OFFER ACCEPTED!!!

[kirley]

Looks like we're new owners of a 1999 albin 31, offer accepted this morning!!! Looking for a sea trial Sat, but weather looks like it won't work for us , so till the seas settle down we will dream and plan! I've been on the site for a while, learning and you folks rock ( ALL PUNS INTENDED ). Boat in great shape, new electronics, with the single 450 Cummins with 650 hrs in it! We currently own a 24' wellcraft excell walk around and the admiral said we need a bigger boat!!!!! So we looked at a 30 and a 33' grady white and they were fine, till our broker showed us the albin, how do they get so much cabin space in those boats? We were sold! So, praying for calm seas, with big similes on! Salmon season is coming---ohhh---boyyy!

[Russell]

Congratulations you are the envy of us 28 owners.

[RobS]

..Looking for a sea trial Sat, but weather looks like it won't work for us , so till the seas settle down we will dream and plan!...

Don't let them settle down too much, that ain't no bowrider! Nothing worse than sea trialing a boat on a flat calm day and doing circles to see how she takes the waves of your wake

[Nancy]

Nothing worse than sea trialing a boat on a flat calm day and doing circles to see how she takes the waves of your wake

You must have been with us on our sea trial last March. Never thought the Chesapeake could look like a mill pond. Not a ripple!

Congratulations, Kirley, and welcome aboard!

[kirley]

Thank you all, I'm sure the boat can handle the weather and so can the Admiral, it's me!!! Next weekend hopefully, we can't wait!!! I'll keep you informed. Nancy, you have to love the ocean when it's that calm!

[Panhdjoe]

The fuel burn of your Albin compared to the big Gradys will make life easier. Not that I am not a fan of Grady white, our lake boat is a Grady tournament 19 and it shocks me with the fuel bill after getting used to our family cruisers 1.3 gph

[kirley]

1.3 WHAT??? At what speed can you get such good gph?

[jcollins]

..Looking for a sea trial Sat, but weather looks like it won't work for us , so till the seas settle down we will dream and plan!...

Don't let them settle down too much, that ain't no bowrider! Nothing worse than sea trialing a boat on a flat calm day and doing circles to see how she takes the waves of your wake

I agree with Rob. You do not want to sea trial on a flat calm day. There is no better way to get a feel for your new boat than when it's sporty out there.

Congratulations on your Albin!

[whwells]

Congr's on your deal and great fine. Sounds like you will be in the famous delta area of Ca. The 31 is a really fine boat as well as the engine choice. Your future 31 will handle the weather and the waters. Go for it.
whwells 'Howard"

[kirley]

Went on our sea triall tuesday, WOW, nice ride, beau-t-ful boat, runs like a swiss watch, and the handlling is amazing!!! So they hauled it out today and the mechs looked at it, reports pending, sad note, looks like we need to put a trolling valve on it, slw speed is 4 kts and for salmon we need 2.5 so $2500?? I'll open new link. Thanks albin group!

[kirley]

Well the good news is, boat passed inspections with flying colors---bad news is new trolling valve isn't $2500 but $4000, told mech we'll have to run it first to see if we can do without! So looks like title change will happen next week! WOO-HOO!

[whwells]

HAPPY FOR YOU. How about a 9.9 long shaft kicke on the swim platform for trolling. I have the trolling valve on the Starboard engine and it works well with the auto pilot running true and correct. However, in the Puget Sound we have wind and wind waves but generally no swells. You of course will have wind waves and swells on the Paciific.

Anyway my Ablin Mech. tells me the trolling value is hard on the transmission. He recomends a complete change of the tranmission fluid annually. So I wonder if a small engjne on the swim platform would do the job for less money and be better for your engine and tramission. I don't think it is a serious issue using a trolling valve but still a concern.

On the other hand by the time you get a trolling engine installed, with remote linkage - well you are likely back to the costs of the trolling value. Let us all know how you do without the valve. I do have a friend with the 31 Albin who says it trolls to fast for salmon without the valve. You can use the water bags on each side to slow you down. They are a pain to me.

Will you be fishing out of the SF Gates?

whwells "Howard"
2006 35te Sportfisher/Flybridge
Trinidad, Ca/ Anacortes, Wa.

[scotts15]

I ran a 9.9 kicker on my Oprey 26LC out of SF for salmon as my Volvo D6-310 ran way too fast at idle. It worked great and kept the hours on my main engine low. I attached my kicker to my outdrive for steering but you will need to do something different. There are several different remote steering systems, including the Panther, that can be used but with the large rudder on your boat but you may be able to run the kicker staight and steer with the main steering wheel/rudder. I'd try it before buying the remote steering.

For controlling the speed, I used the TrollMaster (cabelas carries it) and loved it.

I realize my Osprey 26LC with diesel isn't as heavy as your boat, but it was very heavy compared to other 26' boats and the kicker ran at a pretty low speed. I would bet that a 9.9 high thrust would push your boat fine for salmon trolling. I don't see any value in going bigger than 9.9. With a 5 gallon plastic fuel tank set on the swim step, you would have a decent "get home" motor in case you run into trouble with your main.

The great thing about the 9.9 and other accessories is that there is a good resell market for them whereas once the trolling valve is installed, I wouldn't think that the resale would be that good. You can usually pick up kicker motors used. Consider a kicker with a built in tilt so it's easy to lift when you get ready to run from one hot spot to another.

Scott

[kirley]

We'll be fishing so. cal. hole out of moss landing ( seven miles out ), and santa cruz and sometimes monteray, and I'll hate to put a kicker motor on that beauty, how sad to think your boat won't go slow enough!

[Russell]

I have a trolling valve and would not have anything else. A kicker motor will cost as much as the trolling valve, ruin the looks of the boat, be in the way for pulling in fish, require gasoline to be on board and be a constant pain to adjust the speed and then flush with fresh water at the end of the day. It will require maintenance, winterizing etc. while the trolling valve requires nothing and might add to the value of your boat. If you keep the engine at idle speed a trolling valve does not harm the transmission. There are thousands of these things in use by recreational fishermen and charter captains and if they caused harm it would be well known. Your speed needs to be adjusted as you turn into and out of the wind or current and you do it by pushing the trolling valve control in and out.
One trick I learned from charter captains is to keep a sock or cloth tube tied to the throttle and stick that on the handle when the trolling valve is engaged. Accelerating to higher RPMs with the trolling valve engaged will ruin the transmission. It might not be you that does it but one of your fishing companions that takes over not realizing the valve is engaged.
I have not used the trolling bags but understand from those who do that you tie them to a cleat near the bow and troll them along the sides. A retrieval line is tied to a rear cleat so the bags can be flipped into the cockpit with ease when you want to move out. This deployment position keeps them away from the prop and from the stern area where your trolling lines are running.