Installing our BRAND NEW Beta Marine 20 | Episode 41 Alberg 30 Refit

Our new Beta Marine 20 has arrived and we spend a week in the boatyard removing the old Westerbeke and getting the new engine installed.
A HUGE thank you to Beta Marine USA for how quickly they got the new engine to us (3 days from order to arrival!!), and the assistance they provided during this repowering! betamarineusa....
Our videos are always a few weeks behind our real life. Check out our Instagram to see our projects happening in real-time 🛠🔩⛵️ / abroadreachtravel
For All Our Boat DIY Posts Check Out the Blog: abroadreachtra...
Our Alberg 30, Ecola, is a 1965 (early model) that has been in Andy's family for almost 40 years. Keeping her in tip top shape is almost a full time job, but it's a labor of love. ❤️
Questions, comments, or want to work with us? Contact us at [e-mail]
All Music From Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicso...

[@rayjay1770]

Building that template was a really good solution to the problem of replacing the engine with a different model than the one you had.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

We were thrilled with how well it worked!! We think it probably saved us one or two days of messing with alignment!

[@tartansailor]

I am convinced you will fall in love with your new engine, it is very reliable. Mine is now 10 years old, 1,200 hours on it and had no problems so far.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

We are over 100 hours now and it has been AWESOME!! Just one small hiccup with the raw water pump but Betas customer service has been great and everything has been purring along for the last 50 hours with no further issues!!

[@johnbrooks1188]

I have a 2-bladed prop with some serious pitch on my Beta-16 with my Alberg 30. In flat water I am going 5 knots with pretty low rpms. I probably should have gotten a prop to run the engine at a bit higher rpm, but have had no issues for 12 years - so I am well beyond warranty. Beta marine is the best - and will keep good old boats like ours in operation until they are 100 years old!

[@spurgear4]

My Alberg has a Beta Marine 16 also but is under propped, It will rev to redline with almost no load. I'm digging around trying to find a happy medium..

[@scottreed8262]

Great video. I too replaced my Atomic with a Beta20 (Alberg 30, hull#209). Your template idea would have saved me a bunch of time and stress. I went crazy trying to get the motor lined up, but after a week I finally got the alignment . Running like a top after 5 years. Good luck with your A30 and sail the paint off that hull!! Thanks !

[@judycrook4905]

I replaced my motor 4 years ago on my 1965 Alberg 30 too! Your template was a great idea. Your template saved you many hours of moving motor headaches. The new propeller is a game changer and it is scary how fast she goes! Thanks for sharing all your adventures.

[@pakistaniboatmakar8]

Hi

[@peelbacktherift]

Thank you guys for this fantastic video.

[@iansrving]

Haha, you should definitely turbocharge it. You would be the fastest sailboat on the water. 🤣🤣🤣

[@davethemmp3763]

I am always amazed at the DIY ways people overcome challenges, you guys are great at solving problems, nice to have a partner that doesn’t mind helping change an engine :) Keep on making great videos like this. You guys are my new favourite sailing Chanel, hello from Vancouver Canada, I am looking for my own Alberg 30 now.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Thank you so much for the kind words!! They made my day! Best of luck with your search! The Alberg 30 owners Facebook group can be a great resource for finding boats and what to look for in terms of “quirks”.

[@okcpicker]

I just received a quote from Beta that took the Beta 14 plus installation up to $20K. At my age and health, the DIY solution for bringing the cost down is not doable neither is that price tag. My restoration days are over. Maybe I'll slap a Merc outboard on the transom. Happy you were able to do this yourselves!

[@Monkeywrenchmotorcycles]

Check out James Baldwin. He circumnavigated twice on an Alberg 30 and he did an outboard, in fact he recommends and builds outboard wells which is what he has currently. He has a great website and KZbin channel

[@alexanderlyon]

This was REALLY helpful. Have you ever revealed the approximate top-to-bottom cost of the entire project? I'm thinking about swapping out my old engine.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

We haven't revealed it for this project. I honestly don't know because I wasn't tracking our project costs as closely as I do now! Not to meantion 2021 costs probably aren't going to help you a whole lot! If I was to wager a guess I'd say around $15000 if you include yard costs.

[@yachticus]

thoroughly recommend a folding prop - one of the Flexfold ones - more thrust both ahead and astern? and so much better under sail

[@mrmrlee]

Tohatsu sail pro for me! No holes in my boat. That being said you did a great job and looks good, Fair winds!

[@TheCorsair]

Almost crapped myself when the motor slipped on the way up!

[@AbroadReachTravel]

You and me both!! Honestly the only thing that saved it was the fact that I still have a habit of tailing even with the self tailing winches and my hand was already on the line when it broke free. I told Andy we are never doing it with the boom again 😂😂

[@thatguy2408]

Well done.

[@svsalacia6495]

Looks good

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Thanks!

[@kiang8269]

Nice video and good idea with the template, will definitely use that! Is that a custom exhaust mixing elbow? The Beta's I've seen usually angle off the other way (which I don't want also).

