My 1977 Albin 25 Deluxe rebuild thread

[hetek]

I was as surprised as you, DA. 9.8 knots?! And that was with still air and no current.

Remember, back on page 1 of this thread, I had calculated theoretical speeds based on hull type, horsepower and displacement using the Boatdiesel.com calculators. The calculator said top speed 10 knots. I’d say 9.8 is a win!

I think the deciding factors are the lighter Vetus engine and the deLuxe’s hull design. Look how high in the water she floats! Loading her up for an extended cruise with provisions will certainly slow her some.

Haven’t ventured much into electronics beyond a VHF so far. The Garmin was for my speedometer. I also got within 100 RPM of maximum for the engine, so I’m not even going to try tweaking the prop. I call that win #2.

Tomorrow I’m going to check the alignment of the drive shaft. No indication of anything wrong, but I did notice my aft cabin door closes differently now than when she was on the trailer. I think the hull might have settled now that she’s in the water.

I do have a cockpit cover with a window but would prefer to cruise without it up. At dock is a different story.

[WillieC]

When I set my engine alignment on its trailer, I got it as close as I could. (The WillieC also has an R&D shaft saver coupling which is somewhat forgiving.)

When I put it in the water I rechecked alignment and it hadn’t moved enough to bother.

9.8 vs. 10 kt calculated. That’s good maths. Now go boating! (As your life permits.)

[hetek]

Good points Willie C.

Like I said, no trouble to report, just curiosity if anything.

Some sage wisdom states you check alignment after the boat is in the water for a week. Must have been where I got it from. But what about those who trailer their boats? Surely no one says “I have to let the boat float for a week, then I can align the shaft, THEN we can go boating.”

No one I know.

I put in my request to get my boat hauled yesterday. I want to be sure it is shrink wrapped and tucked away before Spring.

Doh!

[tribologist]

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Speechless.

NO SH--! just awesome!

[tribologist]

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9.8 knots top speed! Not to shabby for a marinized commercial Mitsubishi 3 cylinder diesel. The Mighty Vetus lives up to her name! All 25 hp of her!

Took a 2 mile shakedown run to see how she did. No trouble to report!

My 91 year old dad wanted to go along for the ride so I put him to work, taking the helm while I checked things out. He did great. He’s hired!

Engine ran cool at 180 degrees (new heat exchanger helped here, I’m sure)

Overall, very, very happy!

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That is just awesome!!! Been waiting for this for a long time!!!! Next year we are doing a rendezvous! So looking forward to meet you and the boat!!

[ssrig]

I thing you are right about the speed vs weight of the engine, I could get about the same speed with my boat when it was empty and that was with that big monster engine making 55 hp! Mind you I couldn’t get to wot, my prop is too big and I am looking at getting it tweaked. Makes so much sense having a properly sized engine for the boat!

How much does that engine of yours weigh? Mine is around 560 lbs!

[hetek]

The Vetus, WITH GEAR, only weighs 270 lbs!

It is a 3 cylinder Vetus M3.09 25hp based on a Mitsubishi commercial diesel. I’ve heard they were used for forklifts but can’t be 100% sure.

It has a small Hurth gear (that I had a marine transmission shop rebuild). A baby Hurth!

The boat displacement (weight) was a data input field on the Boatdiesel.com calculator. I took the Albin spec boat weight, subtracted the weight of the original Volvo engine and added the weight of the Vetus. That, and I used the “semi-displacement” hull type and prop pitch/diameter and gear ratio values, iirc.

The calculated results were pretty much spot on with my real-world speed.

[hetek]

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Here she is, hibernating for the Winter.

Great news:

I managed to get my trailer registered with… wait for it… a TRANSFERABLE Registration! That’s The NY equivalent of a Title of Ownership for a trailer under 1,000 lbs. To provide proof, you have to get the trailer weighed at a certified scale and you need to submit the weight slip with your application.

My trailer’s unladen weight? 980 lbs!

Over 1,000 lbs it gets REAL complicated!

