Looking To Buy and questions

[lpbp]

Good day I am from Ontario Canada and looking to buy a 28 . for L Erie cruising . It is quite a chore when looking and being so far from most of these boats for sale . The wife and I did a 3 day road trip to Annapolis and New Jersy to look at 2 boats a 93 and a 97 ,both with the Yanmar diesels in them . My first question is fiberglass problems and stress cracks . The 93 had small stress cracks on top of the gunnels on both sides near the pilothouse near the step . Is this common ? Is it a small repair ? Are there stringer related problems with these boat . Ididn,t get to see this boat run as it was winterized already. It had 260 hrs on the engine but the needed some TLC on the hull and interior. The 97 in New Jerey looked in good shape until we started her up, only 500hrs on the engine but lot s of blue smoke ,which did not clear up after it warmed up . We had the engine up to 2000 rpm and it was still a blue exhaust .Is this a common problem in the older engines [ valves or rings ?]and are there any other issues with these engines . I am hoping some albin owners can help me as look forward to owning one . they look like they whould be a good sea boat for the sping and fall on L Erie
If you know of any for sale other than what is on yacht world and boat trader I would be interested. Thx for your time
Scott Bruley
Port Dover ONT CAN

[lpbp]

More Questions I see from reading through the site that a few members are from the Annapolis area . Do any of you know any history of the 93 -28 for sale at Annpolis Yacht Sales . The only History I could get from the Broker was the sad news that the owner has passed away and the widow has put the boat up for sale.
The bad news is that the weather forcast is saying a chance of flurries tonight and the low tomorrow night is 26 . At least they dropped the water spout warnings for the lakes tonight.
Old Man winter is coming

[RicM]

See my earlier post to the other new member/buyer. For boats in this age/price range you really need a complete survey of both engine and boat. Stress cracks in the gelcoat are pretty common. they only bothered me the first year. Now I don't see them. A survey will tell you if they are meaningful or just cosmetic. All fiberglass/gelcoat boats have them here and there.

[lpbp]

THX Rick , but give me a hint where that post is , I can,t seem to find it . As I said before I have no experience with a glass boat . I currently have a 17ft wooden dory type boat with a single 1983 10 hp BUKH diesel in it . Hull Built in 1938 here in my home town . The engine will be going up for sale and the hull will be going to a friend who will but in a one lung gas 5 hp . [ Thats if the Albin appears by spring ] I couldn,t believe my ears when my equine crazed wife said ' we should get a bigger boat '. Besides my little boat ,all my experience is on steel boats , My day job has had me working on the lakes for 35 years . And now I want to spend more time out there ,gotta be half nuts i guess . Not much salt water time ,but I think I have left over half the Great Lakes lighthouse,s over my stern . Hope to here from more of the members on what to look for .
Any boat I but a offer on , will be subject to survey.
I also have read some of the other postings on radars Gps plotters depth sounders . engines , stern bearings , filter changes etc , Good stuff . I have worked with all of this at one point in time and have the phyisical and mental scars to carry on with me hopefully in a newer boat.
And to leave with a smile
Do you know the difference between a sea story and a fairy tale
A Fairy tale starts" Once apon a time" and a Sea story starts " No S*#t man it happened like this "

[jcollins]

Hi Scott,
I took a look at that boat on the Annapolis Yacht Sales site. No name on the boat so I couldn't look up in the CG database. There are quite a few Albins in our area. The Yanmar engine is probably a repower with the hours being that low and assuming the engine of choice in 93 was the Peninsular. You could confirm that with the broker or previous owner.
We have several members in that area that could possibly help out if needed.

Nice looking boat!
The post that Ric is talking about may be this one
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2951

[RicM]

Nice looking boat!
The post that Ric is talking about may be this one
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2951

Indeed it is, Thanks John.

[lpbp]

Pictures of this boat made her look good . Up close she is in need of some TLC. One 2 inch crack in gell coat on portside midships about 4 in above waterline and a small deep round hole about a 1/8 in dia. about 6in. below anchor locker drain . Looks like somebody ran her into something. Lots of pressure cracks on side deck alongside pilot house . Water stains around the stringers aft of engine ????? Her electronics look like pre 98 . Bottom needs to be sanded and repainted , Swim platform fittings need to be replaced . Lots of elbow grease to get her looking good . Stern bearing and rudder stock seemed tight . As for the repowering thing I think your right . The wiring harness leading up to the battery,s and under the cockpit is a big rats nest . All and All if she passes a survey and some hard work she would be a good boat .
The one in New Jersey with the smoking engine had a great exterior but what are issues with a the yanmar . Has anybody had to do a rebuild on one of these ?

