Prospective A27 FC Buyer

[PaxRiverBoats]

Good evening! I'm Ted Turner (NO, not THAT one..) from Hollywood, Maryland. I'm a lifelong Chesapeake Bay area resident, and a Bay boater for more than 25 years. In 1991, my wife and I started with a wooden1946 36' sedan cruiser named "ALWAYS" built by Maynard Lowery in Tilghman Island, MD. We then transitioned in 2005 to my Godfather's trusty old 1977 27' Broadwater Mariner Express cruiser, which we thoroughly enjoyed for 10 years, until she was damaged in a microburst, and not reparable. In 2014 we bought a Hurricane Sandy salvage 2004 Bayliner 222EC Express cruiser, which is relatively nice, and relatively fast, but just not a good boat for me at age 62. I cannot get to the bow to handle lines, except through the hatch in the cabin, which is a physically daunting and publicly humiliating activity. I cannot take the boat out without my good wife, or my daughters to climb over the windshield to the bow. We have liked and appreciated, and looked at Albins for a long time, and the prices are now in our affordability range. Interestingly, we keep our Bayliner at a neighbor's pier, and this couple bought a nice dark hulled 1998(?) 28TE with a Cummins diesel. Beautiful boat, but the entrance to our creek is shoal at low tide, and they need to come and go on a high tide. The 28'TE draws in excess of 3', and actually my silly little Bayliner, with the outdrive all the way down, draws about the same as a 28' TE.

I really like the full keel and the rudder shoe on the A27s, which draw about 2' 6", a draft which is almost always do-able getting into, and out of our creek. Additionally, with retirement coming next summer for me, I want a boat I can single hand without gymnastics, and the A27 seems a great fit for that, as well as being a good size for my wife and me to weekend aboard, or do Bay cruises, or even an ICW jaunt, should we want to do that. There's an '85 A27FC with a Nissan L28 not too far from where I live, at very reasonable price, and we're going to go take a look. Just browsing the forum has been helpful in knowing what to look for, and I will download the "Buyer's checklist." This is a great forum, and I have learned a lot!

Best wishes to all,
-Ted Turner
Hollywood, MD

[tego]

Ted, There're a lot of us older guys (and gals) who feel the same way as you, and have reached the same conclusions. Welcome aboard. Have the patience to wait for a good one. I traveled about 3000 miles looking but it was worth it, and I can say I've had more fun with my 27FC than with any other boat I've owned in over 55 years of boating. Good luck! Ben

[PaxRiverBoats]

Thanks, Ben! Waiting to hear back from the broker to schedule a look. I'll post when we get to go see her.

[DCatSea]

Welcome to the forum, Ted and Marci,

We have owned our 27FC for 2 years now and have thoroughly enjoyed chugging around the Middle Bay. I retired this year, and have found that she more than adequately fills the gap between yard work and the honey-do list. (which have probably both suffered a tad). She's on the hard now until April-ish, and I have a nice little "to-do" list for the cold months, including rewiring the helm, new engine mounts, and a thorough "go" in the engine room.

You are correct in thinking she is easily single-handed, without too much athletic ability, and comfortable for two for weekending or longer.

Hope your search goes well, and that we see you on the Bay next year.

[Mark Deeser]

Welcome to the form Ted, it's hard to go far wrong with the Albin 27. We re-powered our 27FC with a 65 hp Cummins, very happy with choice, old LD 28 was hard to find parts for. Ours spent life in salt water, exhaust manifold suffered badly. I was looking at Dougs winter todo list, I don't see many long winter naps in his future. Hope your boat finds you. Thanks, Mark.

[DCatSea]

Hi Mark
Who has winter naps AND a 27FC? Looking forward to some good out-of-water action, leading to more extended cruising in 2017.