1973 Albin 25 WAS: New member in midcoast Maine

[JT48348]

It’s not. The keel is fiberglass. The hull at the bow is fiberglass (see prior thruster installs etc). All along the hull bow to stern I can report the hull is approximately 3/8” fiberglass from the waterline up to the rubrail. Even assuming you had an outer and inner layer each 1/8” fiberglass skin—this would mean a core of 1/8” thick??

No. The hull is solid. I have replaced 7 thruhulls all along each side at various heights above the waterline. Solid fiberglass. In addition I installed 6ft rubber rubstrakes each thrubolted into the side of the boat. Solid fiberglass.

Under the galley, the head, the panliner, the aft bilge, if you disassemble the boat, you can actually see the bare fiberglass construction.

In addition at the highest point on the side of the boat, where the engine room vents are, if you remove them, you can see there’s no core in the hull lamination. Because the hull is about 3/8”.
On one side vent opening I actually repaired where I had separation between the fiberglass layer substrate. No coring.

I have too have replaced a depth sounder in the engine room starboard side. That hull is approx 2” thick. If you study the layup there the hull is 3/8” thick fiberglass with a wood support laid on top of the hull, inside the boat, then glassed in further. This applies to the engine room only about midships. That’s not coring. That’s similar to the support laid into the fiberglass in the flat aft areas of the boat by the turn of the bilge under the aft cabin lockers. These wood pieces are inboard, on top of the hull and thicken the hull considerably.

I’ve replaced and remounted the transom swim platform. The transom is approximately 3/4 -1” thick. 1/4” fiberglass 1/2” wood core, then 1/4” fiberglass. But the wood is added interior, and corners are solid fiberglass.

In my research interviews, I specifically asked Joe Puccia about the initial construction of the first series of boats and all subsequent runs. I also interviewed widow of Fred Peters who served as office manager and she and Joe confirmed there was no coring in the hull. Balsa coring was used in the deck and pilothouse. Reinforced in the transom. And likely added interiorly to the engine room by the large thruhulls and the flat stern sections.

[Dieselram94]

All good information, I unfortunately missed out on getting the first boat I was serious about. However I have found another that has been repowered already. The bad part is it’s sitting on a single axle trailer. That scares me. But I’m very serious about this boat and hopefully will buy it. If I do I guess I can motor it up the coast to one of my moorings while I have a trailer built.

[Dieselram94]

Well I purchased a 1973 Albin 25! It’s been repowered with a Perkins 4.108 and Hurth gear. Trailer is too small and I have a rudder issue and shaft/cutless issue to work through. But I’m in love with this boat!!!

[WillieC]

Wow! I don't think I've heard of a Perkins 4.108 in a 25.
Can't wait to hear how you sort out your initial issues and then how the Perkins runs over time.
Congratulations!

[Dieselram94]

Wow! I don't think I've heard of a Perkins 4.108 in a 25.
Can't wait to hear how you sort out your initial issues and then how the Perkins runs over time.
Congratulations!

Thank you! I’m very excited to get this! Even has the sail kit with it! I made a separate post about the rudder. I think I know how I’m going to fix it, just want others to weigh in on it. I think I will be replacing the shaft...jury is still out on that though. I don’t mind spending some money as this is a boat I have zero intentions of getting rid of. The Perkins has about 2600 hrs on it in the boat, appears it was installed in 1992 brand new. I’ll post a pic of the motor later.

[DesertAlbin736]

My only concern looking at those photos is the single axle trailer. At very least make sure those tires are Load Range E & at least 15 inch rims and less than 4 years old (look for date stamps) if you plan on anything more than using it as a yard trailer that doesn't go over the road. You're looking at a 6,500 lb rig. Minus tongue weight you've got about 6,000 lbs riding on those tires, or 3,000 lbs each. 15 inch load range E trailer tires weight capacity rating is 2,830 lbs each at 80 psi inflation. A blowout on the road at highway speeds with an overloaded single axle could be catastrophic.

