Beta Marine US Ltd. Distributors for Kubota based marine diesel engines and generators for sailboats, yachts and trawler boats.

Emails / letters from our satisfied customers:

From: Elvin Letchford

Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 4:45 PM

Subject: New Engine

Stan,
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 amazining 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.

Thanks, Elvin Letchford
S/V Omache
Vancouver 27
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From: chuck brantley

To: stan@betamarinenc.com

Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2008 8:41 PM

Subject: Thanks

Stan

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.

Thank you very much
Charles Brantley

From: Aaron Freeman
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:38 PM
Subject: GREAT motor

Stan,

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.

Best regards
Aaron Freeman

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Received 6/10/08

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Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 8:47 AM

Subject: DOWNEAST 32 REPOWER

Stan

We repowered a 1979 Downeast 32 with the Beta 28, PRM 80 2.5 : 1 transmission and a 3 blade 17 10 RH PROP

We removed a Westerbeke 30 B three

Displacement: 18 000 lbs

Waterline length: 25 ft

Max RPM under load 3200 7.0 knots

2600......6.0 knots

2400.....5.5 knots

2000 ....5.0 knots

1800 ......4.5 knots

Thanks for all your help during the install. Everybody is very happy with the results.

Phillip Jones
Marine Man
2726 Shelter Island Drive #221
San Diego, CA 92106
Tel 619-990-1448
Fax 619-825-9609
www.marinemansd.com
pphiljones@aol.com

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Sent: Monday, April 7, 2008

Subject: Repowering with Beta Marine

Stanley,

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

http://www.hull405.com/Repowering.html

Sincerely,
Leo W. Lotowycz
I love the engine!

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Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007

Subject: Final Beta Trials

Stanley,

After new bottom paint and repitching 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

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Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 4:54 PM

Subject: Praise for Beta

Stan,
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 (a 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 thebar.

Yours,
Robert Wilson
Chicago, IL

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On 08/02/2007 we received a note from Mr. Read Branch who purchased a BV1505

thanking us for a "Fantastic Engine!".

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Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 8:19 AM

Subject: Kubota 25 in our boat Deja vu

Hello Joe D., Just a little feedback to let you know how pleased we are with the Kubota 25 installation in our Pearson 35. Installed by Ed Cecil at The Sailing Emporium, Rock Hall, MD. We left Rock Hall Dec. 9, 2006 and motored down the ICW to Ft. Pierce, FL and the engine ran great. No vibration, easy start, no exhaust smoke, and a lot less noise than heard coming from other boats with different engines. Snow, sleet, rain, fog and broken lift bridges contributed to a 30 day trip. (Five layover days thrown in over Christmas and New Years helped to extend the trip).

Thanks for the shipping and support to date. Bob

Robert & Larisa LeFever

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Sent: June 20th 2007

Subject: The BD722

Good Morning Stanley, As you might remember, I installed a 20 HP BD722 in my Columbia 8.7 last fall in place of my Yanmar 2qm15. I also replaced my 15 inch 2 blade prop with a 3 blade and "wella" I had a new boat. Our boat is docked in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal in Lewes, DE. We have to pull in and out against some very strong currents and we had a very difficult time with the Yanmar 2qm15. The quality of our docking has increased because we now have more control of our boat. We look good!

Stanley thank you for the your help and guidance in engine selection. you never made me feel like I was bothering you.

Keep up the good work,

Joe

Joseph A. Lucca, PT,DPT,PhD,GCS
Associate Professor
313 McKinly Lab
Department of Physical Therapy
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716

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Photo taken of a "well used" Kubota tractor which is used daily at the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay. The grounds people say parts are readily available. All they have purchased are filters, nothing else has needed replacing.

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Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 12:35 PM

Subject: Beta1505

Stanley,

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.

regards,

Charles Burke S/V NiftyNickers

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May 29th 2006

Joe Bingham, of Bingham Boatworks in Marquette MI, installed a Beta Marine BZ482 (13.5 HP) in their customer's 30' sloop and his email included the quote below;

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

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