Granted, I now have a “home-built” trailer registration but it is now legit and legal. I also had to provide receipts showing I built something (I had almost $2k in receipts for tires, brakes, lights and harness, winch and coupler…)

New license plate is now on and I just stamped the new VIN into the frame this afternoon.

[DesertAlbin736]

Oh, NY. Used to be my home state (way up north in Saratoga County) from 1967 to '77. That is good info on unladen weight, thanks. I've only ever weighed my boat + trailer, not the trailer by itself. It's also aluminum & not much different in size than yours, so I'd expect to be within +/- a couple hundred pounds of yours, weighing maybe no more than 1,200 lbs, 1,500 lbs at most. Since the last time I had the boat and trailer weighed on a truck scale it was 6,058 lbs, which means the boat (fully loaded) displaces somewhere around 4,500 to 4,800 lbs give or take.

In Arizona trailers are titled by MVD same as cars & trucks. Boats are not titled, just bill of sale an AZ number registration under the purview of AZ Dept of Game & Fish. Trailers 6,000 lbs GVWR capacity and under get permanent registration tags (no need to renew) after paying a one time $120 fee for new trailers or ones coming in from out of state. For used trailers previously titled & registered in AZ & purchased by an AZ resident there's only a small registration transfer fee. But they do have to be visually inspected to verify the VIN number. RV's and trailers over 6,000 lbs GVWR have to have tags renewed each year (or every 2 years at owner's discretion) and have to pay an annual vehicle license tax based on original MSRP and age, which diminishes by 15% each year. Homebuilt trailers have to be inspected and a have new VIN number issued & stamped on the frame.

Empty trailer.jpg

[hetek]

DA - You just reinforced what I’ve always thought: Each state has absolutely crazy rules when it comes to boats, trailers and vehicles!

Unladen weight over 1,000 lbs in NY requires you make an appointment with a State inspector to view and inspect the trailer. If all goes well, then they will assign a VIN. Under 1,000 lbs everything is done at the NY DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). You hand them forms and receipts and walk out with a plate and a VIN. Easy peasy.

I had a feeling my trailer was on the borderline and was hoping it was under. I even thought of buying bias ply tires rather than the heavier steel belted!

Also, the scale weighs in 20 lb increments so 980 is as close to 1,000 as you can get!

[hetek]

Got me a KICK A$$ tow vehicle!

1991 Ford F-250 4x4 long bed supercab 7.3l diesel!

We joke that when the front bumper of the truck is in NY, the transom of the boat is in PA.

Coworker originally wanted $9k. I offered $4k and a traffic light. Sold!

No worries… I still have another traffic light.

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[Dieselram94]

Awesome truck! Just make darn sure you check the antifreeze for sca additives. If needed add DCA60L additive made by Fleetguard. This is extremely important as those IDI diesels especially the 7.3 (the 6.9 version slightly less susceptible) to perforation of the cylinder liners allowing antifreeze into combustion chamber.

I do love the sound of those older IDI diesels!

[hetek]

Thanks very much for the info Diesel Ram. I’m still going through it but so far, it drives… just like a long diesel pickup truck.

My first diesel anything (not counting my Dad’s diesel Volvo sedan) was my Albin 27, Bunkie, with the Lehman 4D61. Not a Ford, but rather a marinized Peugeot sedan engine, commonly used in taxi cabs in Europe.

My current Albin A25 has the Mighty Vetus, a marinized 3 cylinder 25 hp Mitsubishi fork lift engine, I’m told.

Now the Ford F-250 with a 7.3l V8 made by International.
Uh… Don’t they make farm tractors?

[tribologist]

Sweet!!! Now its time to explore canals!!!

[hetek]

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So I tried a Visio diagram of my truck/boat/trailer to see if the local launch ramp was suitable.

The truck is backed to the water’s edge.
The red line is the 8 degree ramp.
The blue is the water level. Yes, we have tides so this varies.
The yellow measurement is the length the ramp needs to be, below water level.

What I’m wondering is if the boat will float off the V shaped trailer bunk, supporting the keel near the bow. Obviously the aft end will be floating. At least I hope so!

Am I overthinking this?