Well, I'll take a crack at answering this .... I'm by NO means an
expert, but here goes anyway...
You didn't mention which engine your Vega has .. gas or Diesel? If it's
a Diesel you might consider getting it re-built.
An outboard motor will move the boat nicely. A Yamaha 15 hp, 4 stroke,
high thrust prop, electric start, would work well. The disadvantage of
a transom-hung outboard is that the prop tends to lift out of the water
in heavy seas. There is much previous discussion on outboards on the
forum ... you can access this using the 'search' feature. Using the key
word "outboard" brings up over 450 messages!
If you are re-powering with a new Diesel the most popular conversion
seems to be the Beta Marine (Kubota) setup. One of our members (Steve
Birch) has done many conversions and would be a good person to talk to.
Details of the Beta package are at
http://www.albinvega.co.uk/beta.html
Another popular engine is the Yanmar. Some of us swear by the single
cylinder model, and others love the twin. There seems to be a general
consensus that 13 hp is about the minimum you need. (My boat has an
older Yanmar two cylinder 13 hp, already installed when I bought the
boat, and it works well for me.)
So whether you chose inboard or outboard it's largely a matter of
personal preference, and what kind of sailing you do.
Hope this is of some help.
Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
