Engine Upgrade

[Steve Buckton]

The Yanmar SB-8 in my Hunter 27 is underpowered and getting tired. I'm interested in any suggestions forum members have for a replacement. Another Yanmar? A Mitsubishi? Engine size?Many thanks. The forum is great wealth of information.Cheers,Steve

 

[Richard A. Marble]

I just did mine

I just put a Vetus 16 HP twin diesel in my 1981 Hunter 27. So far I have been very happy with it. A couple of things you may like to know.  # 1 The reason I picked Vetus is that 16 HP is about what a 27 Hunter needs for power(a 15 HP would probably do just fine too). It does no good to overpower because wake speed is all your going to get out of a sail boat and it costs more money to overpower. That brings me to the next point# 2 This motor cost about $4,600.00 a couple of months ago. You will pay I’ll bet $1,000.00 or more for a Yanmar 18 twin and the extra power you don’t need. # 3 You can leave the prop you are now using on the boat. H&H prop told me that with my prop the new motor would be 200 RPM under what it should be running at when full throttle. That’s not much of a difference. I don’t think I’ll be running anywhere near full throttle with this engine anyway so I figured I’d try it and see. So far I don’t see any problem at all. This saved me an additional $200.00 because I didn’t have to get my proper reworked. # 4 The guy that put the new engine in for me flipped my iron motor supports upside down, had to extend them an inch or two and had to cut some to the right angle out of them. I also had to lift my steps about an inch and slide them forward and an inch and a half. That was about a and the engine fits quite well in the space. He made a new panel to put the controls for the boat in out in the cockpit and everything looks real good, like it was made this way.# 5 The engine is self priming and started fist time with no delay. Its very quiet and vibration is nill.

 

[John Lynch]

Betamarine Diesel or Yanmar

I agree with the other responder: the 27 needs double digit horsepower, albeit low-mid teens.Case in point. 2 days ago the flood rains let up and I went off on a great sail, keeping pace with a J-30. Off on a beam reach, then surfing onto a great broad reach, 6.7-6.9 knots. The wind was picking up into the low 20's, but it was sunny and I stayed out.Ready to return to the marina 20+ winds on the bow which is normal for the Neuse River in August! Yes, I could have tacked but I was way down close to Oriental, a good 10 miles from home. Iron genny to the rescue. At cruising speed, 2000 rpm I was making 3.2-3.5 knots, into the wind, current and 2-3 foot seas. 4 hours earlier in smooth water 7 knots wind 2000 rpm saw speeds of 5.8 knots. Imagine the consequences of 6.5hp 1GM Yanmar to the stats from my 13 hp 2 GM.But, if you go to 18 hp or higher you cannot go faster than hull speed and you will use more fuel with nothing to show for it. I liek Richards' price of $4,600, too.Good luck and good sailing!

 

[Steve Dion]

or a Bukh

Lots of choices for some very good engines. All of them should outlast the owner and the boat if they are properly maintained.Shop around. There can be a big difference for even the SAME engine.

 

[Ed White]

My 1984 was upgraded to a Westerbeke 12BTwo, which is a 12 hp, before I bought it... Seems to be a good fit for the boat, but I think I would try for another 5 hp or so.