Storage

[jpwrist]

Hi,

Just purchased my Albin (2001 28' Gatsby Edition) and will use it for cruising. With that in mind, I am looking to increase the dry storage capacitiy. Is it possible to convert the compartments below the deck and next to the engine box to dry storage? Ditto for the three compartments on the transom? Note, I'm not much of a fisherman and don't expect to use any of the transom compartments for bait wells.

Jos

[DougSea]

Hi,

Just purchased my Albin (2001 28' Gatsby Edition) and will use it for cruising. With that in mind, I am looking to increase the dry storage capacitiy. Is it possible to convert the compartments below the deck and next to the engine box to dry storage? Ditto for the three compartments on the transom? Note, I'm not much of a fisherman and don't expect to use any of the transom compartments for bait wells.

Jos

Hi Jos,

On my 28TE (a 1997) I have lift out storage boxes that drop in to the two in deck wells. They appear to be factory items. If you don't have these I'd ask Albin if they're available. When I was shopping for the boat I looked at a 1996 model which had a very different layout and the owner had had storage partitions built into it - I think it's one of the 'charms' of the Albins that different years of the same boat seem to have parts that are occasionally very different - the access to the hot water heater in the 96 is also different much different from mine.

Back to your storage question - the in-deck bins have never gotten wet, just be sure to keep the gutter drains clean. The transom boxes would need to be gasketed somehow, this might prove a bit more challenging! I'll see if I have any pictures of my deck boxes and will post them for you.

(And congratulations on your new boat!)

[jpwrist]

Doug,

Thanks for your reply. I also have the lift-out storarge boxes on each side of the engine. However, they do collect water when it rains. I'll check to make sure that the drains are free.

I am still interested in any ideas on the transom compartments, but recognize that keeping these dry was not in the original design and thus, dryness may not be possible.

Jos

[Tuxedo]

Back when I was selling these boats, I had a customer that wanted the fish boxes in the transom to be watertight. Albin put some channels around the hatches, but they didn't really work.

I keep things that don't mind getting wet occasionally in them. Deck chairs, fenders, buckets and so forth. I also keep them propped open a little bit when the boat is in the slip by putting the rubber stopper under the corner of the hatch. That keeps the mildew down

However, here's the best use for them.

[chiefrcd]

Oh yea......

[Mariner]

Just a side comment here:

On our 36 ET, I was amazed to find that the underseat lockers on the flybridge are not watertight. In fact, they made ZERO attempt to make them watertight. I've never seen a boat before where the lockers exposed to rain are not fitted with scuppers and gaskets around the lid. I just don't understand why Albin would cut corners in this way. We only store things that "don't mind getting wet", but with the amount of rain we get here in the winter, anything you put in there gets moldy in the winter. I've got a lot of cleaning to do in the spring, and I'm not happy about it.

[tomcat rio]

...'rubbermaid' containers that fit into the compartments. with their covers on, they should keep water out. i found some just right sized ones at my local home depot.
work okay for me... don't cost much.