2003: Bukh 10 replaced by Beta 14
Lottie’s engines
Lottie was originally fitted with a Vire 6 two-stroke petrol engine set on beds installed by Marcon. This was replaced in 1983 with a Bukh DV10ME. By the time we bought Lottie this was 20 years old.
The Bukh 10 is a fine engine in many respects but not the ideal engine for a Trident. First it was very heavy (160kg) for a boat with such fine lines aft (designed for a lightweight auxiliary such as the Vire 6 or Dolphin 12). Second it was too large. It did not fit under the cockpit so stood in the saloon, occupying the only position below with full standing headroom (beneath the main hatch). It was so tall that the top of the engine compartment was above the sill of the main companionway. You effectively stepped over the engine to get into and out of the cabin. For this reason, the engine was replaced with a Beta 14 (90kg) in 2003.
The Bukh 10 had been fitted by Buzzard Engineering, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight at a cost of £1,344.12. It was removed (and sold for £500) in 2003. Receipts that have survived for the period between 1983 and 2003 indicate that repairs and services carried out on the engine amounted to at least £7,483. The exhaust elbow seems to have been a regular item, having been replaced in 1989 (when it cost £32 plus VAT), 1997 and 2002 (when the part cost £68.60 plus VAT) indicating a life expectancy of about 5 years.
Lottie's Log 