Reply To: Smoothie – Engine Upgrade

Well the 1977 Westerbeke 30 has run for the last time on Smoothie. I’m hoping she will have a new life on another vessel. She has been a good engine and if I was planning on staying in the NW I wouldn’t have replaced her. However, I don’t think traveling to far away places with a 45 year old engine, who’s history I know nothing about, would be wise. For those who do not know, Roxana and I are preparing Smoothie to take us any where in the world. We are considering places north, south, and west. Time will point the way.

The new engine is on the way and should be here by the end of January. She is a Beta 35. I had to get the red engine because red is Roxana’s favorite color. Happy wife, happy life. Seriously, I have only heard good things about the Beta’s and with our own Ben Thomas being the local factory rep, I couldn’t go wrong.

The plan is to do this project mostly myself with assistance from Ben and Tom Becker. I am having Tom make the new plates that the motor mounts on. Since this engine sits at a slightly different height/angle than the Westerbeke, these plates will align the engine with the shaft.

Currently, all the shaft is shored up and the wiring has all been disconnected. All raw water lines are disconnected with just the exhaust left. I hope to disconnect the exhaust lines and the fuel system this weekend with the intent of pulling the motor in a week. I will post pictures of this process as time allows.

CJ