Catalina 380 engine 1999 to 2000

May 20, 2015
7
catalina 30 mk2 Apollo Beach
I am looking at two Catalina 380s, a 1999 and a 2000. Main difference seems to be the westerbeak and the 99 and yanmar in the 2000. Having difficulty finding comparable specifications on westerbeak. I don't personally have bias one way the other as far as quality is concerned, I have, experience with westerbekes and universal less so with yanmar. I'm more interested in torque, horsepower, compression ratio type information for comparison. If hull speed is significantly different from one to the other with the 380...
Pince Catalina makes their decision based on both purchase pricing one can't assume it is an upgrade from 99 to 2000.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Good luck on your boat search.
I find it difficult to help you with out knowing which Westerbeak or which Yanmar engine you are comparing.

Perhaps you need to test ride each of the boats and get a feel for the power of the engines as installed in the boats. The performance is more than the single stats from different engines.

I suspect like testing a ford f150 agaist a Chevy Malibu the difference will be self explanatory.
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
Do you like grey or red? :)

Google tells me that the 380 commonly came with a
4 cyl Westerbeke 42B (42B Four - Westerbeke)
or a 3 cyl Yanmar 3JH2BE. Possibly that could have been a Yanmar 3JH3 at late production, but I think the 3JH3 coincided with the 387.

Which one's better? Dunno. Pros for the Westerbeke is that parts may be cheaper (Yanmar has a very closed parts network, and they do like to extract their pound of flesh. Then another pound or two.). And a 4cyl may be smoother/quieter than the threebanger. Rated at 2 more HP than the Yanmar.

Yanmar is likely a slightly newer design.

I've got a 3JH3 and it's fine - it starts, runs, drives the boat at 7+kts@3K RPM in smooth water. Only had it at max power during the sea trial and that wasn't much faster (at/near hull speed anyway). With some headwind and chop that get's beaten back to 6k or less. (387 is same hull as 380)
I have never been in a boat with the Westerbeke.

If you could get a trial on each boat, yes that would definitely tell you. But that may require much more willingness than lots of sellers offer.
 
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Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
The only problem comparing under power is the unknown variables, I.e., what prop, fouled bottom, etc...
To me, it’s more about reliability and ease of maintenance.
 
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May 20, 2015
7
catalina 30 mk2 Apollo Beach
Thanks for the input. The specs are pretty easy to show some minor differences but I was looking for parts and maintenance. After the Perkins that is in my 320, I was hoping for something less challenging in my next boat.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
I am looking at two Catalina 380s, a 1999 and a 2000. Main difference seems to be the westerbeak and the 99 and yanmar in the 2000. Having difficulty finding comparable specifications on westerbeak........... I'm more interested in torque, horsepower, compression ratio type information for comparison. If hull speed is significantly different from one to the other with the 380...........
Internet search indicates the 1999 Catalina 380 has 40 hp Westerbeke 42B http://www.tadiesels.com/west-42bfour.html (catalina380.org) and the 2000 Catalina 380 has a 40 hp Yanmar 3JH3 Yanmar 3JH3 Engine Specifications (C387) | (catalina380.org). Torque, horsepower, compression ratio comparison data may be found in those links. Hope that is helpful. Hull speed is expected to be the same since it is a fuinction of waterline length, velocity in knots = 1.34 x the square root of the waterline length in feet. My bias is for the Yanmar, which I had on my Hunter 386 and now 46.