New Engine for a Four Tonner

Someone else has also suggested to me that she might be a Johnson & Jago built boat - possibly to a Reg Freeman design. As there is very little info about either to be found and absolutely no builder's marks on her, I'll probably never know.

I keep hoping, though ......
 
Keith 66 said:
I would lay money on her being a Johnson & Jago built boat. As for engines, I would not consider a vire at any price, lots of boats in our club have had them & all were unreliable. The Dolphin on the other hand is extremely reliable, smooth & powerful. If going petrol its the only sensible option. Personally i would go for a Beta 10 anything more will be overkill.
Click to expand...

People's views of Vire engines seem to be very 'Marmite'; I've heard from several people elsewhere who loved them - if well maintained. I understand what you say about Dolphins and have good reports elsewhere about the later models. The difficulty is that it is hard to track down one to be used as the basis for an engine rebuild.
The two-stroke options remain interesting because of their high power to weight/size ratios. Size is an issue because the space available (though it would fit - just - a smaller diesel) is tight - probably originally had a Stuart Turner in it.
 
Beta 14 every time. Same weight as the 10 but a little more grunt when you need it. Of course you need a prop to lay the power down, etc.
 
PhillM said:
Beta 14 every time. Same weight as the 10 but a little more grunt when you need it. Of course you need a prop to lay the power down, etc.
Click to expand...

Beta recommend a 12" diameter by 9" pitch for the 14, which would fit in the space available in the stern post. The old prop is 12" diameter (no idea what pitch) left hand (for the YSB8) on a 3/4" bronze shaft. If I go down this route (and it's looking increasingly likely that I might), I'm hoping that a 3/4" stainless shaft will be OK for the torque exerted by this setup. There isn't really any meat left in the sternpost to bore out for a wider sterntube !
 
If you are thinking about Beta, give them a call their MD (iirc - Andrew Growcott) was really helpful. When I did mine, he gave a whole load of good advice pre-sale. In the end we did a combo of some professionals and some DIY for the installation. When I collected, he met me, showed me round the factory and then talked me over my new engine. He even asked his local dealer (who had lost the deal to my self-install) to come over and check out the install, on Beta's behalf. Excellent service.
 
I have a Dolphin direct drive in my garden shed complete with the funny swept prop and shaft and an unused stainless dry exhaust from Dolphin. Bought off a chap with an Elizabethan ( I think) some years ago, sent it to Dolphin to check over and they renewed the wiring and so on.
I spent too much then sold the boat I was going to put it in. Dur!
That must have been late 90s early 2000s I guess but could check. So has been in the shed a while! But it is dry etc. Open to offers but it is in West Sussex.
 
dur said:
I have a Dolphin direct drive in my garden shed complete with the funny swept prop and shaft and an unused stainless dry exhaust from Dolphin. Bought off a chap with an Elizabethan ( I think) some years ago, sent it to Dolphin to check over and they renewed the wiring and so on.
I spent too much then sold the boat I was going to put it in. Dur!
That must have been late 90s early 2000s I guess but could check. So has been in the shed a while! But it is dry etc. Open to offers but it is in West Sussex.
Click to expand...

Many thanks for letting me know. Still undecided which way I'm going to jump, but I'll bear it in mind.
 
goskar said:
I have a good yse8 for sale, I removed it from my Hustler 25,5 and installed a new Beta 14..
Click to expand...

Very kind of you to mention it, but I'm afraid that another Yanmar YS lump is the last thing I want ....... the YSB8 that I removed took up half the cockpit footwell space !
Are you happy with the Beta 14 ? I'm increasingly thinking that that's the way I'll go (probably used, though, if I can find one). What diameter propshaft and size of prop have you used with it ?
 
The Beta is excellent. (Im a retired marine mechanic) Shaft is 1in. Prop is 13x9 Darglow Flexifold. (new) 2 blade. You will need to upsize your exhaust dia. to 2in, as they require more water than the Yanmar. They are half the weight of the yse . come with a loom wiring system and dash assy. Mine started first touch and never faltered . (gravity fuel system) . You will need a prop anode as the engine one is a bit small. Im restoring a 17ft Harrison Butler built in 1938 by Mashfords . called Cariad.
 
Would be interested in any info on your Cariad, we have a 1928 21' Cyclone.



goskar said:
The Beta is excellent. (Im a retired marine mechanic) Shaft is 1in. Prop is 13x9 Darglow Flexifold. (new) 2 blade. You will need to upsize your exhaust dia. to 2in, as they require more water than the Yanmar. They are half the weight of the yse . come with a loom wiring system and dash assy. Mine started first touch and never faltered . (gravity fuel system) . You will need a prop anode as the engine one is a bit small. Im restoring a 17ft Harrison Butler built in 1938 by Mashfords . called Cariad.
Click to expand...
 
Ive had Cariad for 21 years, Shes a Mashford built 17ft, (scaled down z ) ! identical lines (i superimposed drawings over a photo)
I restored her and sailed her for a few years , She sails Very well. Shes in my work shop in Hayle Cwll, in primer having another tidy up ..
 
That has been on the market for some time listed with Wooden Ships.

Was a time when boats of that pedigree were being snapped up as soon as they hit the market, but times have changed and they seem to have gone out of fashion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top