Testimonials

I wanted to share some positive feedback for Lisa.About a year ago I bought a sailboat with an old (1993) Beta Marine engine in it. Since then I’ve needed to do loads of work to the engine, ranging from small things to large, and throughout this time Lisa has been an incredible resource. She took my serial # and looked up all the engine stats; she’s answered countless emails about what I have (what raw water pump, etc), as well as what I need. She always responds very quickly and has been courteous and helpful too. If I bought another engine, I would buy a Beta, and service like what I’ve gotten from Lisa is the reason why. Thanks, congrats Lisa, and keep up the great work!

Michael Dougherty = Happy Customer

I have replaced the alternator on my Beta 50 Marine engine with a new Balmar Series 6 120 amp alternator driven by a serpentine belt that required two new pulleys on the engine. You supplied the parts and I installed them in the Bahamas. After testing the new installation it was determined the new alternator’s internal regulator was not working and Balmar agreed to replace it with a new unit when we returned the boat to the US and were in Oriental. Last week we did that and the new alternator is working as advertised.

I want to thank you for helping to get this problem resolved and in for particular for the help that Farron supplied during the process. Farron reinstalled the primary engine pulley because I had not installed it fully. He reprogrammed the tachometer so it now reads RPMs correctly and he provided me with much valuable information that I will use going forward to maintain the engine system properly. In my opinion it was a level of service one does not find very often.

Charles Springett, S/V Ariel

The engine is a pure delight. It starts in a “blink”, idles well, accepts throttle advance smoothly, its relatively quiet and very smooth.

Fred

I have been behind in getting this out, but wanted to bring you up to date on my latest Ambitious project that was the re-powering to a Beta 30. This was a great learning curve with only a few oh-!!@@##. What I came away with was the following:

1. Beta Marine, and specifically Farron Peffer, were a tremendous resource in the whole process.
2. The prerequisite measurement for the custom made engine mounts is not to be trifled with. If the engine is installed, budget 2 days for measuring all the parameters. One day to take the data, and another to figure why the numbers don’t add up.
3. The original exhaust system must be modified. At least in my boat, the exhaust and water mixer was well above the manifold without the benefit of a water-lock or a gooseneck. I found in both cases that vetus products fit well and fulfilled all the design requirements for drop below the water line and space requirements for the gooseneck. You will need a anti-siphon in there somewhere. In my case, that fit well in the starboard locker as high up as it could be mounted. For our boats a “high rise” water injection elbow is needed from Beta Marine as optional equipment. You will be impressed by how much lower the Beta sits in the engine room than the old Westerbeast.
4. Upon engine removal, take a good look at your drive shaft. I, unfortunately waited till hooking things back to the new motor to realize that the coupling end of the shaft was complete rubbish. Also, there was a minor bend in the shaft that ultimately led to a new shaft at the cost of 1 week down time.
5. The electrical system will need a little tweak. In my case, the previous Alternator supply line was very undersized even before “super sizing” to 120 amp alternator. Check all your grounding system and also the A+ lines for your installation so as to save time later on.
6. Prop pitch will need to be adjusted-but not much. I have a 16″ Max Prop installation that was recommended by the manufacturer for a 20′ pitch based on the new PRM80 2.5:1 transmission and the 3600 max engine rpm. This turned out to be a bit over propped. In actuality, a 19′ degree would have been about right. Since the Max Prop only is adjustable in 2′ degree increments, I had to go down to 18′ degrees to achieve max engine rpm.

Steve Christensen

Check out my photo album on the Seawind members site under “Beta 30”.

Last year I installed a new Beta 16 in my 1975 Catalina 30. It took quite a while to complete the installation, since I had to replace just about everything involved with the power system, exhaust, cooling water intake, prop, shaft, engine beds, etc., but since the job was completed, I’ve been nothing but delighted with the outcome. Because the boat wasn’t relaunched until last fall, I kept her in the water over the very mild winter, and got her out much earlier than normal this spring. The new engine was been a joy to operate. I was a bit uneasy about whether it would be powerful enough to move the boat comfortably, but I’m no longer concerned about that. I have made over 7 kts at 3,000 rpm, with more power in reserve. The engine always starts instantly and behaves itself beautifully. I was especially happy to find this engine fits completely within my engine compartment, without “doming” up the dinette seat above it. It’s really a very neat installation. My success with this job has inspired me to do a more complete restoration on the boat. Thanks again for your help and advice.

Mike Pence

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I first installed my new Beta Marine 25HP in my 1970 Pearson 33, II Dolphins.

