28TE getting acquainted questions

[fairtide]

My 28TE is still a learning experience, even though I traded a 27 SC with basically the same layout of where things are. I cannot find a 12 volt outlet anywhere, and it is a standard feature. Where should I look to find this?
I noticed that when the nav instrument switch is on (needed to energize my depth sounder, chartplotter and VHF radio, the engine instruments are lighted. This is noticeable when the tach etc. is viewed from the side. Do any of you have a clue as to whether these instruments should be lit whenever they are operating?
The fuel gauge switch seems to have 3 detents and they all do the same thing: nothing. The gauge operates with the switch and LED off as well as on and lit.
There were some posts about two fuel filters. I have found the obvious Racor and now I'm wondering whether the Yanmar 6LPA-STE (315 hp) engine has another filter that I should know about.
The lock hasp on the companionway bifold door does not fit far enough into the routed slot that is meant to accomodate it when the doors are open and secured. Has this been a problem for any of you? I know that I can route out some of the plastic and recess the hasp a bit, but I don't think I should have to do that on a boat with about 10 hurs on the clock.
I plan to contact the manufacturer, but the boat is some distance from any Albin place.
Other than that, the boat is very nice. I need to get used to the very wide turning radius of this boat. That thruster is not a luxury. The 27 turned much more sharply when docking. I may need to play with throttle bursts to get the stern to slew around smartly.

[SpaceCoaster]

I cannot find a 12 volt outlet anywhere, and it is a standard feature. Where should I look to find this?

There are at least two, maybe three outlets that I can recall in my '94 model:

a. There is one in the cabin, on the port side ledge next to the berth, just forward of the galley area. I also recall that it has the GFCI reset switch (breaker) for all your AC outlets, in case it is ever tripped remember this, otherwise you'll wrack your brains trying to figure out why your AC outlets aren't working.

b. There is an AC outlet in the pilothouse's starboard wall, just beside captain's helm seat.

There might be one in the head, but I don't recall if and where exactly it might be located.

There were some posts about two fuel filters. I have found the obvious Racor and now I'm wondering whether the Yanmar 6LPA-STE (315 hp) engine has another filter that I should know about.

Any diesel engine I've seen has an onboard filter. I'd be REALLY surprised if your Yanmar didn't have one somewheres. I don't have a Yanmar, but some of the other capn's here have 'em and can give you better guidance.

Turning radius...

I learned the hard way that given a choice to always turn to port when making a U-turn. My prop wash walks the stern to starboard in reverse gear; so when backing in a multi-point turn the back end swings nicely in the direction I want to so I can make the turn w/o looking like a total fool. I rarely use the bow thruster anymore while turning as a result. Good luck w/the new boat.

Jorge

[Capt Paul]

The only 12 Volt outlet on my 28TE that I have found is at the helm station just forward of the throttle. It has a cover on it so it may not be obvious that it is there. I may be missing where another one is , so I will look around some more. AC outlets can be found in the Pilot house and on the port and starboard side of the cabin as well as the forward cabin shelf area. Another AC outlet is in the head area.

I have a auxiliary fuel tank , the switch toggles between the aux and the main tank . Center, no reading, left is aux and right is the main.

I have a YANMAR 6LP-STE, Two fuel filters installed, in series on the Starboard side of the engine. The RACOR is mounted on the bulkhead which separates the main fuel tank from the engine compartment. The engine fuel filter is about a foot away from it mounted on the engine.

My instrument panel (Yanmar) has an illumination switch just to the right of the main gauges.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[fairtide]

Wow, that was fast: three replies and maybe more to come! Thanks one and all. I will check the hints when I next step aboard. This boat is a 2006 left-over and I had to choose all the electronics except for the Yanmar supplied engine gauges. It is possible that the 12 v. outlet was not installed at the helm station when the other stuff was mounted, but I will take another close look for one somewhere. It's nice to be able to charge a cell phone while running. I have one cup holder at the "mate's" seat. Did you guys luck out and get more?
Howard (Fair Tide), Hudson River area, NY

[Mariner]

I'm guessing you're right that the cigarette lighter plug was not installed since the electronics were not yet rigged. A 12volt outlet is easy to wire up and only costs a few dollars. You're lucky that you have the opportunity to put it wherever you want. Ours was installed in a place that I find rather annoyingly inconvenient.

I'm surprised to hear that your fuel gauge doesn't work. I would at least expect it to register something. Could it be that the tanks are empty? I know that ours is horribly inaccurate. So much so that I don't even bother checking it anymore. I just go off of engine hours. As much as it is guestimating, it's still more accurate than that damned fuel gauge.

Yes it is normal for the instrument lights to be on whenever the panel is turned on. It's perfectly ok for it to be this way. If you do a lot of night running, I suggest rigging up a dimmer switch if it is a problem for your night vision.

Cup holders? Haha. Our boat didn't come with no stinkin' cupholders. You're lucky you got one!

[fairtide]

My fuel gauge IS working all the time. If the battery switch is OFF, I still see a reading. I know that some electric gauges including tachs sometimes stay where they were at the time of the electrical disconnect. This fuel gauge is working, but it is not responsive to being turned on or off. It is a miracle!
Howard of Fair Tide, the 28TE on the Hudson in the shadow of Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, just in case any of you are locals or want a place to visit.

