Best Options for Albin 28 TE

[Frank13]

I am looking to purchase an Albin 28 TE. Do I understand correctly that the Alaskan Bulkhead can be installed after market? I would very much like to have the enclosed area and have been looking to purchase a boat with that feature. I'm looking for a boat with Alaska Enclosure, Vacu flush, trolling valve and Yanmar or Cumings. I am trying to establish best options. Any thoughts? How easy is it to put in the Alaska Bulkhead?

[Chris & Dale]

Frank 13,
I'm no different than the rest, I too have an opinion on the things you've identified as best options, some of which were on our list when we started shopping. Just remember, they're opinions, which are usually personal preferrences, not science or fact....LOL. So, here ya go:

Alaskan Bulkhead - we were very big on this at first, probably for the same reasons as ya'll - good enclosure for less than ideal conditions when underway. As I just finished reading in a maintenance post, removal of the drawers under the captains seat w/an Alaskan bulkead is difficult at beast, and removal of the entire box perceived as not possible. This is a very valuable access point. Probably the biggest factor is if you have a flush deck or an engine box. For a number of reasons, we chose a model w/an an engine box, making the Alaskan Bulkhead incredibly awkward in terms of access for my 6'4" self. We instead chose to enclose the entire stern area and create an additional living area.
Engine - pure and simple after test driving a 96' w/a Cummins, Dale said she loved the boat and never felt safer, BUT "the engine sounded like 2 harleys in a box" so find a quieter one, so we went w/the Yanmar and love it. Don't take it wrong, Cummins is a great motor but I was vetoed.
Trolling Valve - I fish for king, etc., and the yanmar is a little faster than I'd like, so I researched the trolling valve option. I just don't like the idea of messin' w/the transmission like that, and if you forget to take it out before getting up on plain, you have problems.
Vacu Flush - When my current system gets to that point to justify the cost, I'll do it!

If you've determined what you want to do with the boat, that should drive a lot of your decisions. Aside from the above, here's a few things to consider:

• Cost
  Engine box or flush deck (some handling characteristics & access issues w/each)
  Fishing, Cruising, or both (Our choice)
  Anchor Windlass controlled from pilot house
  GPS/chartplotter
  radar
  autopilot (originally thought so, but decided to invest elsewhere)
  generator or inverter
  functioning live well

This site is a fantastic source of information on any topic you can come up with. I spent several months researching all of the above before we made those preference decisions and began shopping. Good Luck!

[slimjim]

Frank, If you are going to be using the boat for the bay area, bay or ocean and want to Salmon fish, you will need the Bulkhead sliding door, and you will have to have a trolling valve.

My friend has the Albin 28TE With both these items and after Salmon fishing with him many times this season both worked out great for this area.

Its gets sloppy and windy in the bay or ocean, he has the engine box with Yanmar, it it sure was nice and quiet when we shut the door. Getting out of the wind was awesome as well. Think about how you are going to use the boat and where you will be using the boat.

The engine box worked great for Salmon Fishing and for riding in the bay or ocean. Very quite as well for the helm area.
The boat trolls at about 3 to 4 knots without the trolling valve and for Salmon that will be a bit too fast, so with the trolling valve you can slow her down to the sweet spot speed, 1.5 to 2.8.

The flush deck has a raised deck and you lose 4" of gunnel. I would rather have the extra 4" due to the weather in the SF Bay and ocean. Its more safe as well.

You do in fact lose deck space with the engine box, but I would rather have the engine box for fishing and cruising as I don't like having the engine under my feet when running and less noise in the helm area.
The Yanmar is a great engine set up for fuel burn, noise and speed. All 3 were very important to me.

[Pitou]

I am looking to purchase an Albin 28 TE. Do I understand correctly that the Alaskan Bulkhead can be installed after market? I would very much like to have the enclosed area and have been looking to purchase a boat with that feature. I'm looking for a boat with Alaska Enclosure, Vacu flush, trolling valve and Yanmar or Cummins. I am trying to establish best options. Any thoughts? How easy is it to put in the Alaska Bulkhead?

Options lists for boaters are like the old Sears Christmas Catalog for kids in the days before the internet.

