I'm sure I'd be mad to do this again but.....

[Tree]

I've been thinking about this for a little while and I am considering importing another Albin - only the bigger brother of the 28.

https://www.northpointyachtsales.com/boat/1996/albin/31-te/3140/

The money is right on this one but will it turn any decent speed with only 420 bhp? I'd like to be at the same cruising speed my current 28 delivers but I don't think this one, as nice as it is will do that.

Any users with a 31 and 420 CTA engine on here that can give me some idea what they see with cruising speed, how many gallons per hour etc?

[Tree]

Forgot to add - anyone with twin 6lp engines, could i have the figures from your boats also please?

[RobS]

Gotta love these listings with no engine room photos ... Here's the spec sheet with fuel curve on the engine. Rated at 2,600, you'll want her propped to an honest 2,700 and then cruise between 2,200 and 2,300.

I think the "general" understanding as to going from a 28TE single to the 31TE single is that you'll burn approx 50% more fuel and have about the same speed, maybe drop a knot. And the twin 6LP 31TE's will have similar fuel burn but you'll pick up a few knots. And you'll draw an extra foot of water with the 31TE single over the 28TE single.

[Tree]

Ultimately I think it would be the twin yanmar option for me - although I’ve seen a few listings with single 6ly but the upper rated 480 engine which does appeal to me. My only concern with the twin engine installation is how easy are they to service for someone that’s 6’4” and if I needed to pull an engine how easy are they to remove since they’re both mounted either side of the hatch inside the wheelhouse.

[Plastikosmd]

I can only speak to hp and 31te
Joe/my 420 cat is a 15-16 cruise at 23-2400 max is 2800 (and I don’t know top speed at that as I haven’t opened it up)
I ran it 6.5 hrs home in 2-4’s with some areas above that at 2350. I didn’t touch the throttle for 6.5 hrs. I dropped as low as 11knt climbing a big wave and surfed down the backside of that wave at 19+.

I burned about 65 gallons in the 105 or so miles

I think you may cruise a bit faster than me with a more fuel?

[Tree]

Can anyone chime in with accessibility with twin yanmars? I’m liking the idea of good speed with only 50% extra fuel burn but it does concern me with engine location.

[Plastikosmd]

One w twins just popped up on CL in Boston atea

[Norseman]

One w twins just popped up on CL in Boston atea

https://boston.craigslist.org/sob/boa/d ... 56275.html

I have been playing with the idea from time to time: Albin 31, or 35, Tiara 3500 Open, etc.
Keep coming back to keeping my 28TE, like the size and simplicity.
Probably in my DNA as my first boat was a 44’ Bermuda Racer sailboat, too much boat, too complex, too everything and I was in my 20s and clueless but didn’t listen to advise from experienced boaters.
Almost killed myself keeping that boat afloat and in Bristol Condition.
(It was wood, double planked mahogany hull, and teak decks, all in the tropics, St. Thomas and St. Croix. Never again wood or big or both )
Been going down in size since, but sometimes I get the “Another 2-3” itch”, but learned to keep it down and out of the way..

[Plastikosmd]

For sure!

28/31/35 Offer something for everyone. The 28 is an amazing boat. I can’t think of another boat in that size with a layout that offers more. The same is true for 31. I was looking for a Downeast style boat and moving up from a 25. I found that I could not get everything that I wanted a low 30’s size. It seemed I would have to step up to a 36-38 and that was to much for me to solo. There is always bigger and more. Deciding what fits your life and being happy is the key

[Tree]

I’m finding exactly that. As the children get older the 28 is getting too small. Obviously we have a lot of options out here in Europe. Size for size however, the Albin 31 is ticking both boxes for me as a cruiser and a fishing boat. I’m not ready to take the plunge quite yet but the homework has started - hence this thread. I think i will be looking for a boat with twin yanmars but it does worry me buying such a boat and finding removing an engine requires cutting out sections of deck!!

[Tree]

Spoke with Ken Hilton today @standish but sadly he couldn’t give me much detail about the twin installation except it will be awkward to remove an engine and the boat would have been built around the engines. He was able to give me some idea of fuel burn based on a single installation and echoed what Rob previously said.

That said I still like the idea of twin 6lp’s. Surely there must be someone on here with that setup that could let me know what it’s like to work on the engines with regards to accessibility. Starboard engine should be easy enough to do 99% of service work on but I have doubts about the port engine.

[Tree]

Game over.

Since importing FP2 there has been new taxes applied by the European Union. Something to do with Trump applying raised taxes on Chinese steel. It now means that not just paying the 20% vat on imports and the import tax, I now have to apply an EU tax of 25% on top ultimately making a $100,000 boat $150,000 before I even consider shipping and surveys etc. That’s too rich for me. Looks like I’m sticking with FP2, which is fine. I just hope Brexit makes some changes at the end of the month so here in the UK we can rid the corrupt EU giving me a chance to import that bigger vessel.

[Plastikosmd]

Fingers crossed it all works out