"ideal" options on 2000 - 2005 Albin 28

xsailor · Post by **xsailor** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:23 pm

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a used Albin 28. I'm wondering what you all would look for if you were buying a used model of that vintage (2000 - 2005).

Engine box vs. flush deck vs. pre-2003 flush deck?

Cummins vs. Yanmar?

Anything else that you would advise someone to look for or avoid? Any particularly good or bad years? Good or bad generators?

Bow thruster and air conditioning are definitely on the list.

Thank you all very much and I look forward to learning from you.

xsailor · Post by **xsailor** » Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:26 pm

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a used Albin 28. I'm wondering what you all would look for if you were buying a used model of that vintage (2000 - 2005).

Engine box vs. flush deck vs. pre-2003 flush deck?

Cummins vs. Yanmar?

Anything else that you would advise someone to look for or avoid? Any particularly good or bad years? Good or bad generators?

Bow thruster and air conditioning are definitely on the list.

Thank you all very much and I look forward to learning from you.

Post by **halfmoon** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:41 am

Engines and configurations are debatable, a generous holding tank is not. All are small on the Albins, so I think the VacuFlush head is the most important option on our boat.

jcollins · Post by **jcollins** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:18 pm

Post by **slimjim** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:56 pm

xsailor wrote:Hi All,

I'm in the market for a used Albin 28. I'm wondering what you all would look for if you were buying a used model of that vintage (2000 - 2005).

Engine box vs. flush deck vs. pre-2003 flush deck?

Cummins vs. Yanmar?

Anything else that you would advise someone to look for or avoid? Any particularly good or bad years? Good or bad generators?

Bow thruster and air conditioning are definitely on the list.

Thank you all very much and I look forward to learning from you.

I bought the engine box model and love it plus the side gunnels are a little higher, you do lose deck space tho, there is a entire thread on here about the pros and cons of flush deck vs engine box, read it as its very good.

Also if you fish/troll a trolling valve is a must if you need to troll under 3k I troll a lot for Salmon so it was a must for me. I like boat yanmar and Cummins engines, I got the yanmar 315 hp engine and love it, its smooth and quiet and sips diesel and is fast.

I was lucky as I bought a 2002 model 28TE that had most of the options already on it.

Post by **RobS** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:01 am

Transom door. Everything else can be added w/o too much trouble.

Post by **special k** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:19 pm

X2 on the transom door!

Post by **slimjim** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:23 pm

special k wrote:X2 on the transom door!

Whats funny is my boat does not have the swim step or Transom door, and I like it better because of where and how I dock my boat plus I have 2 bait tanks and a huge middle fish box. For Must a transom door is a great option as most want one or need one. I would not be able to fit my boat in my very tight spot with a swim step as well.

Post by **DougSea** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:54 am

If you really like the stainless port-lights they are VERY expensive to retrofit!

They all have a bow thruster, so that's not an issue.

AC is a fairly simple retrofit so that would not be a deal breaker for me.

Really it comes down to the core - read the Flush vs. Engine box thread for the thoughts there. Yanmar is by far the popular engine so it would possibly help at resale time, but really either is fine. And yes, if you want a transom door you'd better find a boat that has one, because you won't be adding one. Do you want the Alaska bulkhead? You COULD add one, but factory would be better.

At the end of the day - what are you using her for, and then which options fit that use?

Post by **Nancy** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:26 pm

DougSea wrote:And yes, if you want a transom door you'd better find a boat that has one, because you won't be adding one.

Why wouldn't a transom door be added, Doug? This is on my dream list for our boat although we really don't miss having one.

Post by **ed gathman** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 11:52 pm

I purchased 2002twenty eight with yanmar and love boat
If u get yanmar make sure valve guides are replaced
Suggest2002over2000 as earlier models have balsa core hull
Get windlass and ac

Post by **DougSea** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 12:17 am

Nancy wrote:Why wouldn't a transom door be added, Doug? This is on my dream list for our boat although we really don't miss having one.

While nothing is impossible Nancy there is a LOT of work involved in properly retro-fitting a transom door onto a 28 that doesn't have one. The depth (width?) of the transom being a major factor. There's a lot of glass work, refitting of the aft boxes, gel coat work, etc. If you don't have the skills to do it yourself I'm thinking it's thousands of dollars. My initial statement is, I guess, somewhat exaggerated, but if you don't own a 28 yet and you want the door you'd be best served buying a boat that has one.

Post by **slimjim** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 1:07 pm

DougSea wrote:If you really like the stainless port-lights they are VERY expensive to retrofit!

They all have a bow thruster, so that's not an issue.

AC is a fairly simple retrofit so that would not be a deal breaker for me.

Really it comes down to the core - read the Flush vs. Engine box thread for the thoughts there. Yanmar is by far the popular engine so it would possibly help at resale time, but really either is fine. And yes, if you want a transom door you'd better find a boat that has one, because you won't be adding one. Do you want the Alaska bulkhead? You COULD add one, but factory would be better.

At the end of the day - what are you using her for, and then which options fit that use?

I have the Alaska Bulkhead and love it. (I hear it was about $5k) I fish in a lot of slopp and wind and it works very well. I also have the stainless window cover for the 3 small front side port and stb windows and they look way cooler and better then the white plastic ones.

Post by **Nancy** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 7:11 pm

DougSea wrote:While nothing is impossible Nancy there is a LOT of work involved

Yes, agreed, it would be a big, expensive job.

Post by **RobS** » Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:54 am

Nancy wrote:
DougSea wrote:While nothing is impossible Nancy there is a LOT of work involved
Yes, agreed, it would be a big, expensive job.

When I was TE shpopping (2007) I found the "almost perfect boat" , almost only because it was missing the door. I got a price from the most respected fiberglass guy and he ballparked it out at $8,000 to make it look 100% factory. He went to another 28TE to see what it entailed before giving me that price. The price would have been firmed up once he obtained the needed parts prices from Albin. It's not just a piece of the transom that swings, it's a 3 sided well with a floor and a curb, etc. Kind of a rear entrance foyer

I passed up that deal. Here's a transom shot showing the "3-dimensional" doorway

Albin Owners Group

Albin Owners Group