The sail kit is interesting. We have one with ours, although it's a earlier style where the mast steps right up against the windshield & does not have a compression post in the cabin. If you're planning to keep the boat stored on the trailer as in your photos I think you'll find the sail rig is not worth the effort of setting it up unless you plan keep the boat in the water for the season. At best it's useful as a roll dampening riding sail for motorsailing, and a backup in case of engine failure, and at worst flying a headsail blocks one half of the view from the helm & only gets you about 4 knots in a 7 to 10 knot beam reach without assist from the engine.

[Dieselram94]

My only concern looking at those photos is the single axle trailer. At very least make sure those tires are Load Range E & at least 15 inch rims and less than 4 years old (look for date stamps) if you plan on anything more than using it as a yard trailer that doesn't go over the road. You're looking at a 6,500 lb rig. Minus tongue weight you've got about 6,000 lbs riding on those tires, or 3,000 lbs each. 15 inch load range E trailer tires weight capacity rating is 2,830 lbs each at 80 psi inflation. A blowout on the road at highway speeds with an overloaded single axle could be catastrophic.

The sail kit is interesting. We have one with ours, although it's a earlier style where the mast steps right up against the windshield & does not have a compression post in the cabin. If you're planning to keep the boat stored on the trailer as in your photos I think you'll find the sail rig is not worth the effort of setting it up unless you plan keep the boat in the water for the season. At best it's useful as a roll dampening riding sail for motorsailing, and a backup in case of engine failure, and at worst flying a headsail blocks one half of the view from the helm & only gets you about 4 knots in a 7 to 10 knot beam reach without assist from the engine.

I plan on keeping it on one of my moorings in Rockland Maine harbor. I believe you are absolutely correct about the sail kit. I doubt I’ll fool with it, just excited to have it though.

As far as the trailer, I need to check the tire load ratings but I think their only rated at 1900 pounds apiece or something like that. The good news is their very new. Interesting thing is after it arrived after a 70 mike trip tires and hubs were cool, barely warm. I would have thought they would be hot as overloaded as they are.

I was working on getting firm prices today from four trailer manufacturers for a new tandem axle aluminum float on trailer. My biggest concern is getting the bunks right to match the hull.

Hopefully I can get a new trailer for it within a few weeks and I plan to only tow it once to the boat launch so I can float it off and onto the new trailer and get it all set up on it. That single axle trailer is going to be a craigslist item and get rid of it. I consider it just scrap iron.

[NickScheuer]

Not mentioned so far, so I'll point out that the A-25's deck is Airex Foam cored (or the European of Airex PVC) Our Albin is the third boat I've owned with Airex foam core, going back to 1982, and I've had zero issues with them despite both of my earlier boats having been afflicted with occasional leaks by deck fittings.

[Dieselram94]

Not mentioned so far, so I'll point out that the A-25's deck is Airex Foam cored (or the European of Airex PVC) Our Albin is the third boat I've owned with Airex foam core, going back to 1982, and I've had zero issues with them despite both of my earlier boats having been afflicted with occasional leaks by deck fittings.

Yes, I wasn’t sure what exactly the coring material was, I just knew it is rot proof. Very happy to have s boat with no wood cores!!! Dealing with rot is no fun

[kerrye]

Our trailer is aluminum and was built by Owen's Marine in Florida and shipped up to Maine. Probably build around 10 yrs ago. They probably still have the specs on building a trailer for the A25. It is very well built. Everything bolted with stainless hardware and not welded. Cost about $4500 when it was built. https://www.slideon.com/

[ssrig]

Looks like a nice boat, congrats!

I googled that Perkins and it is listed at 51HP , do you have any idea what size prop you have? I have just recently bought an A25 and it came with a VP55 HP and it needs a new prop, have you had this in the water running yet?

[DesertAlbin736]

I was working on getting firm prices today from four trailer manufacturers for a new tandem axle aluminum float on trailer. My biggest concern is getting the bunks right to match the hull.

Here's what my trailer looks like without the boat on it. With this design the bunks are adjustable, which is this photo they were dropped all the way down to allow the trailer to be pulled out from under the boat while the bow was lifted by a gantry & chain fall and the stern was raised with a forklift. The boat is primarily supported by keel rollers at each frame cross member.

