Ok guys need some advice. The original generator in my 46 Post has finally I believe bitten the dust. Runs fine until you out it under load and then it starts smoking bad and smelling like something is burning. Had a guy I know look at it and said he believes the rings are gone. Anyone replace on in a 46 lately? Brand? Cost? etc...
Personally I am a big fan of northern light and westerbeke... Very reliable, easy to maintain. On my own boat, I have an 18kw Norpro which has been very good and they are significantly cheaper than the NL. On the down side, parts and service are a little more difficult to get. One thing to watch out for when replacing Genset is the height of the exhaust manifold. If the new one is lower than the old one, you may need to adjust the exhaust discharge as well as to add an anti siphon loop on the water line. When the old Onan was replaced on my hatt by the previous owner, nobody realize the new Norpro has a lower profile and eventually it ingested water.
I agree with Pascal, my brand choice would Northern and Westerbeak. Depending on the year of your boat, I bet you had an Onan 8kw. I am not sure about the cost of the Northern Lights units. A 8kw Westerbeak with sound shield will cost somewhere between 9-12k. The cost of the installation will really depend on the boat yard. I would estimate installation costs on your boat to be around 1500. Depending on which year you have, changing the generator is not a difficult job on the 46 Post. It is a DIY project if you have some skills.