To use a coloquialism seen on the Alberg 30 Owners facebook page, « to each is own ». In short, here are my reasons for a Beta Marine 20:
- Beta Marine engines have a mechanical injection system;
- The Beta 20 has slightly more horsepower than my needs;
- The company has a good distribution network;
- The Beta 20 was cheaper than the (Yanmar YM20) alternative.
If another brand were to have those selling points, I would find their engine attractive as well (if an engine can be deemed attractive!).
The Case for Mechanical Injection Systems
Electronic injection systems, often called « common rail injection systems », time the injection of diesel in the explosion chamber to maximize performance. They bring the best of the engine and increase fuel economy. So why would someone boasts a less efficient injection system? Because it does not depend on electronics.
I had to deliver a boat on the east coast of the Atlantic. It had an inboard which had an electronic injection system. The trip was against the wind and required the use of the engine. Unbeknownst to us, the boat had been struck by lightning prior to departure. Part of the job was bringing the boat to a place where it could be properly repaired. Some things should have been interpreted as electrical red flags prior to departure. For instance, both the fore position light and the associated fuse burned three times during pre-departure checks. The third time, the electrician gave us extra fuses, replacement lights and shrugged.
Underway, the VHF radio and the navigation computer shut down unexpectedly during the night. Electrical problems started to stack up, the last of them being a complete engine failure. The engine simply stalled and was beyond resuscitation. We spent a full day looking at possible engine failures: bleeding the engine, looking at the raw water intake, coolant levels, and pretty much anything we can repair underway, to no avail. We spent a day trying to beat into the wind, only to realize that our revised ETA was beyond what our food supplies would allow. At this stage, the captain decided to turn around. We had a nice sail downind, and I promised myself to learn more about diesel engines.
This is a long story to come to the following point, which I learned about two weeks later: the electronic injection system had been grilled by the lightning strike, like pretty much all of the (half-repaired) electric systems that were on the boat.
A mechanical injection engine relies on a timing belt to function. It is the rotationary action of the belt, transmitted through a cam shaft on top of the engine, that drives the diesel injectors. It is a proven technology and it is impervious to electric perturbances. It is pretty easy to replace a belt while underway, at least much more than a grilled electronic chip.
There are a lot of techniques, manoeuvers and technologies onboard that are designed to be used solely in times of emergencies. For instance, man overboard techniques and nowadays, paper or celestial navigation. You rarely ever need it, but when you do need them, it is usually in situations where the stakes are high.
In these situations, they become extremely valuable. So my argument is this: mechanical injection systems are safer as they are less likely to fail in critical situations. If the technology costs me a few dollars more per year because of a lesser fuel economy, I find the trade-off valuable (and so is learning celestial navigation, which has the bonus of being fun).
Why 20 HP and not 16 HP?
On the plus side, it brings more capacity for an higher end alternator, allowing for a better electric system onboard (or more possible gadgets). It also makes the engine more stable, as it brings one additional cylinder. This means that one cylinder is fired every third of a crank turn (instead of every half). The engine is thus smoother. On the minus side, it is an extra 1500$ and it increases the length of the engine by 5.6 centimeters (2.2 inches). That last statistic got me to look seriously at the availlable space in the engine room when looking at the power train. Overall, I found that the positive arguments had more appeal than the negative ones.
The Distribution Network
Beta Marine is Kubota in disguise. Kubota is everywhere where there are farms and construction sites. Stated otherwise, you can get parts everywhere.
The Beta Marine Was 3000 CAD Cheaper than Yanmar
Need I say more?
Why Not Keep the Outboard Engine?
Recall that Jean-du-Sud had an outboard on the port hip. It was mounted on a swivelling bracket that could raise the engine out of the water when not in use. It thus allowed to reduce drag.
I did not keep the outboard because it is less safe with a crew unfamiliar with the engine and because it underperforms when the boat is on a port tack. Furthermore, removing the outboard does not alter the boat lines, which makes it prettier. Those three arguments are specific to port hip installations and may not generalize to other outboard designs.
Outboards on the Hip and Safety
Safety problems comes in various ways with a port hip installation. First, there is the fact that there is in effect two steering systems, that is the rudder and the pivoting engine. If a member of the crew does not pay attention to the second steering system, it may lead to confusion as the boat does not respond in the same fashion as with a single one.
Second, the swiveling arm must be locked in position when the engine is put in the water. If not, the thrust of the engine will simply swivel the arm and then engine up. In practice, forgetting to put the pin means being unable to put the boat in reverse… and a panicked crew looking at the engine jumping out of the water. Running in reverse is usually performed in and out of a marina… or when there is a collision risk (or both).
Third, the engine thrust control is on a lever outside the boat, which means that someone at the tiller must lay back, bend over the stanchions and adjust the throttle while still trying to keep course. Fourth and finally, the sheets and pulleys needed to lift the engine are right above the engine propeller. Guess what happens if someone fails to coil those sheets?
I witnessed each of these situations. I was a culprit in some of them. It would be easy to blame myself or the crew, but when mishaps like this stack up, it is time to have a good hard look at the equipment. Those mishaps are minimized with a standard engine (or maybe another design) because everybody knows how to handle them. It is part of the « standard procedure » and safer to operate.
Want to Know More?
Have a look at the « boatwork » section of this website for more practical tutorials and techniques.