As most of you know, the Beta marine engines are Kubota. The Universal
engines are Kubota, as well.

After a visit to the boat show, and looking at the Beta small diesel for a
sailboat, I was flabbergasted
at the price. I got home and decided to see what the base engine cost.

For the Kubota [ Beta ] the price was less than half of the Beta price.

Huum,, I got to thinking..

Take engine, add transmission, heat exchanger, a couple of pumps..

If you know anything about a DIY Marinization .. ??

This would be a Kubota .. I'm thinking about 15hp.

2cyl,, fresh water cooled.

Well Sir Thomas,

This is a road I personally have traveled many times. First by self and
then with so many others.

The engine is about half the cost - True.
For that you get an engine on the floor on a wood skid.

You need to add at least:
- A marine transmission that will probably require a bell housing and
drive plate specifically adapted to that flywheel.
- A heat exchanger, raw water pump and a system head/expansion tank
(with brackets).
- A jacketed exhaust manifold a isolation elbow to create a wet exhaust.
- A marine air intake system (many times the stock will work on a diesel).
- A set of mount brackets acceptable for a marine mounting application.
(you will have to look at the engine and transmission prints for a
where to start).
- A remote engine control harness.

You might want add an instrument package and an upsized alternator.

If you (like I) are a marine engineer and navel architect with lots of
experience, you can probably do the complete adaptation package for 75
~80% for the quoted cost of the packages you looked at at the show.

A company used to sell VW golf/rabbit engines in marine trim for just a
little less than the price of the complete car.

Good luck, but do the research before you commit to buying anything.

Matt Colie
Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Perpetual Sailor

Sir Thomas of Cannondale wrote:
As most of you know, the Beta marine engines are Kubota. The Universal
engines are Kubota, as well.

After a visit to the boat show, and looking at the Beta small diesel for a
sailboat, I was flabbergasted
at the price. I got home and decided to see what the base engine cost.

For the Kubota [ Beta ] the price was less than half of the Beta price.

Huum,, I got to thinking..

Take engine, add transmission, heat exchanger, a couple of pumps..

If you know anything about a DIY Marinization .. ??

This would be a Kubota .. I'm thinking about 15hp.

2cyl,, fresh water cooled.

Beta's are produced in the UK, and the pound sterling is killing the
dollar at the moment... No wonder you were flabbergasted.

A better ratio will likely be had by comparing the Kubota's that are
marinized in the US, namely Universal and Phasor.

MW