DSCN3611.JPG

This shows the boat on the trailer during the 2016 bottom job & how the bunks can be adjusted to fit the hull. You can see that without the ability to drop the bunks it would be difficult to pull the trailer due to the curve of the hull.

0404161022.jpg

Each of the five 1" box channel galvanized steel struts that support each bunk can be raised or lowered & locked in place by a bolt. To put the boat back on the trailer we just slid the trailer back under the boat with the bow supported by the crane & chainfall, removing keel blocks and hull stands as we went. Then we used a floor jack to raise the bunks to follow the curve of the hull & level the boat up. As you can see, the position of these bunk strut brackets can also be adjusted side to side.

Bunk adjuster.jpg

It's a nice design that makes it easy to fit the boat. But lately I've been having problems with frame flexing, cracked welds, and metal fatigue due to this trailer having accumulated on the order of at least 25,000 or more road miles over the last 19 years between our travels and those of previous owners. Trailers do not have shock absorbers, so rough roads take their toll. Between ourselves and various previous owners our boat has been trailered from south Florida to Ontario, then from Ontario to Idaho, then several times from Idaho to the Pacific NW and down to Lake Powell by the owners we bought from, and our two trips from Phoenix to Bellingham, the most recent trip this year to Blaine, last year's trip from Phoenix to Huntington Beach, CA and the 5,700 mile trip from Phoenix to the east coast in 2015.

[Dieselram94]

Looks like a nice boat, congrats!

I googled that Perkins and it is listed at 51HP , do you have any idea what size prop you have? I have just recently bought an A25 and it came with a VP55 HP and it needs a new prop, have you had this in the water running yet?

Not sure on prop size, I will measure that as tomorrow. We ran it on test run with previous owner, but she’s been on the trailer since delivery to me. She did a bit over 10 knots with three adults and a infant aboard.

[Dieselram94]

I was working on getting firm prices today from four trailer manufacturers for a new tandem axle aluminum float on trailer. My biggest concern is getting the bunks right to match the hull.

Here's what my trailer looks like without the boat on it. With this design the bunks are adjustable, which is this photo they were dropped all the way down to allow the trailer to be pulled out from under the boat while the bow was lifted by a gantry & chain fall and the stern was raised with a forklift. The boat is primarily supported by keel rollers at each frame cross member.
DSCN3611.JPG

This shows the boat on the trailer during the 2016 bottom job & how the bunks can be adjusted to fit the hull. You can see that without the ability to drop the bunks it would be difficult to pull the trailer due to the curve of the hull.
0404161022.jpg

Each of the five 1" box channel galvanized steel struts that support each bunk can be raised or lowered & locked in place by a bolt. To put the boat back on the trailer we just slid the trailer back under the boat with the bow supported by the crane & chainfall, removing keel blocks and hull stands as we went. Then we used a floor jack to raise the bunks to follow the curve of the hull & level the boat up. As you can see, the position of these bunk strut brackets can also be adjusted side to side.
Bunk adjuster.jpg

It's a nice design that makes it easy to fit the boat. But lately I've been having problems with frame flexing, cracked welds, and metal fatigue due to this trailer having accumulated on the order of at least 25,000 or more road miles over the last 19 years between our travels and those of previous owners. Trailers do not have shock absorbers, so rough roads take their toll. Between ourselves and various previous owners our boat has been trailered from south Florida to Ontario, then from Ontario to Idaho, then several times from Idaho to the Pacific NW and down to Lake Powell by the owners we bought from, and our two trips from Phoenix to Bellingham, the most recent trip this year to Blaine, last year's trip from Phoenix to Huntington Beach, CA and the 5,700 mile trip from Phoenix to the east coast in 2015.

Thank you for the pictures! I just purchased a trailer today from local dealer who had it in stock. I got a Venture Commander 7225
Sweet trailer! I believe it will take up to a 27’ Boat so a bit large so I have plenty of adjustment.

Is your rear most crossmember cut and shaped like a U to accommodate the keel? Can’t tell in the pics, also any idea how long the tubes are that adjust your bunks up?

[kerrye]

10knots seems really fast. We have a Westerbeke 42 and haven't seen anything above 7 knots.