[powerboater56]

You may want to call customer service at Mack Boring about the Yanmar blue smoke issues. They are long-time distributors for Yanmars and they have several staff members who know the engines really well. The main Mack Boring branch is in Union, New Jersey. If you can't reach someone there to talk to, let me know. I took a Yanmar maintenance course at Mack Boring and I have direct phone numbers for technical support people buried with all the course materials somewhere in my house or on my boat.

I went through Lake Erie last summer on my way back to Rhode Island from Michigan where I picked up my Albin. Some nice ports along the southern coast -- Mentor, Vermilion, West harbor, Erie, and of course Buffalo.

John S.
Jamestown, RI
2005 Albin 35 CB OTTER

[jcollins]

Interesting grab rail on the swim platform. IF that Yanmar is a repower the price reflects it. That is a good motor and you can't go wrong with it.
There is one in Ocean City, MD. for 40k.

[lpbp]

Thx John for the tip .. I have looked at her before and she is a I/O . I am looking for a inboard with a keel . But i did read the post on the I/O owner in Calif. . Another post that caught my eye was the v-drive tranny post . Now my question is that are all yanmars and Penns right hand ? thus making them left hand wheels throuh the v drive . Are the trannys reversible to make them a right hand wheel ? After 30 yearsof running boats of all sizes ,it still feels unnatural with a L/H wheel ,except on a twin screw. [ Gotta be a head thing] Now another question is prop size . What is the stardard size and pitch on these 28,s with the 300hp eng. How much does this change when you go to the smaller 200-250 hp engines .
Enough for this post . Keep her between the Red and The Green and Wet on the Bottom

[lpbp]

more questions I got the Hull number on aboat I was looking at . Is there a web page to research any info on it ? Also the engine is a Yanmar 6LYA-UTE have there been any issues with these engines ?

[lpbp]

Still looking for info on the prop size an pitch ????? also are they right or left hand turning . On the engine , I have found out what I needed to know . Thanks to posts on this site and a few hrs on the web
John C I found a 32 Plus 2 for sale and looked at the pics ,nice boat -is this what yours is ?
I have found a local Broker in Ontario and we are going to start working together on the hunt . Also I found one of the new 34,s for sale up here , , but way out of my price range . Older couple , love the boat , but they have to give it up . 200 range and low hrs . If any body is interested I believe it is in Fort Erie Ont. With one phone call I can get all the info if anybody interested . Looking to here from you all

[jcollins]

lpbp,
I was looking at a 32+2 but no, mine is a 28 TE (click on the link in my signature) The 32+2 or 35 CB has been my dream boat since 2004. But, since I've been looking and now that I own the 28 I have changed my mind. Our next boat will be the TE 35 in a few years.
I believe the 28s are a right-hand prop. If I'm wrong someone please correct me. The prop on my boat is dated 06/94, 3 blade 18x18 nibral.
There is another discussion around here about reversing transmissions.

[loubennett]

Proper prop size depends on the engine. My 2002 engine box 28 with the Yanmar 315 has a left hand 4 blade 19" X 19". I believe all of the engine box models use a left hand prop due to the transmission reversing the rotation of the prop shaft. This is certainly true of those with Yanmar engines. The flush deck models I believe have right hand props since the engine/transmission is installed in the conventional manner.

[lpbp]

Thx for the reply fellows . I kinda thought they would be left hand ,unless they reversed the tranny . Have to hunt dwn that thread . I just prefur a right hand so that when the boat goes astern ,that the bow goes to stb and the stern to port . Another question on the handing of these boats . When you have stern way on [1-3 kts astern ] Will the boat steer with the rudder.? Boats that have a keel and proper lead on rudder will steer in the direction of the rudder when put hard over and over come the transverse thrust of the prop . but there is a fine line on how much engine you have on , too much power and it will not work . Nice tricks to know when the B/T is not working . But a bit of wind will put that all out the window . Just finished 10 days working in the Dertoit -St Clair River system and saw a few people out in their boats fishing . But I would say 98% have them in the barn for winter . Coast Guard has started lifting bouys for the winter . Another 6 weeks and we will have ice showing up .