Beta vs Yanmar (30hp inboard) ?

[Boo2]

Hi,

What do forumites think is the better engine on the 30hp inboard stakes - the Beta BD1005 or the Yanmar 3YM30 ? Any gotchas to look out for when buying/speccing a new engine ?

Also, is it "Better" or "Beater" ?

Thanks,

Boo2

 

[sailorman]

Hi,

What do forumites think is the better engine on the 30hp inboard stakes - the Beta BD1005 or the Yanmar 3YM30 ? Any gotchas to look out for when buying/speccing a new engine ?

Also, is it "Better" or "Beater" ?

Thanks,

Boo2

How about the Nanni 30 hp
there are good deals to be had @ present

http://www.peachment.co.uk/product.asp?id=20&cid=3

 

[vyv_cox]

It is the opinion of many that Yanmar make the best marine diesel and you will find many such statements and long-life anecdotes on these pages. However, they are most definitely not the cheapest, especially when the cost of spares comes into the equation (recent post - £38 for a gearbox dipstick!)

So if you are looking for an engine that will do 10,000 hours plus with no trouble, then it's a Yanmar. If you are not intending keeping the boat for 20 years or more, then I feel sure the Beta, or the Nanni, will do you very well. Not that I am knocking either of these two and have a lot of respect for Kubota engines. But everything wears/rusts out in the end and it seems that day is later with a Yanmar.

 

[Yakker55]

Not so sure about Yanmar

I have had both Beta and Nanni engines. Both were excellent and gave 1000's of hours of completely trouble free service.

My brother on the other hand has a Yanmar and it is a pig!

How about a poll?

 

[michael_w]

Delighted with my new 31 hp Westerbeke. The base engine is a 1.3 Three cylinder Mitsubishi. Considerably smaller and cheaper than the Yanmar, More CCs and less revs than the Kubota/Nanni/Beta lump.

Electric lift pump so you never have to bleed the fuel line.

 

[Talulah]

Personally the Yanmar.
I have experience with both.
Both were realiable, easy to install etc.
The extra weight of the BD1005 really affected the lay of the vessel. The stern of the boat squatted down. It was significantly heavier and I subsequently wished I had gone for a Yanmar.
The other disappointing factor with the Beta engine is the switch panel. Frankly - it's very disappointing.
I have recently fitted a new Nanni Engine switch panel. Whilst they all fit the same guages etc the Nanni engine panel was much nicer than the Yanmar. I have no experience of Nanni engines.
However, if I was fitting out a canal boat the the Beta would be the preferred choice.

 

[sailorman]

Personally the Yanmar.
I have experience with both.
Both were realiable, easy to install etc.
The extra weight of the BD1005 really affected the lay of the vessel. The stern of the boat squatted down. It was significantly heavier and I subsequently wished I had gone for a Yanmar.
The other disappointing factor with the Beta engine is the switch panel. Frankly - it's very disappointing.
I have recently fitted a new Nanni Engine switch panel. Whilst they all fit the same guages etc the Nanni engine panel was much nicer than the Yanmar. I have no experience of Nanni engines.
However, if I was fitting out a canal boat the the Beta would be the preferred choice.

Beta`s seem to like lots of anodes to eat

 

[Searush]

I had the Yanmar installed about 3-4 years ago & absolutely delighted with it. No experience of any of the others.

 

[sailorman]

I had the Yanmar installed about 3-4 years ago & absolutely delighted with it. No experience of any of the others.

my Nanni 37.5hp done over 700 hrs since i installed it only prob i had to replace the exhaust elbow last Feb after 6 yrs. it cost £80

 

[Tranona]

Just replaced a Yanmar with a Nanni. Nothing wrong with the Yanmar (1GM) but not really powerful enough for the boat. Would have had another Yanmar if the new 15 would have fitted physically - the Nanni went straight in with only minor mods such as raising the beds, changing the water inlet and re-routing the exhaust.

I have also had excellent service out of a Volvo 2030 in another boat. So not so sure there is a "best". The new production boat market is roughly 50/50 Volvo/Yanmar, but the aftermarket (in the UK at least) is dominated by Beta and Nanni. Put this down to price and a willingness to customise the package. The only negative seems to be the heat exchanger on the Beta and its appetite for anodes.

Its a bit like modern cars, competition drives products to homegeneity, so bad products disappear and quality/reliability and long life are assumed. I joke that the deciding factor in my recent purchase was blue is my favourite colour and is co-ordinated with the boat colour scheme although there are minor (but important to me) differences between the Beta and Nanni.

Key things on a re-engine project are access to service points, compatability with existing components that can be re-used, ease of fitting to existing beds and connecting up to existing stern gear.

 

[Coaster]

To answer one of the OP's questions I believe it's "Beater", as in the Greek letter and in the phonetic alphabet.

