Over the years, it’s become common practice for boat, mini jet boat and even custom personal watercraft builders to purchase a new or used PWC solely for the purpose of extracting its modern powertrain. This has led many to wonder why OE’s do not offer a “crate motor” program allowing these shops and builders to skip several (and rather expensive) steps and simply buy the engine and jetdrive directly?
Thankfully, premier Austrian personal watercraft manufacturer, Belassi GmbH recently announced that the powertrain – known internally as the Marine Power Unit (MPU) – of its Burrasca PWC can be purchased separately for this very purpose. That’s right, both of Belassi’s open-loop, turbocharged, 1,603cc 3-cylinder engines – whether it’s 260 or 330-horsepower – can be purchased to fit in a compact jet driven boat or PWC.
And if that’s not enough, a recent expansion of Belassi‘s partnership with Garrett resulted in a 400-horsepower variant thanks to a G25-550 turbocharger. So whether you choose a 260HP kit at €14,945 (about $15,600 USD) or the badass 400HP at €16,945 ($17,775 USD), these complete drivetrains can be packaged to include the jet pump & shaft, alternator, throttle lever, brake/reverse system, touch screen display with GPS, fuel system and more.
Here’s the original press release:
While the internal team at Belassi always had a clear vision of the company’s positioning and core values, this was not always apparent to customers purchasing the Burrasca PWC. To address this, the team embarked on a comprehensive restructuring of their communication strategy over a year ago. As part of this initiative, Belassi GmbH introduced a new business unit centered around its core asset—the Powertrain, known as the Marine Power Unit (MPU). Fully developed and assembled in Austria, this division is now a pivotal part of Belassi’s broader strategic direction.
Recognizing the challenges of being a high-performance, low-volume engine producer solely for the Burrasca model, Belassi sought to diversify. The new business unit extends the MPU offering to small PWC and boat manufacturers, ensuring production stability while maintaining a strong focus on the personal watercraft product line—all while keeping manufacturing in Austria.
Belassi Powertrains are engineered to deliver superior power, torque, and fuel efficiency, promising an unparalleled driving experience. In this context, it is worth mentioning that Belassi has entered into a technical partnership with Garrett for the 330 and 400 hp engines and uses their G25-550 turbocharger model. Prioritizing customer needs, they adopt a highly specialized and flexible approach, allowing orders with a minimum quantity of just one unit.
After gathering feedback from current and potential customers, Belassi introduced powertrains designed for high-performance jet drive applications where a high power-to-weight ratio is essential. These are ideal for personal watercraft, mini jet boats up to 4 meters (13 feet), and waterjet-powered boats up to 6 meters (20 feet). The first successful integration with an aluminum jet boat has already taken place, ensuring seamless, plug-and-play compatibility for boat builders.
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