A25 Tortoise - WAS Albin 25 for sale

[Mainer]

For those who might be interested, just happened across an Albin 25 needing repair for sale in the Catskills Craigslist at a very low price.

[tribologist]

Oh dear.. is that still there.. I was wondering what became out of it. I have pictures posted of it in a previous post. Probably 2-3 years ago.

It is in quite bad condition for no good reason.. It was moved here by a sea captain from the west coast. Got loose during a storm and was left on land ever since. It was last in water 1986-87.... There was an equally sad A25 for sale a few years ago that was also abandoned. Tortoise https://www.ocean7.com/tortoise/

[Dieselram94]

Oh dear.. is that still there.. I was wondering what became out of it. I have pictures posted of it in a previous post. Probably 2-3 years ago.

It is in quite bad condition for no good reason.. It was moved here by a sea captain from the west coast. Got loose during a storm and was left on land ever since. It was last in water 1986-87.... There was an equally sad A25 for sale a few years ago that was also abandoned. Tortoise https://www.ocean7.com/tortoise/

Tortoise has been purchased and moved to Maine. Very close to my home. The current owner invited me to come see it in its current state. I have been aboard while it’s on a trailer, I can say after viewing the boat that much work and money is needed to save her. But the basic hull seems to be in excellent condition, so after all the neglect it’s had it’s a miracle it’s still here. That other boat in Connecticut appears to be in about the same condition, with the rudder situation making the hull a bit worse. Always savable, but at what cost...

I wish the new owner of Tortoise all the luck I can, and am willing to help a bit if need be.

[tribologist]

Tortoise was in better shape than the one in Thomastown but its 4 years since I saw Tortoise. At least she was covered but there was a lot of water standing in it. Its amazing how stupid people are when they lay up a boat. Just drill a hole and let the water out. Takes a couple of hours to plug a hole in the hull but weeks to fix rotten wood.

[Burton]

We thought briefly about getting it before buying Slow Motion as the 25’s are so hard to find. The lack of a trailer makes it an expensive project to get to one’s home, if not local. I hope it can be saved. As parts to upgrade are so expensive, a 25 in good shape can be bought for the same or fewer dollars—and a lot less trouble. As to water in the hull, the little drain hole plugs easily with a few leaves. The original is too small IMO, we upgraded to a larger one when the old one failed.

[Dieselram94]

We thought briefly about getting it before buying Slow Motion as the 25’s are so hard to find. The lack of a trailer makes it an expensive project to get to one’s home, if not local. I hope it can be saved. As parts to upgrade are so expensive, a 25 in good shape can be bought for the same or fewer dollars—and a lot less trouble. As to water in the hull, the little drain hole plugs easily with a few leaves. The original is too small IMO, we upgraded to a larger one when the old one failed.

How thick is the hole in the original location of the drain plug?

[tribologist]

We thought briefly about getting it before buying Slow Motion as the 25’s are so hard to find. The lack of a trailer makes it an expensive project to get to one’s home, if not local. I hope it can be saved. As parts to upgrade are so expensive, a 25 in good shape can be bought for the same or fewer dollars—and a lot less trouble. As to water in the hull, the little drain hole plugs easily with a few leaves. The original is too small IMO, we upgraded to a larger one when the old one failed.

How thick is the hole in the original location of the drain plug?

The laminate there is about 3/8" or 9mm. Both from the drawings and from my measurements. The original plug is M15X1 the only thing I ever seen with that thread... Its like M11 or M7... or #5 UNF screws....

[tribologist]

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=11677&p=78280&hilit=window#p78280

Here is the post from two years ago

[DesertAlbin736]

Very sad. Sometimes a boat like that is just too far gone to be good for anything more than cannibalizing it for parts or towing out to sea & scuttling it to make an artificial reef. The damaged keel & missing rudder alone would be a deal breaker. Eventually the owner may have to just end up letting it go for free or even pay to have it removed from his property. It would be a major PITA just trying to get a trailer under it. Fiberglass boats can "live" a long time, but not always forever.

[Dieselram94]

We thought briefly about getting it before buying Slow Motion as the 25’s are so hard to find. The lack of a trailer makes it an expensive project to get to one’s home, if not local. I hope it can be saved. As parts to upgrade are so expensive, a 25 in good shape can be bought for the same or fewer dollars—and a lot less trouble. As to water in the hull, the little drain hole plugs easily with a few leaves. The original is too small IMO, we upgraded to a larger one when the old one failed.

How thick is the hole in the original location of the drain plug?

The laminate there is about 3/8" or 9mm. Both from the drawings and from my measurements. The original plug is M15X1 the only thing I ever seen with that thread... Its like M11 or M7... or #5 UNF screws....

Thank you for that information. I agree, the original drain is too small, I think a upgrade is in order.

[WillieC]

Somebody should buy all of Stephan’s plugs and corner the market. I think the original thread was only ever used solely, exclusively, by nothing anywhere else for anything, on the A25 drain. Too bad it wasn’t left hand thread.

Mine drains nicely. Maybe a thorough bilge cleaning would help?

[tribologist]

Somebody should buy all of Stephan’s plugs and corner the market. I think the original thread was only ever used solely, exclusively, by nothing anywhere else for anything, on the A25 drain. Too bad it wasn’t left hand thread.

Mine drains nicely. Maybe a thorough bilge cleaning would help?

26, 60 and B5 is the secret. I used a 1/4 NPT plug as blank and cut a new one. A lathe don’t know its rare…. Good luck finding a die…

[WillieC]

There’s prolly enough metal in the thruhull to oversize to a 3/8 NPT.
Let me know if that works.

[tribologist]

There’s prolly enough metal in the thruhull to oversize to a 3/8 NPT.
Let me know if that works.

Maybe.. but the issues you will have if break loose and start to rotate…

I must have started with a 3/8 plug.

[tribologist]

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=12954

Just saw this! Very funny. That thing went from Florida To connecticut, was going to be chopped, dreamer guy got it for free, just paying to get it moved to Newington CT. Then it seem to have made it to Mass and is now in Maine. I really hope it will be restored! Here are some pictures from May 2018. We bought Driftless end of June in 2018