The good and bad of Albins with Stern Drives?

[Torque]

I am looking at a 28' TE with an outdrive. According to the owner, its top speed is a few knots better than TE's configured with inboard motors. Besides the issues of keeping an outdrive in salt water, are there other reasons why one should stay away from an Albin with a stern drive / I/O?

Thanks for your help.

John

[jcollins]

Hi John,
Welcome to AOG.
Having owned I/Os in the past (different brand), I like 'em. The obvious is salt water. Second thing that worried me was the bellows going bad. Third worry was that is a lot of money hanging OUTSIDE the boat. Speed and dockside handling will be much better.
Where do you boat? Fresh, salt, or brackish? I was in brackish for years and never had any corrosion problems.

[Torque]

Jcollins,

Thanks for the welcome! I agree with everything you said. And I definitely like the extra speed and better handling at the dock. I am in Dana Point in Southern California. The boat I'm looking at comes with a trailer, but I will likely keep it in the water at the marina.

This 28 is the only one I've seen with a stern drive. Are there many out there? I'm wondering if there's a reason for being so few? Did Albin try them out in the 90's and later realize they weren't a good fit with this boat?

John

[jcollins]

Hopefully others will jump in here. Does the Albin with the i/o have a keel? If not, that would be a significant difference.

If it does have a keel and your not going to use that trailer, you will have no problem selling it.

[Torque]

I might be wrong, but it doesn't appear to have one. It sits fairly low on the trailer.

Does anyone on this site have a 28' TE with an outdrive? If so, how do you like it? Any problems?

[RobS]

No keel.

Further reading: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2041&hilit=+outdrive

[Torque]

Thanks RobS.

J.

[Dieseldogg]

I have one of the few that Albin built with a Volvo-Penta Kad 43P and a Duo-prop. I bought it when I lived in Fl. in 1999. It was great for the shallows and bays around the state due to the tilt function of the outdrive unit. The duo-prop with power steering tracks straight and turns with one hand. The bow thruster makes docking simple. With the proper trailer underneath her, my only concern was that I had to load her at high tide due to the angle of the ramps in my area. Otherwise she is no more maintenance than any other boat I have owned. She is stern heavy as compaired to all he rest. Fuel mileage is teriffic.

[lpbp]

Hey Diesel dog , questions on this boat could you e mail me thx LPBP