What a difference it makes to have “new diesel technology”, as you explained, over my old 1983 Volvo MD11D raw water cooled 2 cylinder noisy, heavy engine. The Beta is really a dream come true. The old Volvo weighted in at almost 450 lbs and the Beta including the crate and spare parts only weighted in at maybe 250 lbs. It was very straight forward to install, especially your advice on getting the aluminum angle for the new beds.

The Wilmington Prop Shop made my new 1″ shaft and sold me the new 3 blade fixed bronze prop 13 X 10 50% BAR as per your recommendation. I still can’t believe how quiet and smooth it runs and how much more power I have when needed. We also have ample hot water for showers now.

Sometimes I even get around to putting some diesel in the fuel tank, but it doesn’t use very much! More than 1/3 but less than 1/2 gallon per hour! I can easily cruise at 2000 rpm and and reach almost 6 knots. Every time I crank up, the engine will turn over maybe 2 times prior to starting and I have yet to use the glow plugs when it’s cold. Amazing!

The boat is ready to go cruising now because the Beta 25 is the heart of the boat and we feel so very confident in how solid this engine is. Many thanks to you and your staff in the professional and fun way you conduct your business and for the great advice and assistance that was offered during the engine upgrade. Josh Roberts of Specialized Mechanical Services made his final blessing on the installation on 2 June 2009 and then we were off and running again.

Captain Ed Shires, S/V II Dolphins

As I’ve mentioned to you before, I absolutely love my new Beta Marine engine. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical that a 28hp engine would be big enough to push my Catalina C36 to near hull speed at wide open throttle. I’m glad I trusted your assessment that it would be more than adequate. Fully loaded with cruising gear, full tanks, and supplies, my boat weighs out at 18,600 lbs before anybody gets on board. I am amazed at how smooth, quiet, powerful, and fuel efficient this little engine is. With a fixed 3-blade 15×9, the engine can pull 3600 rpm and pushes the boat to 7.4K (full hull speed) with a clean bottom into a 2 ft. chop, and at more normal cruising rpm it burns around .6 gal/hr. Servicing the engine is a breeze, and oil changes have never been so easy, thanks largely to the hand pump on the front of the motor. My only monkey maneuvers occur when changing the transmission oil, and that’s no fault of Beta Marine. Catalina simply did not allow for sufficient room underneath when they configured the drive train mounting into the hull, and that would be with any engine/transmission mounted into this boat. I’m also glad I went with the 100A alternator. Since I rarely stay at a marina, and prefer to sail whenever possible, this has been very helpful in keeping juice in the batteries. Thanks for the help you’ve provided me along the way.

Darick, svYKnot

Come to beautiful, scenic Beaufort, North Carolina and take a harbor tour on the Waterbug. Enjoy the sites and see how the Beta 35 performs. www.waterbugtours.com

I have talked to you on the phone a few times over the past couple of years. I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to thank you for all the help. I replaced the old perkins 4-108 in my 36″ Islander Freeport in October of 06. The re-power took just over a week of work. I had never had done this sort of thing before and you handled all my questions about the existing exhaust system and the changes to it I should make (Larger diameter exhaust hose). I was bringing the Freeport back from the dead after she was written off from damages incurred during hurricane Ivan. The new Beta 37.5 hp when in without a hitch. After the rest of the repairs where done, we launched and took her out for a spin to see if the old prop was the right pitch. It was perfect. After ten minutes we came back to the dock, grabbed a few more items and left on a 2 month cruise down the ICW. The Beta ran perfectly with no problems. I checked the shaft alignment the first couple of days to make sure things had not settled and there were no problems. I often read about shaft alignment in mags and such and they seem to make it into a mysterious “Get an expert to do it” type of thing. It took maybe a hour of fiddling with the engine mount adjusting screws (Supplied with your engine) and that was it. I have checked it many times over the last couple of years (no change) and it just takes a couple of minutes, no big deal. I was a bit worried that I would be low on power replacing the perkins 50hp with the Beta 37.5. I can say after over 800 hours and one trip to the Bahamas and another to the SW Caribbean this summer that I have never wished for more power in any sea condition. This is my first sailboat and I never ran it with the perkins so I can not give a head to head comparison with the perkins but I have been on other sailboats with the 4-108 and they are a hell of a lot noisier and use more diesel. I generally motor at 5 knots at 18oo rpm and use less than 1/2 gal a hour. Having that shiny red diesel Humming away for over 800 hours without a problem has inspired our confidence in some tough sea conditions over the years. I probably change the filters and engine oil more than I need to but the little Beta asked for so little that it seems the least I should do for her. (Yes, I am a bit attached to her at this point). You were a bonus that I did not know I would be getting when buying a Beta Marine diesel, my own engine guy that would answer all of my of silly questions.