[@pakistaniboatmakar8]

Nice video

[@petercarley9260]

gosh, that is such a nice-sounding engine. looking at replacing a Yanmar 2gm20f with a Beta. have you been happy with it so far?

[@SailingOTR]

Just finished watching many of your Refit videos. Having done a major and minor refit on two boats of my own plus building two boats of my own and spending 15 years building boats for other people I must say I applaud your efforts. There were a couple of things I might have done differently but that's normal for this kind of work. For instance I am not a fan of roller furling and on the two refits I did I converted the boats to cutters. Great choice on the Beta engine. BTW you really need to work on syncing your video and audio tracks. May your troubles melt like lemon drops.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

We too thought about a slutter rig, but decided for our use to keep it simple and go with a decent furler and 135 Jib. Reefed the sail shape is pretty decent considering. If we where crossing oceans it would be a different story.

[@CalciteSerendipity]

Did I hear correctly you were booking along at 6.5 knots? 100 hours down, 200 to go!

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Hahaha yeah! No current and at full throttle we can get up to 6.5 knots now. It is ridiculously inefficient though given the wake we throw at that rpm 😂😂

[@TroyaE117]

So unless you change the prop and rev to 3600 rpm, the engine manufacturer won't honour the warranty???? What ???? And I certainly wouldn't thrash a brand new motor. It must be run in !!! I really liked the wooden template idea. Bravo !

[@AbroadReachTravel]

There is a specific sea trial testing that Beta Marine requires on their warranty paperwork. We were 400 rpm under the required for the beta 20 which is a LOT and would mean the engine is over loaded. We spoke with them and they said 100 or 200 might have been ok but 400 meant we definitely need to change our pitch. We were fine with it because it validated the warranty and will mean the engine is healthier in the long run. We also would have known to change it ahead of time if Andy hadn’t used the wrong gear ratio for our old engine when he calculated if it would work. The beta/kobota engines are run in from the factory as are all modern engines. They wouldn’t ask you to do it if it was bad for the engine, it’s not in their best interest as their engines have long warranty periods.

[@TroyaE117]

@@AbroadReachTravel Well, OK, but you need to be careful that you don't end up with a food whisk for a prop back there that aerates water and doesn't move the boat as well as the last motor and prop. Insisting that the new motor must spin a different prop faster than the old prop is not a route I would want to take. I have seen a 50 hp motor slower than my own 35 hp Volvo. It looked like he had the dreaded food-whisk back there, such was his bubbly wake. I like the Kubota motors. If ever i buy one, i will make sure I am under-geared otherwise i won't have a warranty, apparently.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

No cavitation for us. The modern diesel engines are designed to be run at much higher rpm than the old Perkins and volvos. Our cruising rpm is 2600, with a 2.0 gear ratio that gives us a prop shaft rpm of 1300 which is very similar to the direct drive volvo and atomic 4s that the a30s originally came with. The prop we switched to is actually what most everyone runs on the a30 anyway. In hindsight we were over pitched with the old engine.

[@terrysymington210]

Hi, enjoyed your video, gives me the confidence to replace m old 2QM20 with a Beta 25. I am interested to find out how sideways adjustment is made? Can't find any info online. Thanks

[@AbroadReachTravel]

The holes on the motor mount feet are slotted which allows side to side adjustments. Loosen and tweak with a pry bar. -Andrew

[@Hindukushsailing]

👍

[@pa19802]

I have some many questions. I’m not sure where to start. We have a ‘65 Alberg 30 with an outboard engine that needs some cosmetic work. How did you go about repainting the inside?

[@AbroadReachTravel]

The inside of the engine compartment like in this video? or the inside of the salon area?

[@user-rz7yn6zm6o]

Queria saber preço do motor

[@danielmcpartlin6526]

Were you able to buy the engine factory direct or from a US distributor?

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Got it directly from Beta USA in North Carolina. Really great to deal with!

[@davethemmp3763]

What size and pitch Prop did you guys finish with to get the engine up to 3600 rpm?

[@AbroadReachTravel]

13 diameter 8 pitch

[@davethemmp3763]

Appreciate that, I have located a couple Alberg 30’s in my area both with MD7A’s but they are 40 years old and raw water cooled, the Beta marine website lists the Beta 16 as the diesel of choice for the Alberg 30 with a 13-8 Prop any reason why you chose the 20 HP?

[@sanchopabsta]

@@AbroadReachTravel Would you still go with the same prop? Would you choose bigger if you had a bigger aperture? It may help me in my designs. Thanks for the great video.

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Definitely! Increased efficiency from reduced slip. May need a different ratio in the transmission to swing the larger prop.

[@JPed3390]

Is it saltwater cooled?

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Yes, but it also has a heat exchanger. So coolant through the block and salt water through the heat exchanger.

[@pa19802]

How old is your Alberg?

[@AbroadReachTravel]

Hi! Our Alberg 30 is a 1965 ☺️

[@josipbroz4377]

what is the price in yours country of that engine

[@AbroadReachTravel]

I don't know current pricing (which I'm sure is more), but in March 2021 we paid around 11,000 US dollars.

[@masterofnone11]

West Marine is overpriced and overrated these days. Great job on everything in the video !!!