Looking to buy

[totall]

Greetings all, I am a new fan of the Albin 28 and are currently looking to buy. I have found the forum most useful and hopefully it will further help me to narrow down my search. I am currently looking at a low hour 1998 with the Cummins and also debating over a 2005 flush deck with the D6 Volvo. Then of course I had to find a 370 HP Yanmar I believe it was a -04 or -05 so now I am totally confused.
Any insight, opinions are most welcome.

Thanks
Peter

[Carl]

Welcome to the board. It might be helpfull to narrow your search by reading the thread on the 28TE board called "flush deck verses engine box". There are a lot of pros and cons of each model. Knowing how you will use the boat, and getting on both models, to kick some tires, might have you walking away with your answer. Most of the flush decks come with the yanmar I believe, and not available with the bigger Cummins. Spend some time reading here, there is a ton of info. It is a buyers market and there are many to choose from, including some on this site. Good luck with your search!

[RicM]

Welcome. Better to think about what you will use the boat for, then choose the boat to match your use. These are GROSS generalizations and will probably bring some howls of protest, but I'm going to take a shot anyway. The 28 TE engine box with the Yanmar 315 is probably the most common number wise. It is generally considered to handle slightly better in a following sea than the same boat with the flush deck config. The flush deck has the engine further forward in the boat, which keeps the bow down a bit more. Not a factor if you tend to be a fair weather, bay, or close to shore boater. The flush deck, of course has more flat deck space, a smaller quarter berth area, and is slightly noisier in the pilot house. Routine maintanence is a bit less convenient. The Cummins 370 goes faster due to more HP, but the engine is considerably heavier and the boat sits visibly lower in the water. I would guess it uses a bit more fuel, but all the 28's are so much cheaper to run that similar 28 ft boats that it's splitting hairs. The Gatsby and Newport editions are nice looking, but the transom seat tends to be wet and not get used as much as people expect. They are a little "nice" if you are an avid fisherman and hope to have the decks awash in blood during tuna season. The best value for the dollar is a Pennisular version. The Penn motor had some reliability issues way back, when the block was made by our national car company, GM. Motors with that issue are easily identified by serial number. Engines that are not subject to that issue have offered many on this board great service and generally are priced $15K-20K less than an identical model with Yanmar or Cummins power. Be aware that the resale value is lower, and there is an irrational reluctance to the Penn engine that will make the sale a bit more of a challenge. The Volvo engines are nice, but from all reports the parts are even more hideously overpriced than Yanmar ($28 oil filter anyone?), and depending on where you live, finding a certified Volvo Marine Diesel mechanic might be a bit less convenient. Full disclosure: I have a 03' Yanmar engine box. We (wife & I) fish hard, cruise for a week-10 days once a year, and I'll be living aboard in FL 1 week/month this winter. I love my boat and cannot think of a real competitor for it in this size and price range that I would prefer after 4 years of owning it.