Raise Cockpit Roof on Albin 27 FC?

[Rmarvins]

I am very interested in buying an Albin 27 FC. However, I am a bit too tall for the helm/cockpit area. I can live with low head clearance below, but for the helm area I would not want to hit my head. Would it be possible and not too hard to raise the helm area roof a couple inches? Has anyone tried it? Thanks for any help and suggestions.

[DesertAlbin736]

Finding a smaller boat under 40+ feet with sufficient headroom for those over 6 feet tall has always been a conundrum. I suppose it's possible to raise the wheelhouse roof, just like it's possible to "chop" the roof line on a hot rodded antique car. Whether or not it would be easy is another matter entirely, and certainly not cheap if you had to contract with a professional to do the work and have it come out looking good. As an aside, note that in this power boat guide for the A27 fuel economy specs call for 2 to 3 GPH at 10 to 12 knots, giving 4 to 5 nautical MPG . Other A27 owners might chime in here on how realistic those numbers are, but by comparison our A25 burns from 0.4 GPH at 6 knots to 0.5 GPH at 6.5 knots cruising speeds, equal to 13 to 15 nautical MPG in calm waters. I would guess most A27 guys cruise at more like between 7 or 8 knots and burn 1 GPH or less depending on what engine they have.

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The smaller Albin 25 boats came from the factory with a T top opening over the helm that could be enclosed via a snap on canvas cover. Cutting such an opening and adding a canvas cover could be one solution. Another could be cutting an opening then "boxing it in" with with a raised hard top. Or probably the easiest would be adding an opening hatch or hatches directly over the helm as I've done with our boat. Then at least part of the time you could stand under the open hatch & stick your head out above the roof, weather permitting of course. At least you'd be starting out with a solid roof already in place. I went through a laborious process of laying up a fiberglass hardtop and building in the hatch openings.

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[Rmarvins]

I have tried to reply twice but must not have it figured out yet.

[Rmarvins]

Thanks for your comments Desert Albin! You sure did a nice job on your hatches. I will see if anyone has information on raising the roof on a 27. I do have some experience repairing wooden boats and carpentry, little experience with fiberglass. I would like to see an Albin 25 up close sometime. We think the 27 would work for us for extended cruising (simple lifestyle cruising).

[DCatSea]

Interesting question. I'm "only" 5'10" so it's not an issue inside or out.

This just came to mind - how about something like a Catalina pop-top? Google it, or try...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 2849289912
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Don't know where you are, but we'll be in the water until 11/16 and you are more than welcome to visit - see sig. for details - if you're anywhere near us. PM me.

[mistyjim1]

The hatches have merit, the idea of raising the top not so much. That said my mantra, hard learned, after lots of years building and repairing. Don't change anything ever. Off course unusually remember this wisdom after I'm already neck deep in something stupid.

[DesertAlbin736]

This just came to mind - how about something like a Catalina pop-top? Google it, or try...

The last boat I owned prior to our Albin 25 was a Catalina 25 sailboat, which or course had a pop top over the salon part of the cabin. Interesting idea, but might be a difficult thing to add to a A27. Then again with a sailboat the cockpit is open and headroom at the helm is unlimited.

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[DesertAlbin736]

I do have some experience repairing wooden boats and carpentry, little experience with fiberglass.

Prior experience with wood boats & carpentry would help immensely in working with fiberglass. If you've worked with wooden boats no doubt have probably done some 'glassing over of wood hulls at one time or another. It is a messy, sticky business & requires a good temperature controlled environment as well has OSHA type protective gear. The place where I got materials & supplies for my hardtop project; resin, glass mat, etc was aptly named "Sticky Stuff", and they weren't kidding. But it's not rocket science.

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From my vast collection of Albin 25 photos, here's one fairly simple version of a poptop that might work for you. This was picked off the internet, and I have no idea who's boat this is or where it's at. But in theory something like this could work for you. The picture is a small jpeg file, so clicking on it won't give you an enlarged view like most larger files.

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[WillieC]

"The hatches have merit, the idea of raising the top not so much. That said my mantra, hard learned, after lots of years building and repairing. Don't change anything ever. Off course unusually remember this wisdom after I'm already neck deep in something stupid."

I love that reply, mistyjim! It's like my reaction to getting over-involved in friends' projects:
"Never call me again!"

You can do anything with nothing with enough time, money and gumption. Be selective.

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[JT48348]

Rmarvins:
Check out my website, in particular the my A27 hard top modification page. You can google “Albin 27 Hardtop Modification”. There are some photos showing how the pilothouse is assembled. There’s also a detailed discussion about the A25 vs A27 and the headroom issue elsewhere on my website.

**Note photos might actually be under Albin 27 Repower page** because I had to remove pilothouse to get old engine out

-it’s not that difficult to do what you’re asking. But you need a lot of CMG

- first determine how much more headroom you would need. It’s probably only 1-4 inches since the A27 headroom is already about 6’ - 6’1” at the helm in various places.

- remove the hardtop by separating it from the deck. This likely 6-8 machine screws under the teak trim. The hardtop will weight approx 60-100lbs sans windows. Once removed build up the deck.

You could remove the hardtop, build up the deck to the required height. I’d do it by fiberglass or even a “spacer” that raises the pilothouse. Then rebolt to the deck using an improved thru bolt system.

Good luck

[DCatSea]

Have to admit that DesertAlbin's pop-top 25 pic looks a bit odd, but also that JT's idea of raising the whole wheelhouse and blocking it up with a good solid, well secured spacer has some aesthetic appeal, as well as fixing a long-known-about "minor issue". That said, I'd be careful about going up more than a couple of inches, also for aesthetics. JMO.

Love to see some pix of the project if you do it.

[DesertAlbin736]

JT's is the best suggestion I've seen so far if you're serious about increasing roof height. A yard or work space with a gantry crane & chainfall hoist would be required to lift the pilothouse off. Whatever you decide to do, stay safe. By the way JT, what does the acronym "CMG" stand for?

[DCatSea]

Agree. A 2-3" spacer could be made to look really good with the help of a router and some shaping to fit. Teak would be great but White Oak would be just as good, easier to work and cheaper - and remember, it was good enough for Nelson.

[SkipRocks]

If I had it to do over again I'd have raised mine 2"... The A27 pilot house top is attached by screws to the cabin below rather than being a single molded piece. This is a seam that leaks on a lot of the A27s - mine did. I detached mine, cleaned between the two edges and then glassed the top to the cabin below. I glassed the bed and then the interior and exterior where the wood trim pieces are. Literally 1 week after completing that job an Atlantic 32 in the same marina/yard lifted the pilothouse by 2". It was less of a challenge than you might think. Anyway, if I had it to do again I would raise it 2". There would be a bit of creative glass work to make the slopes match, but it's really not all that difficult, even for a novice like me.

[stmbtwle]

Hmm that brings up another thought. On my A27 the pilothouse roof slopes aft, and neither the roof nor the windows match the lines of the house below (why I don't know). I could remove the screws, jack up the aft end, then fill in the gap and glass them back together. I had thought of lowering the front, but that would be a LOT more work.