Specifying a new (1st) Narrowboat and need help choosing the right engine

[x20rmw]

I am new to Narrowboats and this forum so apologies in advance if this topic has already been covered. I have just commissioned a new build 60’ semi trad, cruiser stern and am at the point of specifying the engine. I have narrowed down to either a Canaline 42 or Beta 43. I appreciate this will be down to personal choice and experience but which is the better choice and why? Beta is slightly more expensive than Canaline but has a better warranty and Beta appears to have been around longer. Specs from one engine to the other are very similar. Any advice / opinions would be welcome.

[MtB]

Both will work fine. Take your pick.

 

I'm more concerned that you say you are "new to narrowboats" but are commissioning a new boat. A recipe for disaster.

[x20rmw]

Thanks, i have done a few holiday rentals but never actually owned a boat myself. We do also have a boat in the the family so some experience to draw on. 

[GUMPY]

The sensible, future proof power train would be electric provided of course you were not planning on doing much river/tidal use.

However to answer your question without doubt Beta is the better choice of the two. 

My Beta 50 is 30 years old and still as good as the day it was made. Good spares availability,  superb reliability and excellent technical backup what more could you want.

[booke23]

As @MtB says they are both good options. The Canaline is actually a South Korean built Kioti engine and the Beta is a Japanese built Kubota engine. Both are well regarded industrial diesel engines and a lot of hire fleets use Canaline. They both come with the PRM 150 gearbox as standard which is excellent.

 

If I had to choose I’d pick the Beta as the parts are very easy to come by in chandlers, but there’s not a lot in it.       

Edited July 31, 2022 by booke23

[Tonka]

10 hours ago, x20rmw said:

I am new to Narrowboats and this forum so apologies in advance if this topic has already been covered. I have just commissioned a new build 60’ semi trad, cruiser stern and am at the point of specifying the engine. I have narrowed down to either a Canaline 42 or Beta 43. I appreciate this will be down to personal choice and experience but which is the better choice and why? Beta is slightly more expensive than Canaline but has a better warranty and Beta appears to have been around longer. Specs from one engine to the other are very similar. Any advice / opinions would be welcome.

Can I ask what is a semi trad cruiser stern ?

I did see a boat this year which was semi trad on the port side and cruiser on the starboard side. 

[mrsmelly]

Beta.

[x20rmw]

25 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Can I ask what is a semi trad cruiser stern ?

I did see a boat this year which was semi trad on the port side and cruiser on the starboard side. 

Sorry the boat is a 60’ Semi Cruiser Stern, reverse layout

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, x20rmw said:

Sorry the boat is a 60’ Semi Cruiser Stern, reverse layout

 

 

This is still not a recognised term within the world of narrowboats. But it's your boat and there is no particular need to explain what you are building to a bunch of anonymous posters on a forum! 

 

 

[nicknorman]

5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

This is still not a recognised term within the world of narrowboats. But it's your boat and there is no particular need to explain what you are building to a bunch of anonymous posters on a forum! 

 

 

It is a recognised thing these days. For example 

 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, nicknorman said:

It is a recognised thing these days. For example 

 

 

 

Thanks. 

 

I quite like that. I don't want to, but I do. 

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, nicknorman said:

It is a recognised thing these days. For example 

 

Now aint that a pig ugly boat!! 

[nicknorman]

Anyway, as mentioned it is a choice between Japanese or Korean. Personally I’d go Japanese (Beta) if you want the best. Or Canaline if you want the cheapest.

[MtB]

Not so impressed with the dead vertical cabin sides though! 

 

 

[nicknorman]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

Now aint that a pig ugly boat!! 

Don’t rude! Somebody loves it.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Now aint that a pig ugly boat!! 

 

 

Yeahbutnobut the tiles are nice on the bathroom floor, which is the sort of thing that influences inexperienced buyers!

 

[booke23]

4 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

It is a recognised thing these days. For example 

 

 

I like that stern. I’d just describe it as a cruiser stern with extra seating! 

[Tracy D'arth]

Canaline. Beta have made some engineering boo-boos in the past.

 

Hire fleets can't afford to be wrong and many use Canaline.

 

But surely at this late stage you should be thinking of electric either serial or parallel as you boat will devalue like a stone off a cliff soon?

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

But surely at this late stage you should be thinking of electric either serial or parallel as you boat will devalue like a stone off a cliff soon?

 

 

I think it will anyway with those vertical cabin sides and reverse layout.

 

I can never understand the appeal of a cruiser stern. Standing like a lemon in the middle of nowhere steering, stooping slightly to reach down to the too-low tiller.

 

And in the case of the boat linked by Nick, all that seating a couple of feet away that the steerer just can't use! 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by MtB
Add a bit.

[Athy]

24 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

This is still not a recognised term within the world of narrowboats. But it's your boat and there is no particular need to explain what you are building to a bunch of anonymous posters on a forum! 

 

 

It'd a term which I've noticed has been creeping in over the last few years.

I think the reality preceded the expression. Haven't Napton hire boats been "semi-cruiser" for donkeys' years?

[robtheplod]

11 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Canaline. Beta have made some engineering boo-boos in the past.

 

Hire fleets can't afford to be wrong and many use Canaline.

 

But surely at this late stage you should be thinking of electric either serial or parallel as you boat will devalue like a stone off a cliff soon?

ooo, what are these Tracey?  always on the lookout for what i need to expect...

21 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

It is a recognised thing these days. For example 

 

The deck seating looks more comfortable than my semi-trad (with its curved back!).....

[Athy]

16 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Canaline. Beta have made some engineering boo-boos in the past.

 

Hire fleets can't afford to be wrong and many use Canaline.

 

But surely at this late stage you should be thinking of electric either serial or parallel as you boat will devalue like a stone off a cliff soon?

Why?

[dmr]

Its a cruiser stern with built in seating, which to me makes more sense than a standard cruiser stern (if you wan't to waste a whole load of cabin space at the back😀). If its a non liveaboard/weekend boat where you plan to travel with friends/family I suppose it makes sense. The idea of a semi trad is to make a cruiser look like a trad, so this has no semi trad charactereistics. But as a die hard trad trad person its all foreign to me.

[bizzard]

I wonder if it's battery bank is in the seat boxes instead of the dreadful ridiculous swim top position .

[Tracy D'arth]

Front pulleys breaking off, incorrectly machined bell housings for starters.

19 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

ooo, what are these Tracey?  always on the lookout for what i need to expect...

Front pulleys breaking off, incorrectly machined bell housings for starters.