New/Old Member ramble...

[midnight]

Hello All and Happy New Year!! Well, after lurking since 2006, becoming a member in 2007, only to become archived for non participation, I rejoined in September of 2010 and figured it was time to contribute and participate since we have been Albin owners since 2001. First a little history, I grew up boating on Long Island Sound on various sail and powerboats and have been a power boat owner almost my entire adult life. After deciding to leave ‘Big Blue’ I have cruised extensively throughout the Bahamas, Caribbean and the Med as a full time Captain. I now leave that to others and only do deliveries. I am a full time Marine Surveyor and a member of SAMS and other organizations. Hopefully I can be some help here…

Now the boats. I met my wife, Diane (aka the Admiral, the real captain, first mate etc…) on Block Island when I owned a 26 Grady White, but my dream boat was always an Albin 32 Sportfisher. She was into it so we searched, found and bought a 1989 32 SF hull # 03 in 2001, the first ‘Midnight Rambler’. Aside from the bow thruster and air conditioner there wasn’t a system on that boat that I didn’t repair/replace/renew/rebed/repaint or move. I loved every minute of it! She was under powered with the original Cummins 250 6BTA so I replaced it with a Cummins 315 6BTA (doing the install myself) and gained a couple knots and more stability. Walters said the V50 couldn’t handle the 370 hp, otherwise that would have been the choice. I added a 4 blade prop and got the cruise up 17-19 knots depending on conditions. We fished and cruised that boat to the usual spots, Block, Newport, the Islands, Sag and some points west ( but mostly east) putting about 100 hrs a year on her. I even took her offshore, 80-100 miles out and caught yellowfin, mahi and marlin. She was (and still is) dependable and reliable as are most Albins.

As time passed we starting thinking about our next boat, it had to be the 35 Command Bridge, right? With more power, the galley aft and a bigger cockpit, that was it. A couple years ago we met some folks with one who invited us onboard, we left drooling all over ourselves. So we began our search but quickly realized they weren’t priced in our budget yet. I thought being in and out of boatyards from March-November I would ‘run into one’ priced in our budget, no such luck. Then last fall we spotted one on YachtWorld up in Newport a 2005 CB, although it didn’t have everything we wanted, no genset, no hardtop, no VacuFlush head it was priced in our budget and we wanted it. So, on a Thursday I called the broker and made an appointment for that Saturday, this is where it gets interesting. I hadn’t been on AOG in quite some time and figured I’d look and see what folks were saying about the 35 CB. It was then I realized my membership was gone and couldn’t get to the boats for sale forum. So I rejoined that night (Thursday) and went to boats for sale, Whoa! There was another 2005 in the Newport area listed privately on AOG. That Friday morning I called the seller and the boat was still available so made an appointment for that Saturday. Now we had 2 to look at priced about the same!!

To make an already long story shorter we bought the 2nd one, that Saturday we gave a deposit. It had everything, Diane got her queen island berth, VacuFlush head and galley aft and I got a hardtop, bigger cockpit and fishboxes and… a 440 Yanmar!!! The new ‘Midnight Rambler’ is a 2005 35 CB with a white hull # 256, which I believe means the 155th made since they started with 101.

So anyway, sorry for the ramble, we can’t wait til spring and will be at Coecles in July. These stories have allot more detail I will be glad to share at anyone’s request.

I ‘m going to keep up with AOG and get involved and try to help everyone as much as this sight has helped me, because even though they’re not perfect (what boat is?) I love these boats!

[jleonard]

So anyway, sorry for the ramble

And it's not even midnite yet!!!
Welcome back and hopefully we can hook up sometime this summer.

[DougSea]

Wow! Quite the "first" post!

Is any boat purchase ever free of a "story"? I think not!

Welcome back to the fold and congrats on the new boat!

[midnight]

Hey thanks guys!
Jay, we will definetly 'hook' up this summer

[bob p]

Good luck this weekend. I purchased a 2004 35 CB last year in Miami and now keep it on the Chesapeake bay.
My wife and I spent a lot of time on it this past season and it's worked out great.

[Veebyes2]

Enjoy the CB. Nice to see more CB owners onboard here. We were 10years from first seeing a 32 to owning one. Unfortunately ours has been in retirement since the end of the 06 season. No plans to sell it but we are presantly seeing the country by RV so our 96 32 sits in dry storage.



The plans involve a major refurb before we start to use it again.

[powerboater56]

I m the fellow who sold my 35 CB to Chris and Diane and I was very happy to sell it to someone who is as knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Albins as Chris. I loved owning it and had a terrific cruise in it from Michigan to RI, but for the time being I do not want to maintain a large, complex boat.

I am close to purchasing a fine 28-ft center console and hope to swing by the Albin rendezvous in Coecles Harbor next summer to say hello.

John S.
Jamestown, RI

[jcollins]

Good luck this weekend. I purchased a 2004 35 CB last year in Miami and now keep it on the Chesapeake bay.
My wife and I spent a lot of time on it this past season and it's worked out great.

BobP,
Hope to meet you at the rendezvous.