[Carl]

As for the cabin doors, My 2006 left over also had the same problem. I fixed mine by placeing about 4 washers behind the little circle of velcro. Works great. The 12V outlets did not come with mine either, had 2 of them installed when they did the electronics. Mine did have two cup holders though, one next to the port seat (along with a little copartment for sunglasses or flashlight) , and one beside/behind the starboard helm seat. Did yours come with a radar arch of any kind??
Carl

[fairtide]

The radar arch was installed after our sea trial, so it was not installed at the factory. The arch is listed as standard equipment on this boat, so not having one seems reason enough to go back and ask about why it is not there.
The GPS antenna and the VHF antenna are mounted on the arch. I did not buy a radar, as it was expensive and I did not need it for my boating style.
There is a mate's side cup holder with a small compartment for holding perhaps sunglasses or a container of sun-block. I will need to add other cup holders, as they are pretty important.
The use of washers behind the plastic companionway door closures worked well. Thanks for that tip. I was ready to recess the lock hasp a quarter of an inch into to the door panel.
Howard (Fair Tide)

[joe.baar]

The fuel gauge at my helm is pegged securely to less than zero. The one on top of the fuel tank gives a reading I think might be more or less correct. There are two small wires leading from that gauge to somewhere; I tried jiggling the slip connectors to get a reading on the gauge at the helm but no dice. The wiring for the gauge at the helm is totally obscured by another wiring bundle and I haven't yet been able to see the connectors that should be there.

Oh for a sight glass, even a barely accessible one.

Fairtide, can we trade some functionality: I'll give you the ability to switch yours off and you can loan me a reading on mine?

Probably Mariner is right about this, I should just keep paying attention.

[RicM]

There was a whole thread about rudders a month or so back that you may find helpful. It revolved around whether a larger rudder would make the Albin handle "better" in reverse. My take-a-way from it was yes, maybe, but at the expense of very heavy steering at cruise.

The thing to remember is an Albin 28 will NOT back to port. Plan docking maneuvers so that you always back to starboard, even if you have to turn the boat 180 before backing into a slip. I have made a 180 in a fairway not much wider than the boat is long by putting the throttle in neutral and the helm hard to port. Jog the throttle forward enough to start the boat turning to port, then back to neutral. Jog into reverse (without touching the helm) this will counter the forward motion and the prop walk to starboard will add to the rotational momentum counter clockwise. Repeat as needed and you will be surprised at the rotational momentum you get going without using the thruster at all. This only works COUNTER CLOCKWISE however. Not moving the helm back and forth may seem counter intuitive, but if you think about it the rudder doesn't do much if anything at low speed in reverse. Plus frantically flogging the wheel back and forth is rather unseemly once you become one with your Albins' "dignified and stately" handling .
Wind and current will complicate things as it always does. I always ask for a starboard tie, if available, at a new dock or any fuel dock. 90% of the time they don't mind

Of course bow in is a different story and much easier

[Denis]

Fairtide, I have a toggle switch on my dash panel to turn the fuel gauge on and off, it came that way. I leave it off all the time unless I need a quick check. Possibly you have a switch to turn it on and off like I do?
By the way, I have found the accuracy of the fuel guage pretty fair, it reads about an eighth low when full but it's pretty good. Im a bit of a wacko about fuel and never let it go below half a tank whenever possible.

[RicM]

My 2003 has a single tank and the gauge works regardless of the position of the switch. It seems reasonably accurate. The broker told me the switch is not active on a single tank setup, only if the additional tank is installed. I have a number of switches on my dash that light up when flipped on but do nothing. Apparently they wire the boat with a standard panel & harness but if you don't order that option the wires are just deadended in position. My boat came without a saltwater washdown (previous owner never fished). The switch was there and live. I installed the plumbing and hooked to the circuit and bingo! there was even a fuse in it!

[Donya]

On our 2003 the fuel gauge is wired to the sender, not thru the fuel selector switch, on single tank installations.

As for port back in docking I use the approach of back at a 60 disagree angle to the dock and have the matee catch the dock with a line and let the boat pull itself back towards the dock....funky but works.

Our 12 outlet is on the dash... one of the pleasures of a used boat is figuring out what the previous owner(s) have done to the wiring and ect. At one point I counted 11 negative wires on the battery post... Installing a negative buss solved that problem.

I found that I can reach the dripless shaft seal by removing the port storage box in the floor and crawling in and laying flat against the hull.

The rudder is as good and better that most boats of this type and size that I have run. I would take an Albin any day in heavy seas.

[jcollins]

Fairtide, I have a toggle switch on my dash panel to turn the fuel gauge on and off, it came that way. I leave it off all the time unless I need a quick check. Possibly you have a switch to turn it on and off like I do?

I have a on/off switch for mine as well. I'm assuming most do? Perhaps your switch is broken. Or a wire has slipped off. I had 3 switches break last year. I never did find an exact replacement but no one ever notices.

[Maye Marie]

I am not sure why I keep reading here about not using the bow thruster. I am under the opinion that if you have a bow thruster than use it. There is a reason why most single engine builders install them. I am seeing them on twin screws more now also. Why risk your boat docking without it. They are extremely affective and easy to use. Once you are comfortable with the bow thruster start playing with the rudder throttle techniques mentioned. Using the bow thruster in combination with the ruder allows you to place your boat any place any time. I have had a stiff wind peg me onto a fuel dock more than once. Turn your rudder hard towards the dock hit the thruster same time you put it into forward gear and your boat pushes out a good foot from the dock without rubbing your railings. I back to port for my slip all the time. Plus the slip angles more to the port as you back in. Not a problem. It’s just a power rudder mounted on the other end of the boat. I would not be with out it.

Good boatmanship is getting full usefulness and potential out of your water craft.