Katmak...... New member from Singapore

[katmak]

Interestingly Vivi Anne which i mentioned in my previous thread is hauled up in the same yard i am currently using. She has a dark blue hull which in my opinion is badly oxidized with cloudy white spots, looking like the whole hull is covered in cloudy snow like bloom.
Anyway, the yard has found that by fine sandpapering, one can remove jus enuf gell coat so that the hull is shiny one again and u can view yrself looking at the hull as tho its shiny and new. the removl of gelcoat is insignificant so the owner does not need to paint a new coat. jus a thought for u.
btw how does the timer switch from peninsula work?
i will be emailing u some pics of
1) wrt the engine, the new alterations with the fittings of the Bowman heat exchangers ;
2) pics of my last cruise to the east coast of M'sia

have read much about Chesapeake...may be one day!! do u spend much time out at anchor in the open or mainly in the coves?

The cruising grounds round S'pore are limited and given its one of the busiest ports in the world not quite ones idea of relaxation.
Fishing is a popular boating activity.
There are 3 Albin 31TE's in Spore...but only 1 with a single Cummins 450 and keel.
About 7 28TE's engine box's and 2 Flush decks
Katmak

[RicM]

This has been a fascinating thread, for some reason I never thought much about what we call "recreational boating" in other parts of the world. Welcome Katmak. The extension job looks like it was beautifully done. Was the goal simply to extend range with larger tanks? I was amazed to see a boat in my boatyard that they were cutting the whole transom off and extending the cockpit 4 feet! I'd never be able to get that image out of my head in rough seas!

[Russell]

Hi Katmak: My 97 has a Cummins with about 1900 hours and so far it is the best thing about this boat. Routine maintenance is easy and parts are readily available. Somehow it starts instantly without glow plugs. I don't understand that but I do use a block heater in the winter as we fish year around here. Another thing about the 97 is that the forward and rear bilge areas are not connected. Water from the rear bilge cannot get through the bulkhead to the forward area. Is yours that way?

[jcollins]

have read much about Chesapeake...may be one day!! do u spend much time out at anchor in the open or mainly in the coves?

Mainly in the coves and creeks unless I'm fishing. The bay itself can be choppy for just hanging on the hook. We do have those flat calm days a few times a month. In the upper bay, where I am, is not that wide. 2-4 miles and there is always traffic. Large ships in the channels, go-fasts, blow boats.

[katmak]

In 1997, wen my Albin TE28 arrvd, i had opted for the peninsula engine. The considerations were:
1) Service support.....Where could i locally obtain the required knowledge to service and or handle engine problems?
2) The peninsula is a V8 versus a 6 of the Cummins and hence the larger cc capacity could be a long run advantage
3) there were other boats in Spore, not necessarily Albins, which had experience with the Cummins model.....the engine had a tendency to run hot. There was speculation that this could be due to our local heat and humidity conditions. The size and design of heat exchangers on some engines do not cope well with spores ambient heat and hotter sea water temps.

the negatives were....Cummins was a dedicated Marine purpose designed and built engine versus the Peninsula which is a detriot diesal truck block engine, marinized by Peninsula for marine application.

My running experience with the Peninsula is having to change the water impeller 100hrs or so and having overhauled the water pump 2-3 times over its life to date. However, i suspect the impeller issue is due to the fact that my Albin is dry berthed. Hence the impeller compartment tends to drip dry up. So every time I start the engine for the next trip, the impeller housing is running dry for a couple of seconds before the raw water intake SS new volumes of water. Hence the impeller blades suffer abrasion wen rotating for a couple of seconds. I think if u are wet berthed this does not occur?

Russ, my Albin arrived with no separation bulkhead between fore and aft of the hull,. But Albin had built a plywood panel across the beam jus ahead of the Transmission box, separating the Genset from the engine. My genset sits amidship in the centre line between the passenger seat and Helm..I suspect the panelling was for sound insulation of the engine. I had this plywood panelling taken out as well as the genset SS sound insulation box, to provide better airflow below deck both for engine and genset. Water in the bilge if any sloshes bac and is pumped out by both fore and aft bilge pumps. I have 2 rule 500 and 750 rated pumps in the fore and a johnson diaphram pump for the aft.
end
Katmak

[katmak]

Hi Ric....wrt to the transom extension...the job has been superbly done and well thought thru. The original transom and its thru hull fittings are all still there, boxed up and feeding into a collector box which in turn drains out vis hoses running thru the extension.
The idea being that if the extension did not provide a net benefit, we could remove it and reinstate the original Transom complete with the original swim platform and Bennett trims tabs and with all the 8 drainage.

