As it turns out, electric has been eliminated from the running. I will be taking the head off the yanmar probably this weekend, hoping to find one or more burned valves. If not that, I will continue the excavation, looking for damaged rings, piston, or cylinder bore.
A yuloh is most tempting. It seems likely that I will build one, but this smelly diesel is already in here, I'd might as well make it run. That, and some lights, and I'll have a boat to launch come spring. Everything else is secondary.

Regarding Beta, I must second David here. I have only heard good things about Beta. While my own engine is Mitsubishi I know quite a few people who have Beta and who have nothing but praise for the product. Should I ever need to replace my current engine and should I stick with diesel, I'll almost certainly install a Beta. However when that time comes, I am pretty sure that I am going to go the electric route.

Jeff McFadden wrote:Kurt, The 30 foot yuloh has to be for Mehitabel too... that's longer than Fantail.
Since I started another thread about Seablossom I think that's all I'll say on the subject here and not get too scattered out. Presuming I'm not already
. Jeff

Don't buy a Beta. The Kubota engine is brilliant but the marinising by Beta is rubbish, to put it mildly. Mine broke the first time out because of faulty fitting by T S Marine, Universal Shipyard, River Hamble. It has  now seriously overheated owing to running low on water after only 40 hours. Customer service is rubbish. They even sent TS Marine to try and fix it. Unable to find the oil leak or water leak and I got a £100 bill the day after. The second time they haven't been able to fix the engine. You have been warned. John

Hello Jeff and all,

Jeff McFadden wrote:George R -

Did you choose your gearing first & then convert to the appropriate prop later?

Second, how did you get all this stuff out to a mooring - and an old diesel back?

Third, what sort of small frame did you build for the lifting?

Jeff

_

 The main reason I went with a complete system was the expertise that came with it. I am not that electrical motor sailboat savvy, there are very few people that are. The Propulsionmarine system uses a Browning industrial reduction gear which is used as a thrust bearing and the electric motor mount. I think it normally would run a conveyer belt 24/7 or something like that. It comes in many ratios and James over at Propulsion marine has been doing emperical tests in the water for different configurations  and can match the hull with the proper ratio and prop( which have to match the motor and the programmed motor  controller), I knew what it would take before I started. Everything has to work together effeciently as a system.  James (propulsionmarine)has a lot of comprehensive information on his various web sites and he has his own electric sailboat as a testbed which he actually sails. Google "electric boat design". Again, I am not affiliated with Propulsionmarine but it is the only place I found that tries to explain the basics.
   Other than the batteries there is no one component that weighs over 50# so I used my dinghy and battery powered tools. For engine removal  and batteries I towed to a dock and used an elevated beam and block and tackle to slide the old engine off and the batteries in.