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Added 03/09/2004

I've a 1985 3 cylinder Universal in my 1978 S2. It is smoother by far than the 1978 2 cylinder Volvo it replaced. for the most part the 3 cylinder Universal and Beta's are the same...based on a Kubota block.   If a fuel system is out of perfect timing, or an injector is slightly different from the others, a 3 cylinder can't smooth out the differences. It does vibrate at low power, but does need new engine mounts. But at higher rpms, its as smooth as can be.

going from the Volvo to the universal, I went from 13 hp to 23 hp.  Hull speed is hull speed, but at least I don't slow down to 2 knots at the slightest wave motion.  Weight increased a net 50 pounds.  I can push it above hull speed, but fuel consumption starts going up.

Key to engine selection is deciding what you are going to do with it.....auxiliary only, or motor sailing. Smoothing out the 2 cylinder design is easy...just add a huge flywheel, like the 50 pounder that was on the Volvo.  It was larger in diameter than the engine itself.  If it wasn't for a huge flywheel, 2 cylinder engines would tear themselves apart.

The Japanese were the first ones to make a really smooth 3 cylinder, with out a huge flywheel. The only issue with mine, is that even at slow rpms, the speed is too fast. So I have to shift in and out of forward as I go into marinas.

Betas have a good reputation near as I can tell, and are significantly less than Yanmars, based on my research.

Kubota engines form the basis for many brand name engines in this country. They are solid engines and great building blocks (pun) for marine engines. My 32hp Universal was a Kubota with an 11 quart oil capacity. Many thought that it might originally have been a "stationary" engine. It was/is a great engine and some version is now assembled by Westerbeke. However, Universal never put an adequate (for the Chesapeake and South) heat exchanger on the engine. The 11 quarts of oil didn't help. So, it's how the US company marinizes the base Kubota.

Yanmar has good small marine engines that are more widely supported than Westerbekes. I believe that some of the Lugger line are based upon Kubota and they are properly marinized. My Universal/Kubota started every time the first time. Go figure.

In sum, this is an engine by engine, task by task decision.

We had a Kubota/Universal 25 in a Catalina 34. Put 4,000 hours on it with no major problems, maybe half in the tropics (Fla/Bahamas). Many minor problems, but pretty much all due to my stupidity. Probably could run another 4,000. Also, have a Yanmar 2QM20 in the Endeavour 32. It started and ran first crank after sitting untouched for 10 years, and still runs fine with no maintenance at all. Both seem pretty tough to me.