A36 Cummins vs Lehman

[Sunsetrider]

I am in the throes of planning to move from my beloved A25 to full time on the 36. Prices range from $25k to $69k for my target vintage (78-88). I will have lots of questions and requests for info and advice, so here’s my first one:

Most have the Ford 120 hp (I am focused on single screw only) and claim a modest cruising and max speed. So I was surprised to see a top speed claim of 14 knots with the Cummins 210 in this ad:
<>

Is this realistic, and collaterally, assuming cruising at 9 kts or below, what sort of fuel consumption might one expect? Assuming someone seeing this has experience with larger motor. Would a cheapskate like me eschew the bigger motor?

Side note: what do we think “motivated owner” translates to in round numbers?

[jleonard]

Any day of the week I would choose the Cummins 210 over the Lehman 120.
You mentioned cruising at 9 knots. You will not do that with the Lehman. More like 7 to 7.5 knots.
At any speed that the Lehman can do, the Cummins will do more efficiently because it is a more modern engine.
At about 7 knots, expect to burn something like 2 to 2 + gallons per hour with the Lehman.
I believe the increased speed with the Cummins, 14 seems a little high, maybe with a "lightly loaded" boat. I'd guess a 10 cruise speed is doable.
The Cummins will be easier to maintain. I have owned a couple in both boats and trucks.
Best of luck in your decision!

[WillieC]

WHAT!! Movin' on up??? You are entering a world of hurt, my friend. You might as well go for twin Cat turbos with intercooled defibrillators powered by fuel cells and dilithium crystals. 36 footer...Pffftt.

Funny, depending on how our cruise goes this summer, I may consider the same idea. Last summer in the South Sound, our tracks crossed several times with a real nice couple on a 36 foot Herrshine (sp?) They store it on the hard up in Everett over the off season and cruise full time for three plus months every year. And live in an upscale neighborhood in Seattle. Not exactly our demographic, but I won't hold that against them. They even joined us in our cramped wheelhouse for happy hour at Jarrell Cove. Their powered dinghy cost more than the WillieC. Sharing stories, some lies and a few libations with good snacks is what it's all about. Good luck on your transition, Steve.

[RobS]

Sure I can tell you many things about a Cunmins but there is no better qualified person with "real experience" to answer your exact question than Jay... He's well seasoned on both of those engines.

[DesertAlbin736]

Funny, depending on how our cruise goes this summer, I may consider the same idea. Last summer in the South Sound, our tracks crossed several times with a real nice couple on a 36 foot Herrshine (sp?) They store it on the hard up in Everett over the off season and cruise full time for three plus months every year. And live in an upscale neighborhood in Seattle. Not exactly our demographic, but I won't hold that against them. They even joined us in our cramped wheelhouse for happy hour at Jarrell Cove. Their powered dinghy cost more than the WillieC. Sharing stories, some lies and a few libations with good snacks is what it's all about. Good luck on your transition, Steve.

We've also been going back & forth on these same ideas & issues ourselves, & corresponding with Sunsetrider.

We think of Albin being an all Swedish boat like our 25's. But turns out in the case of the classic 36 & up they were part of the Taiwan built trawler craze of the 70s & 80s. Maybe a little better QC than some of the others makes (CHB, etc), which in many cases were built in the same yards from the same molds & given a variety of different names by different importers. From what I've read it was a Wild West situation back in those days.

Ran across this dated but still relevant Passage Maker article on Taiwan built trawlers in general (Albin gets mentioned in passing). Interesting reading.

http://onboardislandtime.com/venerable_ ... awlers.pdf

They mostly all have similar classic layouts, some have companionway access hatches from the aft deck down into the aft cabin, others like the Albin 36 do not. Most have double berths to one side, meaning one person has to crawl over the other to get in & out of the bunk, and a few have the more desirable walk around center queen bed in the aft owner cabin. Some have only one sliding side door into the salon next to the lower helm on starboard, others have two salon doors, one on each side. Almost all had issues with leaking windows & teak decks at one time or another. Many had osmotic blisters. Build quality or lack thereof was all over the map (not saying that's true of all A36's). Like many old boats they can run the gamut from neglected project boats to jewels that were meticulously maintained & upgraded, some even kept out of the elements in boathouses.

We're hoping to take a look at this Universal 36 in Friday Harbor later this summer if it's still on the market. Universal is just one of many brand names given to Taiwan built trawlers. This one looks a little different from the usual CHB's, Puget Trawlers, Marine Traders, has I guess what you'd call the faux planking lines on the hull like the A36, but less flaring of the bow and a bit of a classic step-down curve of the sheer reminiscent of 1930s yachts that you don't often see. So many of these boats came with Lehmans, something like 80% of all Taiwan trawlers used Lehmans. This boat had been repowered with a 2002 Perkins M135. Owner also got rid of the teak decking & painted all the exposed teak trim with grey epoxy paint.

universal36.jpg

I'm a sucker for that kind of styling, mindful of the boat my grandfather had in the 1940s & 50s (which I never got to see or go out on).

Copy of IMG_0154.JPG

[flavigne]

hi

I own a A36 1990 with the Cummins engine. Excellent engine; parts available at Cummins industrial (got a starter in Mobile Al under 200$). Speed between 8 to 9 Knots around 2000 RPM with tuned 4 blades prop. Fuel around 3 USGPH. No major maintenance issues except they left the space to work at the factory. Regularly check the bolts on the flange of transmission-shaft.

On my boat; I had to create access ports for the packing gland under the toilet - shower fiberglass unit.

your budget looks dead on 50000 plus or minus a dollar should do it.