The other disappointing factor with the Beta engine is the switch panel. Frankly - it's very disappointing.

Which panel did you choose? One of the attractions of the Beta range is the extensive options list. I'm very pleased with the panel we chose.

 

[sailorman]

Just replaced a Yanmar with a Nanni. Nothing wrong with the Yanmar (1GM) but not really powerful enough for the boat. Would have had another Yanmar if the new 15 would have fitted physically - the Nanni went straight in with only minor mods such as raising the beds, changing the water inlet and re-routing the exhaust.

I have also had excellent service out of a Volvo 2030 in another boat. So not so sure there is a "best". The new production boat market is roughly 50/50 Volvo/Yanmar, but the aftermarket (in the UK at least) is dominated by Beta and Nanni. Put this down to price and a willingness to customise the package. The only negative seems to be the heat exchanger on the Beta and its appetite for anodes.

Its a bit like modern cars, competition drives products to homegeneity, so bad products disappear and quality/reliability and long life are assumed. I joke that the deciding factor in my recent purchase was blue is my favourite colour and is co-ordinated with the boat colour scheme although there are minor (but important to me) differences between the Beta and Nanni.

Key things on a re-engine project are access to service points, compatability with existing components that can be re-used, ease of fitting to existing beds and connecting up to existing stern gear.

i think the Volvo / Yanmar issue with new builds is that engines are not invoiced until boat is actually sold / handed over so no initial capital outlay by manufacturer

 

[Talulah]

Which panel did you choose? One of the attractions of the Beta range is the extensive options list. I'm very pleased with the panel we chose.

I've done a couple of Beta panels. (2 years since the last one.)
They were made out of Perspex and looked very amateurish. I had no cofidence in them being waterproof from the front.

 

[Coaster]

I've done a couple of Beta panels. (2 years since the last one.)
They were made out of Perspex and looked very amateurish. I had no cofidence in them being waterproof from the front.

This is the current range of panels. We chose the ABVW model as we didn't want to use a key. I can't swear to the materials used as I'm away from the boat but our panel seems to be robust enough.

 

[PetiteFleur]

To answer one of the OP's questions I believe it's "Beater", as in the Greek letter and in the phonetic alphabet.




Which panel did you choose? One of the attractions of the Beta range is the extensive options list. I'm very pleased with the panel we chose.

I also have a Beta and the panel with all the gauges - seems OK - 600hrs so far, but it would be nice if all the gauges had the same colour backlight......... Why did they do that? Having specified panels in the past, it's no problem to get the backlights the same!
And they do eat anodes but the base engine, a Kubota diesel is excellent and Beta will do mods like wider engine feet etc for a small extra cost(which some manufacturers just won't do - like Vetus(Mitsubishi based) but the Vetus would have been much cheaper.)

 

[sailorman]

I also have a Beta and the panel with all the gauges - seems OK - 600hrs so far, but it would be nice if all the gauges had the same colour backlight......... Why did they do that? Having specified panels in the past, it's no problem to get the backlights the same!
And they do eat anodes but the base engine, a Kubota diesel is excellent and Beta will do mods like wider engine feet etc for a small extra cost(which some manufacturers just won't do - like Vetus(Mitsubishi based) but the Vetus would have been much cheaper.)

My Nanni has no anodes

 

[Blueboatman]

I thought there is a well known design issue concerning the exhaust/water feed on the newer Yanmar 30s?

I hope that by the time I have to think about a GM30 replacement, that will have been resolved and some indication out there of the true durability of the new units..But at current condition and useage that may be a good 10 years away..He says

 

[Tranona]

i think the Volvo / Yanmar issue with new builds is that engines are not invoiced until boat is actually sold / handed over so no initial capital outlay by manufacturer

Think this is a bit of an exaggeration. They may both offer extended payment terms, but for a company like Bavaria that is relatively unimportant. My boat was started on a Monday, finished by Friday, so engine fitted around Wednesday and shipped the next Tuesday - but I paid for it the week before. As this was all planned 6 months previously when I ordered the boat I doubt the engine was in the factory for more than a week.

The point I was making is that neither brand dominates and some builders use both in different models. If one were clearly better than another you would expect them to dominate. Equally if one produced duff products you would expect a quick change in preference.

 

[stevebirch2002]

I'm a wee bit biased as I've fitted a few Betas to Vegas. I went round every engine manufacturer when first looking for an engine replacement. Beta were the only company that seemed interested, were happy to go that extra mile. Their aftersales is second to none. Prices are keen and always willing to help with advice and suggestions.

Steve B

 

[Drummond]

I had a 21 HP Nanni in my H28. Easy to maintain, no anodes and very reliable. I couldn't even fry the alternator when the connections fell off. Less agricultural looking than the Beta and bigger alternator as standard. At least that is the case in Auckland.