What would you replace a MD7A with

[PhillM]

Great advice, thank you.

Looking at the website, Beta have loads of dealers listed around the country but Nani only seem to list a small number. It does look like there are more places to get service.

Re prop / power, I'm going to have a chat with a couple of dealers Monday. We currently have a fixed 3 balde prop. I think that we have enough space for a larger prop and could make the appeture larger if needed.

Re power, our current engine gives enough to do 4kn on flat water but against the ebb on the hamble we get no more than 1kn SOG. Id really like to improve that as it takes over an hour to get from the river enterence to the marina.

 

[RichardTaylor]

No direct expereince, but Scott at TS Marine (Universal Marina, Swanwick) seems to be the man for Beta?

 

[Tranona]

Great advice, thank you.

Looking at the website, Beta have loads of dealers listed around the country but Nani only seem to list a small number. It does look like there are more places to get service.

Re prop / power, I'm going to have a chat with a couple of dealers Monday. We currently have a fixed 3 balde prop. I think that we have enough space for a larger prop and could make the appeture larger if needed.

Re power, our current engine gives enough to do 4kn on flat water but against the ebb on the hamble we get no more than 1kn SOG. Id really like to improve that as it takes over an hour to get from the river enterence to the marina.

Service is not necessarily a big issue. The key service parts are widely available for both engines - they are the same base Kubota engine - and apart from filters, belts and impellers (plus anodes for the Beta) there is little need for spares. If you are getting it fitted professionally then your choice is likely to be influenced by your choice of installer. If DIY not a lot to choose between them based on my experience of making the choice. I ended up with a Nanni, largely because my perception is that the heat exchanger is better engineered, but a close call.

 

[laika]

Any Gotch's I should be loking out for?

Might be obvious, maybe not: When selecting a new engine, think about how you're going to access everything for maintenance in the context of your engine bay: The "service side" may be the opposite side to what your boat was designed for. Undoubtedly most engineering companies will tell you the engine they are an agent for will fit fine, but "fine" may not include optimal access to everything

 

[fishermantwo]

Great advice, thank you.

Looking at the website, Beta have loads of dealers listed around the country but Nani only seem to list a small number. It does look like there are more places to get service.

Re prop / power, I'm going to have a chat with a couple of dealers Monday. We currently have a fixed 3 balde prop. I think that we have enough space for a larger prop and could make the appeture larger if needed.

Re power, our current engine gives enough to do 4kn on flat water but against the ebb on the hamble we get no more than 1kn SOG. Id really like to improve that as it takes over an hour to get from the river enterence to the marina.

Just be aware that your speed will depend on your water line length, not horsepower. Presuming your yacht is not going to jump on the plane. Square root of the waterline length in feet multiplied by 1.3.

 

[LittleSister]

We have a Beta 14....
It was fitted by a Beta agent somehwhere in the East Solent for the previous owner, who has done a nice job. I will try to find the name of the agent for you.

It was Harbour Engineering, Chichester.

 

[colhel]

Is it worth considering electric? There's a little peice about them in PBO, the Green Star offers models of 10hp and upwards in shaft drive, and the figures quoted (in the mag) are from £7692 for the Green star and from £8676 for the Ocean Volt.

http://www.oceanvolt.com/images/oceanvolt_blue_background.jpg

http://greenstarmarine.se/en/

 

[PhillM]

Is it worth considering electric? There's a little peice about them in PBO, the Green Star offers models of 10hp and upwards in shaft drive, and the figures quoted (in the mag) are from £7692 for the Green star and from £8676 for the Ocean Volt.

http://www.oceanvolt.com/images/oceanvolt_blue_background.jpg

http://greenstarmarine.se/en/

Nice idea but I dont think I could quite bring myself to make the, what must be inevitable radio call "Pan pan, Pan Pan, this is yacht .... my battries are flat - can I have a tow off this lee shore please?"

I very much like the idea of electric motors but as I dont even trust my laptop or iphone to work for a whole day without being plugged in I don't see myself trusting my life to battery power just yet.

Now, if there was a small portable sealed Nuclear reacter I could have to charge the batteries, that might be an option. Until then Diesel it is.