Albin 31 TE single vs twin

[RobS]

As I am currently in the 28 to 31 process thank you for your real life answer and thoughts. Tom.

Exactly why I asked gerber for his feedback..this is a valuable thread..

[RobS]

As I am currently in the 28 to 31 process thank you for your real life answer and thoughts. Tom.

Tom are you leaning either way - single vs. twin ?

When I replaced my 28TE I started by shopping single screw DE boats in the 32-35ft range or the 35CB, after much research I then transitioned over to twin screw express (had contract on 35 Tiara Open) and then ended up with twin screw bridge boat. But absolutely no gassers, that was for darn sure!

[Jforesta]

My 31 was built in 95
Digits 6,7,8 include a letter j59
Do you just use the numbers?

[Tom Cunningham]

I'm sold on the robust single with bow thruster and staying on top of maintence. I'm happy with 18-20 mph in normal conditions in Southern Ca. Currently in a 35' slip so there are options. I shipped my 28 from east coast so I know what that involves as the local pickens for DE are slim. Tom.

[RobS]

My 31 was built in 95
Digits 6,7,8 include a letter j59
Do you just use the numbers?

Joe you read it wrong. What you noted above is digits 6, 7 & 8 not including the AUL so what you posted is actually digits 9, 10 & 11. You need to look at the 3 numbers after AUL31. The AUL is Albin and the 31 is the model. The next three are the hull number.

What you posted is the month and year the hull was laid and the first number of the model year. J is the 10th letter of the alphabet so your hull was laid in Oct of '95

Laid in 95, this is a clearly an early 31, likely one of the first few built....

[Jforesta]

Rob
Thanks for the clarification
My Number would then be 106. If they started at 101, my hull would be number 5.
She is a single Cat 3126, 420 hp
She is very efficient, cruise at 15-16 knots 2200rpms. Will get up to 22 at 2800.
Took her up the Hudson, burned 8.75 gph

Very stable, great track.
Like protection of the keel.
Stay on top of mechanicals, keep oil and filters clean, coolant levels up, and enjoy the the simplicity of a single.
Sea tow ads insurance and piece of mind.
Joe

[SecretCatch]

I am new to the forum. Currently looking at our first Albin, a 97 31 TE with twin Peninsulars, 6.5 L, 340 hp diesels. Not sure if this is the right forum, but I'm trying to get performance specs for a 31 with these engines. Anyone help?

[Pitou]

I am new to the forum. Currently looking at our first Albin, a 97 31 TE with twin Peninsulars, 6.5 L, 340 hp diesels. Not sure if this is the right forum, but I'm trying to get performance specs for a 31 with these engines. Anyone help?

Welcome aboard. I'd suggest that you start a new topic in the Tournament Express forum (which we're in right now).

[Jforesta]

Rob
Thanks for the clarification
My Number would then be 106. If they started at 101, my hull would be number 5.
She is a single Cat 3126, 420 hp
She is very efficient, cruise at 15-16 knots 2200rpms. Will get up to 22 at 2800.
Took her up the Hudson, burned 8.75 gph

Very stable, great track.
Like protection of the keel.
Stay on top of mechanicals, keep oil and filters clean, coolant levels up, and enjoy the the simplicity of a single.
Sea tow ads insurance and piece of mind.
Joe

[Old Sailor]

Thanks

This was very helpful as I am in the 28 to 31 process myself. