New to the Albin Owners Group

[Paul Nelson]

Hi all, so, here I am down in New Orleans. Several years ago, I sold my Crosby 26 Motor boat. What was I thinking? . Not much, I fear.. The anchor, which I swallowed is now choking me. That said, the Abin 25 motor sailor looks to be a good match for me. I'll be asking questions to find more about it and perhaps purchase one. I hope not to be a bother to anyone. Thanks for letting me join.
Paul Nelson.

[Nancy]

Haven't seen anyone be a bother around here yet. Welcome aboard.

[Paul Nelson]

Hi Nancy, thank you for seeing my post. I am "kicking" tires now and putting together tons of questions and learning a ton viewing all the very interesting posts on the forum. Best regards. Paul

[Jeremyvmd]

Welcome to the board and good luck with your search!

[whwells]

PAUL WELCOME: Lots of information and owner's here of the Classic 25. Ask away as we all learn from one another.
whwells "Howard'

[Paul Nelson]

Howard.. Many thanks for the welcome ! Paul

[DesertAlbin736]

Welcome aboard! You obviously must be a man of good taste if you're thinking of an Albin 25. We love ours. It came with all the gear needed to make it into a motor sailor, that is mast, boom, sails, and rigging rigging including a Furlex headsail furler. But we've never installed it, nor had the folks we bought the boat from. But as a pocket trawler IMO the biggest assets on the Albin 25 are: #1) fuel economy of 0.4 to 0.5 gallons per hour @6.5 kts, which works out to 13 Nautical MPG; #2) 5 ft 9 in headroom in the main cabin, 6 ft headroom in the wheelhouse & center cockpit with canvas enclosure, aft cabin with sitting head room and pair of single quarter berths suitable for a couple kids or extra storage, #3) good trailerability with 8 ft 6 inch beam for extended road trips anywhere you want to go, 5,000 lbs displacement, +/- 7,000 lbs road weight including trailer, #4) a real "classic plastic" boat, #5) very livable accomodations for a couple, good weekender for a family; #5) not cheap as a you might expect for 40+ year old boat, but inexpensive compared to any other comparable 25 foot displacement pocket trawler on the market such as for example Nimble Nomad, C-Dory, Ranger Tug, or Nordic Tug.

Be aware that Albin 25's came in two hull design variants, that is the early models like ours with pure displacement hulls and 25 or so HP diesels and later "Deluxe" models starting from about 1975 on had flatter bottom at the stern to make it a semi-displacement hull using 36 to 40 HP diesels and speeds up to 10 kts. Many of these boats are have been re-powered with newer engines of various makes, Volvo, Yanmar, Beta (Kubota), etc, so there's a lot of individuality as you might expect with 1970s boats being modified and customized by their owners over the years.

Steve Eshleman

[Paul Nelson]

Hi Steve.. I can clearly see that from just the pure size of the Owners Group, this is a brand that is well liked and used !
My previous boats were trawler types as I am cruising person. Thanks for the heads up on the hull variants. Speed is not any concern for me.. If I want to go fast.. I use an airplane ! . One question that you may be able to address: On both designs are the hulls laid up solid fiberglass or with balsa core interior. Same question for the decks.. The other main issues is bunks.. I am 6 feet (and shrinking). but will I be cramped in the forward area.
Thanks again Steve. Paul Nelson

[Sea Symphony]

A quick welcome from the UK - well Wales actually. The Albin 25 is just a great boat. Plenty of help here, too, if you buy one. Good luck!

Mike.

[Mark Deeser]

Welcome Paul, it's a large family. I used the combined knowledge a lot when redoing my boat, proved too be a real help. Thanks, Mark.

[Paul Nelson]

Hi Mark and Mike. Many thanks for the warm welcomes !! Spring soon.. maybe boating soon ! Paul

[DesertAlbin736]

One question that you may be able to address: On both designs are the hulls laid up solid fiberglass or with balsa core interior. Same question for the decks.. The other main issues is bunks.. I am 6 feet (and shrinking). but will I be cramped in the forward area.
Thanks again Steve. Paul Nelson

Paul,

I believe the hulls are a solid layup of woven roving f/g on the sides and chopped mat on the bottom. Decks are cored with 1 inch thick foam and chopped strand mat on the undersides. Inside the cabins looking at the sidewalls and overheads you are looking at the actual deck and hull structure, not an insert. The floorboards both in the wheelhouse/cockpit and cabins are removable 5/8" thick plywood sections, giving access to the bilge throughout the boat except for the 2 ft section just forward of the aft cabin door.

For example, lift up the section of floorboard just forward of the aft cabin & you have easy access to the shaft log, and most likely the raw water strainer and bilge pump as the case may be. Here you're looking at the actual bottom of the boat & keel sump. Cockpit floor is right about at the waterline level. These boats were built in the '70s when they tended to overbuild on fiberglass.

As far as the bunks, the aft quarterberths are about 6 ft & extend under the bench seats in the cockpit. We perfer sleeping in the main cabin where the settees have an insert that makes it into a very roomy double with 4" thick foam cushions. I'm 5' 11" & have no trouble stretching out. I can't quite stand up all the way in the main cabin without hunching over slighty, but the wheel house will certainly allow a 6 ft tall person to stand up straight. Anyone under 5' 10" can stand all the way up in the the main cabin.

DSCN1991.JPG

AlbinCutawayView.jpg

Here's the Admiral at work in the main cabin whipping up a crab dip appetizer to share at this past weekend's sailing club raft up

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[DesertAlbin736]

Paul,

This one would be an awesome boat. But alas it's up in BC Canada & doesn't come with a trailer.

http://www.albinbc.com/for-sale/la-serena

Then again $22,900 Canadian is only $16,716 US at the current exchange rate of 73 cents US to $1 Canadian, and that would be a good price as well equipped as this boat appears to be. Except for the ugly orange color cushions that is.

[DesertAlbin736]

Here's one in Quebec for $13K US with 36 HP Volvo with 300 hrs on a rebuild. Comes with a junk looking trailer.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1973/Al ... tTxEJwrLcs

Still a long way from NOLA, but a lot closer than British Columbia. You will find that Albin 25s are few and far between on the used market. This one is the semi-displacement "DeLuxe" version.

This one's a lot closer to you over in Punta Gorda, FL. It's a lot more money obviously, but very tricked out with a 80 hours on a new 30 HP Yanmar engine. That alone adds a lot of value. This one is the slower full displacement version. Look at the photos of the stern and you can see the difference between this one and the Quebec boat. This boat if FL has been for sale for a long time.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1973/Al ... tTybJwrLcs

[Paul Nelson]

Hi Steve...yes.. Quebec's price interesting.. but transportation to New Orleans.. hummk.
Punta Gorda ..lots closer and getting her here on her hull could be done..
I have seen one that just arrived in Mobile Alabama.. just came down from WAY up North.. Made it just fine..
I may have a look at her.. Thank you again. Paul