really have had enough just drop the g.d. thing in the drink.

  7. I forgot to add that our kubota installed cost us just under 5 grand. Mind you it was a few years old with about 100 hours on it.

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