NE Sailboat wrote:

If a 16 cylinder Beta fits the same beds as the Atomic 4, it should be
perfect. A friend who did a lot of research and listened to my various bits
of advice is re-powering his boat with a Beta. The engines and installation
get a lot of individual attention that is usually lacking when you buy from
a big outfit like Yanmar. I suspect the basic design of the Yanmar might be
better but I'd put a Beta in my boat in a minute if I needed a new engine.

There are reasons to give up gas now that go beyond simply blowing yourself
up and the constant worry and care needed to keep you and your boat in one
piece. As more and more ethanol and other weird anti-pollution additives
are put in gas, it is rapidly becoming a pretty poor marine fuel. It breaks
down quickly, attacks components that weren't designed by car makers who saw
ethanol coming a decade or more ago.

About the only advantage to a gas engine is that you can have power almost
instantly without warming up. You can use the engine to get out of a jam
in an emergency without hurting it. Diesels need a few moments of warming
up. If you sail off a mooring or are sailing into a tight spot where you
might need to use the engine, you should warm it up for a few minutes just
in case. This is less of a pain though than all the bilge checking
necessary before starting a gas engine.

--
Roger Long