Charles Brantley

Thanks Beta Marine… I have to admit the service after the sale is excellent!

Walker Stephen

I love the engine! Some pictures of my repowering experience in a Pearson 35 with a BETA MARINE. I thought they might be of interest to you.

Leo W. Lotowycz

I am a year round sailor for 20 years. I re-powered my boat, a 1975 Westerly Conway 36, in 1998 with a beta marine engine, the 1305 (35 hp). The previous engine was a Volvo Penta MD 17. Since 1998 I have done several passages of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. I have sailed everywhere in the Caribbean, French Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji, Micronesia, Indonesia, Thailand, East and West coasts of North and South America etc.. Then I started to look to different latitudes, so I sailed in some of the most demanding places on the planet like Japan, Alaska, Patagonia and Antarctica, as well as rounding Cape Horn a couple of times. In the southern oceans I have been sailing a lot of time in severe conditions. Now I have on the engine more than 10,000 hours.In 14 years I have just done the normal maintenance and the engine is working great and it has never failed me during the worst conditions that a boat and his crew can expect to encounter. As you know next season 2014, I would like to sail in the Northwest passage. What I have to say? Thank god for Beta marine engines!

Feel free to give my contact information to any of your customers or to any one that want to share my experiences. Thanks a lot for your great support.

Andrea Pestarini, S/Y Mai Stracc

After new bottom paint and re-pitching the maxprop to 22 degrees, the Beta 50hp gets Klondike (Beneteau First 456 loaded down with cruising stuff) up to a solid 8 knots at 2800 rpm. We won’t spend much time motoring around at that speed, but its nice to know its there. Also put the new brush block in the 100A alternator for the external regulation, and while it maxes out at about 80A, I’m happy with that as it will last alot longer at 80 than at 100.. Thanks for all your helpful advice.

Don Radcliffe

I wanted to let you know how relieved I am to have as reliable, quiet and smooth running an engine as the Beta 13.5HP, which was installed on my Tartan 10 racing sailboat this summer. Having acquired the boat and had it entirely overhauled, the old engine (9HP Farryman) proved to be unreliable and the boat was vastly underpowered. I also had a brief spell with a Universal 12HP, which was noisy and everything was difficult to access. The Beta is a big improvement in every sense: it is much quieter, nearly 30lbs lighter than any other diesel its size, more fuel efficient and all items that require access are easy to get to. The oil pump makes changing the oil a snap.

I went with the larger of the three control panels and I feel at ease – it seems to report everything that the engine is doing and have even been told that it can be programmed to mix up a wicked dry gin martini! And it’s been a pleasure doing business with you, and your selling partner, Mr Joe Demers – you were both extremely knowledgeable, honest and provided me with fast service. Finally, my crew are particularly thankful – now the fastest T-10 in the fleet (at least under steam!), we are the first back at the docks, and the bar.

Robert Wilson

Finally met you at boat show this past week and thought you guys needed to hear some much earned praise. I repowered my Hughes 38 with the 28hp BD1005. My boat had a keel mounted engine (westerbeke 30 with a 3 point saddle) so many other dealers wanted nothing to do with me. Stan took the time to work with me and after trading schematics for several rounds he was able to manufacture motor mounts that work great and sit the motor nice and low in the keel. The motor runs well and pushes the boat without problem at 6.5 kts @2800rpm, and the motor sounds GREAT! I recommend Beta to anyone in the market. If you need anyone to help show a motor or have anyone on the fence in the Annapolis area have them shoot me an e-mail.

Aaron Freeman

I wish to thank you for your perseverance and help in fixing the BD-1005 Deluxe Panel problem that occurred during the re-power of our Pearson 35. You and Beta Marine provided excellent technical support and replacement parts to help us diagnose the problem. Once the problem was traced to a fault in the original factory wiring, Beta Marine immediately replaced the entire unit. The engine and new panel are working well.

Tony Lymneos, A Happy Customer

With the summer of 2004 under the keel and 135 hours on my new Beta, BD1005, 28hp I ended the season very pleased with the new motor and prop. Thanks to you, Stan for your help and advice in install and getting the new system up and running in ”Aurora”, my 1967, Morgan 34c sailboat.

