1987 Albin 40 Trawler Speed Issue

[SunAndSwim]

We have found an amazing Albin we love. I'm interested in purchasing a 1987 Albin 40 trawler with twin Cummins 210HP engines and the owner claims the cruising speed operates at about 1400 rpm which yields around 7 kts and using about 6 gal of fuel/hour. And that it has a max speed of 11 kts.

Our research indicates an Albin 40 with these engines should be cruising at 12 kts with a max speed of 15 kts. It seems like something is wrong. Either that its propped wrong or there's an issue with the transmission or engine compression.

The owner claims it has a different hull and that's why it's slow, but we found listings for Albin 40s with these engines and a semi-displacement hull that was cruising at 12 kts, not 7. We have not done a survey yet because this seems like a big red flag and are hesitant to move forward.

We are first time boat owners and planning to live aboard year-round. We don't want to pass up this boat if its an (affordably) fixable issue.

Can anyone verify what the appropriate speed would be and if this slow speed indicates something could be wrong?

[jleonard]

What research did you do? 15 knots and 12 knots seems awfully fast for a 40 Albin.
I would guess more like 12/13 tops and 10/11 cruise.
Cummins B210s of that era were a little light on cooling ability. That said I would not want to cruise them at more than about 2100 rpm for longevity sake.

[SunAndSwim]

Here is an example of some of the websites we looked at: https://www.denisonyachtsales.com/powerboatguide/

“ While a single 135hp Lehman diesel was once standard, most Albin 40s were sold with twin 135hp Lehmans (10 knots cruise/13 knots top) or—more recently—210hp Cummins (12 knots cruise/15 top).”

[SunAndSwim]

Apologies the link got cut off: https://www.denisonyachtsales.com/power ... -research/

7 knots cruising still seems far off from 10 or 11 though. Still seems concerningly slow?

[Panhdjoe]

Hull speed is your max cruise speed unless you are willing to increase your fuel consumption exponentially, I mean really send it through the roof! I do not know the Length at waterline for a 40, Our 36 is a similar boat and ours is 31ft. Lets guess that a 40 is about 35, hull speed is know to be the square root of the LWL x 1.34, so that puts the hull speed of a Albin 40 trawler at 7.9knots. So yes 7 knots is a good cruise speed. Whoever says that the cruise speed on this boat is 10 or 11 knots is mistaken I believe. With the Lehmans it should burn about 4gph @ 7 knots. I am not familiar with the fuel burn on the Cummins. You will find cruising at 7 knots to be a relaxing and pleasant experience. With this type of boat most of us begin to enjoy the pleasure of the journey more than the destination. At 7 knots your are not kicking up much wake and you will find that most of the other cruisers are running the same speed, Enjoy your boat. Joe

[SunAndSwim]

Thank you so much for your responses. That’s very helpful!

[WillieC]

Great summary, Joe. The world at six knots is amazing.

The Puget Sound wraps itself almost in circles. The distance from Allyn on Case Inlet to Belfair on Hood Canal is about four miles via Hwy. 3. By water, for us, it is the better part of three relaxed days. It is all in the journey.

[jleonard]

When I first started looking at trawlers I saw a later 80's 40 Albin at Lippencott (Chesapeake Bay). It had a single 210 Cummins. At the time I was not ready to buy but later that week I called and asked to speak with the owner and of course Lippencott never replied.
3 years later I got a phone call from a guy who said he knew the owner and had been on the boat many times with him. That owner had sold the boat.
But this guy said the boat would cruise at an honest 9 to 10 knots and topped out at 13. Said he witnessed it himself.
Now I have no clue what kind of fuel consumption it took to get there, but that's irrelevant.

[SunAndSwim]

JLeonard- That makes sense to me. The cruising speed being listed by the seller of the boat I’m looking at as 7 knots seems concerningly slow. I’m ok owning a slow boat, but not if it’s slow because something is wrong. I would think something is wrong. 7 knots is still well below 9 or 10 knots. Doesn’t seem worth it to me

[jleonard]

It could be propped incorrectly. Or the owner is afraid to run the engines.