If there was to be a collision (touch wood), then the transom extension would be the first to go, leaving the original transom unaffected.

The extension is primarily designed to provide for:
1) More fuel and fresh water carrying capacity without compromising hull efficiency;
2) Running the exhaust thru the rear as opposed to the original starbrd exit (i believe this is Port exit for the Flush decks).
The original exhaust on the starbrd had the effect of the exhaust decibels, blaring out thru this exit, bouncing of the side wake created by the hull as it is running, and these decibels being reflected bac into the pilot house. Result...i think my hearing has been impaired running with this over the last 12 yrs!!
katmak

[RicM]

Well if you have been running this boat for 12 years I guess you've thought this all through for some time! The extension looks a lot like what Albin did to create the 32+2 Command Bridge, basically an enclosed area under the swim platform. I would love to see more pictures of some of your travels, especially as tonight it is snowing here and 24F (-4C)!

[katmak]

hi hi Afterglow..how is yr Albin coming along? have been off the forum for a while...still have Katmak but not be able to do as much boating...result some of the electronics LCD's have now started to deteriorate with age..12 yrs now...Simrad CP32 B/W Chartplotter has had to be replaced and managed to find an old stock lying on the shelf of a HK dealer...i have the old SIMRAD J300 junction box set up with a SIMRAD (Robertson) AP20 Autopilot whose LCD is also on the verge of packing up....another Chart-plotter CE30 12 yrs on Simrad colour chart plotter with echo sounder has also decided to go on the blink so looking for old stock...electronics advances are such that if u cant find old stock one has to replace the entire system etc...the price we pay for tech innovation!
Manage to source new chart plotter control head SIMRAD AP35 which can speak with the J300x Junction box..so we are still in business!!
Otherwise routine maintenance ..recently replaced the 3 battery banks..
Coolant problem with the FLEETGuard name as this tended to coagulate and bung up with infrequent use and the heat here in the tropics so have reverted back to original coolant
Meanwhile engine gaskets are leaking coolant as the paint work of the engine is flaking and so coolant residue from the gasket areas...so will be getting the boat into the yard and the engine taken out to replace various gaskets and will take the opportunity to replaces hardened hoses etc..
Swim platform extension has been a good project as the extra 18" with the hull extension has given the albin 28(+18") a smoother ride in choppy seas!
oh last week..the dreaded glow plug relay acted up and i managed to blow the plugs...so putting in a commercial relay tomorrow with a new set of plugs .....well katamk is coming on 14years!! still enjoying the cruise!!

[jcollins]

Hello Katmak,
Good to hear from you. I checked your weather. 91 today and 89% humidity. Sounds like August around here. Afterglow is holding up just fine for a 16 year old. I have replaced all electronics over the past few seasons, canvas and glow plugs. Last year my fuel filter primer pump failed. Given the age it was to be expected. All in all a great boat with very few problems. I'll be putting it up for sale at the end of this season. Then the search for a 31 begins.

Don't be a stranger,

John

[katmak]

Hi John ...hmmm moving up to the 31? We have a couple here...two main hull design as u know..the single engine with keel tracks ALOT better... The two engine no keel is a bit of a handful in sea state 1-2m...I had a friend with one and he had the yard fabricate a 8" keel of about 8-10th ..but even then auto pilot struggles...also twin engine rudders are too small for good boat response....and bow of both designs tends to dive of the crests as the v shape hull is a bit too V at the bow...otherwise there is a lot more space but a higher freeboard
Let me know how u progress.....will u be looking for peninsula or Cummins or are u indifferent ?

[jcollins]

will u be looking for peninsula or Cummins or are u indifferent

Katmak,
I did start another thread about this. The consensus is any brand is fine as long as it's maintained well. And, I will be looking for a single.