As you may remember I spend the winter of 2004 trying to decide either to overhaul or replace my 1967, oil leaking Westerbeke (Perkins 4 –107) with a Paragon transmissions. My decision to replace the 36-50 hp Westerbeke was based on the overhaul cost, $4 -5,000 and the increasing difficulty in obtaining parts for both the engine and the transmission. And even then after the time an expense of an overhaul I still would have an older engine with a transmission that is nearly impossible to obtain parts for. Your help in confirming my weeks of research as to engine type and size was a great help. It is still hard to believe that a 28hp Beta would out performs the older 36-50hp Westerbeke (Perkins) 4 – 107. But it does!

I installed the Beta 1005 myself with the help of a friend. The hardest part was getting the older, much larger Westerbeke out and new smaller and lighter Beta in. Sure, there were other problems with the install but with your help I was able resolve them. Now with a new Beta engine, prop, drive shaft, PYI-PSS dripless, and Vetus engine controls I have new confidence in taking her anywhere.

Below are some photos of the completed install and again, thanks for your help. Please feel free to have other boaters contact me or to use this letter as you please.

Dennis Vitton

Thank you for introducing me to my new boat partner ‘Reddi”, a 16 HP Beta Marine engine. Since her installation in Beaufort NC I have traveled over 10,000 nautical miles from Beaufort to Panama, through to Canal and on to Hawaii where I stayed for six months before heading north to Victoria BC. During this whole journey ‘Reddi’ was indeed ready at a flick of a switch.

In Panama I was told that you had to be able to achieve 8 knts of speed while crossing Lake Gatan in between the two sets of locks or you would be penalized with a fine. So whilst waiting in Colon I took Omache, my Vancouver 27 sailboat for a spin. I was astonished to see that Omache topped out at 7.5 knots and this was with her fully laden. Quite amazing for a 27 foot boat.

Being a complete novice to engine swaps, I thank you for your help and patience in instructing me how to remove and install the new engine. Reddi is much smoother than my old 20 HP Bukh diesel and is more economical as well. I look forward to many more thousands of miles journeying with her at my side.

Elvin Letchford
S/V Omache, Vancouver 27

The new engine gauges arrived on Thursday. Installation was completed in about 20 minutes and everything works perfectly. Your assistance in this matter has been invaluable. Your excellent warranty service is unparalled in our sailing experience.

Now that our Beta is fully broken in (at 300 hours) we remain fully satisfied with its performance. The engine is clean, produces all the power we need and exhibits very reasonable fuel consumption. Our boat, Cabo Rico 38, now plies the waterways under power at a good 1 full knot faster than with our old production diesel at the same fuel consumption – and we have power to spare. We did not expect this as we took your recommendation and installed a Beta rated at a lower power output than our old diesel. Your advise on the matter proved right on the money – saved us a bundle at the same time.

Now that we are in the club, we meet a surprising number of sailors who have chosen Beta as a replacement power plant. Without exception these people have been very happy with their choice. Thanks again, and thanks to the ever personable Lisa for her timely and accurate performance of her duties.

Robert Benner & Constance Van Bussel

Just a quick note to tell you that since I installed your B1505 engine in our Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 we have cruised north to New England this past summer and are now cruising south to the Bahamas. We have motored in every conceivable weather condition from dead calms to roaring gales and the Beta never missed a beat. When I needed more power to blast into head-seas it was there, if I throttled back to cruising speed the engine just sipped fuel. When routine maintenance was required oil changing was a snap with the built in pump. Many fellow cruisers have asked to see the engine after hearing that it’s a Beta and more than one has said that when they have to repower that the Beta is the way they will go. I recently spoke with a fellow who also owns a Crealock 37 on the West Coast and recently re-powered with a Yanmar 4J engine. He told me that they had to do extensive cutting and rebuilding of the engine bed in order to fit the new engine into the engine compartment and it required a new shaft.. He said it was a “major job” that he couldn’t have done himself. Quite different from my experience ,no cutting and reusing the same engine bed and shaft. If anyone ever asks for the name of a customer as a reference feel free to give them my name and telephone number.

Charles Burke, S/V NiftyNickers

The repower of ‘Free To Choose’ went very well. New engine (BV 1505) V-Drive transmission, prop shaft, 3 blade max prop, muffler and all necessary accessories to bring everything up to todays standards. The people at Crosswinds Marina did a very professional job. I would strongly recommended them to anyone in this part of the country. Also a tip of the hat to you and Beta Marine for solid advice and support throughout. I couldn’t be happier with the engine. The performance is smooth, quiet and clean burning. Keep up the good work.

Ron Wells

Our repower to the BV2203 in our Corbin 39 was completed with no problems, everything fits nicely and the engine started instantly. During sea trials, the engine performed beyond our expectations, it was very quiet with little vibration, no leaks, the instruments function properly, and the power delivered was more than adequate to move our heavy boat. Thank you again for your very timely and courteous assistance throughout our repower and I would not hesitate to recommend your office and your products to anyone contemplating a repower.