Number one for me would be a clean boat. This in itself tells you an awful lot about the owner and how the vessel was maintained. Almost everything else can be upgraded or added, though additions are more costly compared to used.

Not sure if Aluminum 2000 of Bedford, NH (a division of Pompanette) can still produce the Alaskan Bulkhead for the engine box 28TE, but they may possibly still have the CAD drawings. Here is their link http://www.aluminum2000.com/about.html . I do know that they have parts available. Over the past 9 years I have put together a pretty extensive library of what is in my 28 ... labeled "My Albin". It sure comes in handy. I purchased my 28TE as a 2 year old trade on a 35 Command bridge from Standish Boat Yard in Tiverton, RI and asked the dealer to remove the A. Bulkhead as I thought it would be too cumbersome to maneuver around. He said live with it one season and if I wasn't happy he would send someone to MA no charge to remove it. Glad that I took his advice. I now would not have it any other way than with. Plenty of ways to get under deck with it installed .. center hatch and the hatch at the foot of the helm has provided ample access. May there have been a time that removing the drawers under the helm seat made things easier. Undoubtedly yes, but the bulkhead has never prohibited any project from going forward and being completed within a reasonable time.

Engine - pure and simple after test driving a 96' w/a Cummins, Dale said she loved the boat and never felt safer, BUT "the engine sounded like 2 harleys in a box" so find a quieter one, so we went w/the Yanmar and love it. Don't take it wrong, Cummins is a great motor but I was vetoed.

Don't discard one engine over another that one power plant is quiet and another is loud. Real tough doing apples to apples. Look for insulation factors that were done at build or added later. There have been previous discussions on this forum in the past saying how Cummins engines are extremely loud. As members participated it was discovered that some had minimal insulation packages of one inch in minimal locations and others like myself have 2 1/4 inches all around including insulated - decks, insulated - under deck bulkheads, engine box cover & hatch covers. that's where the real key comes in and not necessarily the engine itself.

The following link has a discussion regarding a a 1996 with a Cummins that has significantly less sound insulation than my 2002. A recurring theme on AOG is that "all Albins are the same, but different".

Link to that discussion regarding Sound Proofing Insulation; viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5865&p=34784#p34784

All the best in your search and determining the necessary options for your style of boating.

[OldDemps]

I'll chime in since I've been riding a Albin 28 for several season on SF Bay. (And love it, however)

A couple of thoughts.

As I initially wanted the bulkhead, in hindsight glad I dont have one. Why? having hard protection on 3 sides is enough for the constant 55~ degree bay waters air temp. Also the canvas back drop keeps the cabin tight enough if additional protection is needed (transiting downwind only) but can be totally removed for total access to helm when fishing hard or I have a lot (4+) of guest on board or when the weather gets warm (up in the Delta) and an open plan is awesome. The only possible benefit I'd see to the bulkhead here is quicker security of locking the bulkhead and you're done. Those stock Albin cabin hatches are bulky and time consuming, particularly if you're only going ashore for a short time. Pitou has a AWESOME boat.

For fishing Salmon / Crab Etc out of SF Bay, Boston Whaler Conquest 30~ is the ultimate boat you want for that. The Albin is too slow to get out to Duxbury reef if that's where the fish are. Read what you like about speed but you're only going to make good on average 15~knots on a 60 mile run out the Gate and back with our strong currents. So that 4 hours underway, you need a faster boat and that why you dont see the party boats fishing the 28TE hull IMHO. Twin outboards could also be debated as a benefit in the open Pacific and thats what most fisherman run. Also note that the prevailing NW wind is usually stronger than the current outside so you'll be trolling into the wind the majority of the time (because down wind and down current is too fast, trolling value or no trolling value) and again the bulkhead preceived value of protection is diminished upwind.

As for the engine, I'm Yanmar powered as most Albins are. My marine diesel brother loves Cummin because they're awesome engines, cheaper to service and parts availability everywhere unlike Yanmar parts being exclusive dealer only and subject to hijacking.

In summary I love the Albin because it's an excellent Goldengate boat for our 12 months a year season, Easy to run single handed, fuel efficentcy, perfect long weekend overnighter in the delta or pulling up in Kirby cove for BBQ at the Giants game.

Good luck in your quest