Generator engines
Westerbeke marine generator service and repair
Westerbeke generators are widespread on cruising boats and sailing yachts here. Like every marine genset they suffer from long hours at light load and from raw water cooling that fouls quietly. Service and a genuine load test keep them dependable.
Westerbeke on this coast
Common on cruising sailboats and mid size power boats, often as the only source of air conditioning and battery charging at anchor.
What I see most on these engines
Raw water cooling and impellers
Small circuits, hard working impellers, and heat exchangers that silt up faster than owners expect.
Wet stacking from light loads
Running a genset well below its rating fouls the exhaust and injectors over time.
Start and control faults
Panel, wiring and start circuit faults in a salt air environment are a frequent cause of a unit that will not turn over.
Marine generators such as Westerbeke should be load tested rather than only started, because a unit that starts and runs at no load can still fail to carry its rated electrical load.
Factory certification is held with Volvo Penta. Work on other makes draws on 20 years of independent marine diesel experience rather than a manufacturer programme, and I will say so plainly if a job belongs with a dealer.
Services for Westerbeke owners
Mechanical Marine Surveys
A documented condition report on your propulsion engines and generator, from visual inspection through sea trial.
Diesel Repair
Engine, transmission and generator service on marine diesels, from routine maintenance through a complete repower.
Engine Diagnostics
Find the actual cause before parts get bought, using engine management data, live readings and a borescope.
Other generator makes
Westerbeke: common questions
Do you service Westerbeke marine engines?
Yes. Over 20 years in marine diesel I have worked across effectively every make of marine engine found on this coast, including Westerbeke. Call with the model and hours and I will tell you honestly whether it is a job I should take or one better sent to a dealer.
Can you survey a boat with Westerbeke engines before I buy it?
Yes. A mechanical marine survey covers compression on every cylinder, engine management data, a sea trial under load and laboratory fluid analysis, regardless of engine make.
Do you carry parts for this brand?
Common service parts for the engines I see most often, yes. Model specific components are ordered once the fault is confirmed, which avoids paying for parts that turn out not to be the problem.
Tell me what the engine is doing
Describe the symptom on the phone and most of the time the problem is narrowed before I arrive. Surveys are booked around your sea trial date.