Frank Bryant

I purchased a Beta BV1305 with the 100-amp alternator from you at the Annapolis Boat Show in 2002 and installed it myself in the Spring of this year in my Sabre 38. I just wanted to express my gratitude for the great support and advice you provided me during this task. Thanks to you and the Beta Marine people, I managed to install the engine, along with a new exhaust system and a new feathering propeller, with relative ease. Now, at the end of the first full season of use, I am delighted to report that the engine runs beautifully – it is smooth and quiet from idle to full throttle. And now that it is time for winterization you can imagine how glad I am that the intelligent design of the engine has made the draining and changing of engine fluids and filters so much cleaner and faster than in the past. Thanks again for a fine product and exemplary support.

Stan Hart

I want to take a moment to express to you and your company what an exceptional experience I have had doing business with you. I ordered and installed a BD722 20HP (2005) engine for my Ericson 28+ sailboat and have experienced the best service from you and your shop. The install was smooth, service turn around great, technical support phone calls were returned with in two hours and parts required were shipped the same day or “overnighted”.

The engine exceeds many of the specs quoted to me, such as, a speed of 7.5 to 8.0 knots @ 2,800 rpms and fuel consumption of approx. 2 quarts per hour at engine temp of 180 degrees. The engine is extremely quiet with no vibrations. My sloop performs better than it ever did. I give Stanley and Beta Marine an A+ rating on performance with all promises and expectations exceeded. I highly recommend Beta Marine products and services to the sailing community.

John F. Hollenbach

Please feel free to forward this or any email we had on the engine installation discussions to potential customers who want to know how well it worked out for me. I did the installation myself on the BV1505 engine. I have read in European magazines about the popularity of Kubota engines with Beta and Nanni brands, which are seemingly mainstreamed into production boats there. The following criteria were used to select Beta:

• I needed a brand that was supported in the US.
• A well engineered, modern engine design, light, compact, and quiet.
• I liked the idea that the block parts were available in many tractor and construction equipment dealers (all the Yacht club people I spoke with who know the trades knew about Kubota). If any thing did go wrong, the parts would be affordably priced… Not the case with all brands – Buyer beware. My philosophy in business is that if you go with the popular brand (starts with a Y) you won’t be disappointed but the company and its dealer won’t work as hard to keep you happy as the aspiring brands. The other fact of life is that the larger orders get the attention. This proved to be very true in my case. I received far better support and timeshare for installation advice from Sound Marine Diesel than I ever would have hoped to get from a local Y dealer, despite the distance. Add to this the fact that you are buying a $7-10K range engine, and some fisherman wants a 35-70K engine in the 250 and up HP range, guess who will get the attention? So, using a product and brand that specializes in the power range that you need has value as well. If you are a capable do-it-yourselfer, (as I thought I was until I measured my prop shaft short by 3 inches -oops) this type of support (email, phone) and accessibility to answers works wonders.

I would not call any repowering operation a simple and painless one. There are always some glitches. But getting answers prior to the next steps or just bouncing off ideas for 10 minutes on the phone helps a lot. Finally, the engine: So far, can’t really tell its Mean Time Between Failures, since it has run quite well. But observations are:

• No problems, seems quite to expectations, out of the box.
• I love to show my friends the nicely thought through features like the oil pump and the serpentine belt, and the easy access. Even the boat yard (a Y dealer) liked it.
• The boat (C&C 40 hull #60) is happier with this engine than the previous Westerbeke 30, for sure. I was, indeed, 10 HP short, and it is nice to stay at 2K RPM in light air and achieve a good target speed.
• The engine seems 20dB quieter than the old one at idle. We can hear each other in the cabin and the vibration energy transmitted to the hull is a LOT less.
• The fuel consumption is a slight increase, given the higher power.
• The engine is 20% less weight and half the volume than my old W-30, and 50% more power (And I am therefore glad I repowered instead of rebuilding)
• The engine design is quite well thought through. These British marinizers must have gone to US engineering schools!
• Starts like a champ.
• The stainless elbow is quite a nice feature.
• The Iskra alternator is delivering the specified amount.
• The engine temp seems very stable at all power outputs.

That’s about it. Good engine, good service, and Joe is simply a good dealer who helps out his customers and focuses on providing quality support and value to his customers, in a timely fashion. I got the time I needed to get the advice I needed. I hope this helps anyone considering a Beta or Sound Marine Diesel LLC.

Edwin Muth
Managing Director, Satellite Radio Products