Greencoast Albin 25 - was help with offer

[greencoast]

Hi folks,
About to make a offer on a 1975 Albin 25. While my wife largely trusts my judgement in this matter, she'd love some input from those with deeper Albin knowledge. She (the boat) is in plus physical condition with new (less than 100 hrs.) Volvo D2-40 engine as well as transmission and electrical. Owner was a marine engineer. Also comes with trailer! Glass, canvas, brightwork, cushions, etc. In fine shape. I think 20K U.S. is a good deal, or at the very least the going rate from my research.
Comments?

Many thanks!

[kerrye]

Got pictures to help assess the boat? My general sense is that not many A25's are selling for $20k nowadays. There are boats on the market at that price but they've been on the market for a very long time--years in some cases.

[WillieC]

I paid too much for my boat and put way too much into it and about 6k for a trailer (new). Engine was dying and spare engine has taken way too much to rebuild. If I could get it all back and cough up 20 I'd be well ahead. Ridiculously ahead.
Don't know anything about the D2-40 or tranny, but 100 hours? Put together by a marine engineer? You buy it and we'll trade! Straight across!

Then again, it is a boat. Pictures might help, but the history as you describe it sounds pretty good. Did I mention I spent another small fortune upgrading the main power wiring, no cabin lights or fancy chargers, solar or batteries?

"Glass, canvas, brightwork, cushions, etc. " on the WillieC needs attention as well.

On your way to Bellingham, stop by and look at mine on Hood Canal. Maybe I'll go with you.

Here are some opinions on the engine I just found:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f54 ... 62847.html

Yes, VP parts are expensive...but if marine engineer chose this engine...
VPs get a bad rap and I have contributed my share of negative press. Not all of it is warranted. There appear to be manifold/hx issues that need careful scrutiny, but every engine has its needs. Just my two cents worth.

[tego]

Greencoast, Ask these owners who have nice boats how much they've got in their boat. If it truly is a good vessel, they'll probably say way more than 20k$. It sounds like a good deal if it is truly turnkey! Ben

[WillieC]

Just re-read the CF post on the D2 engines. Doesn't sound good. Do you enjoy wrenching? It would be very helpful to talk to other D2 owners and see how bad it is. Why would VP sell such a design, oh I know, profit? There's got to be a fix, and who knows if the problem affects every engine. I might be considering some kind of dry exhaust, though there isn't any room in the A25. The 4 cylinder is much smoother and quieter than our three-cylinder, but worrying about the exhaust/hx issue would blow my head inside out. I see that it might be a rebranded Perkins. If that is so, surely Perkins has other solutions to this issue. Could take a bit of research.

Decisions, decisions.

Take a chance and put 15-20k in the bank for a new replacement engine if it acts up. That sounds harsh. Good luck in your process.

(Maybe the D2 is a bit of a bargaining lever? Such a shame, for a brand new engine. I considered buying a new-in-crate (allegedly) MD17C for 6K. But I couldn't wrap my head around how it was stored in the dry California heat. One could end up tearing the whole engine down simply to replace all the rubber seals. I passed on it.)

More info. Check to see if the VP recall is still alive. I read on one site that it is good up to 2019 and is related to emissions stuff. Maybe that is why this engine has only 100 hours. But did they fix the manifold issue?

[kerrye]

I hesitate to bring this up but I think this boat was posted in this forum a week or so ago. I communicated with The owner who said with the new engine the boat went 10-12 knots. I find that claim hard to believe but was assured it was true. It raises questions in my mind. I’m not aware of anyone who reports those kinds of speed in an A25.

[kerrye]

Man that engine has a really bad rap on that forum. Yikes

[kerrye]

I’ll add that I don’t have anywhere near that$$ into my boat and it has a new engine with 200 hrs and a new aluminum trailer with 2000 miles

[kerrye]

http://www.multihulls4us.com/forums/sho ... e-law-suit

More criticism of the engine design

[greencoast]

Thanks for all the input folks! While the engine make does give me pause, I do know the squeaky posters on the sites mentioned are the loudest. I take some solace in the fact that a marine engineer chose the engine. And as one less critical poster offered, if Volvo engines we're as bad as the ssqeakers say, they would have gone out of business long ago. That said, I'm also aware of the possibility that I really want the boat and am talking myself into it

[kerrye]

It’s not just the make it’s the known flaws. I would count on having to replace the heat exchanger manifold and the black box

[greencoast]

Sounds like an ultimate possibility....

[WillieC]

Greencoast, the cost of a manifold is cheap vs a new engine. I hear your thinking. Somebody has solved this problem. Maybe the PO was already on top of it.
Hope it all works out. I read the comment about the squeaky posters and appreciated the response as well.

Keep us posted.

(I see I was mistaken earlier. YOU are in Bellingham, the boat is elsewhere. You are still welcome to check out the WillieC for comparison.)

Kerrye, this is the 40HP engine. 10% more than the original MD engines. We can push 8 kts with our forty plus YO 36HP. I much prefer to keep the revs down to 17-1800, 6 to 7 kts. If the marine engineer ran his boat as indicated, he probably did right by it. I'm too chicken to push mine that hard for long. DA mentioned in his visit with Sunsetrider, with the same MD17C as ours, some decent speeds, but unbearable racket. The 4 cylinder D2 is much nicer. Correctly propped, well tuned, clean hull... it could happen.

[kerrye]

Hull speed for a 25' boat is 6.7 knots so anything higher than that is going to be a result of pushing the boat onto plane. It takes a lot of horsepower to get a boat up on plane. I've got 42hp and I can't imagine it pushing the boat at 12 knots. Maybe my imagination is too limited but I haven't read about huge differences in top speed between the original 21hp and the 36hp versions of the boat. Of course the additional horsepower is useful against tide or wind. But I only brought up the topic to indicate I would proceed with caution in those circumstances, not that it was a deal breaker in and of itself.

[WillieC]

Agree, Kerrye. I was thinking more 10kt and discounting the 12kt. As mentioned elsewhere we got up to 11.7 in the Tacoma Narrows. We also have the super duper deluxe model with the ever so slightly recurve in the hull.
One doesn't buy an A25 for speed. The world at 6 knots is an unmitigated joy.

All that said, having spent too many hours in beam seas with approaching Small Craft Advisory, I did look with envy on the Super Yachts blowing by on plane calling ahead to the pubs in LaConner for dinner reservations. I was hoping to get there by last call.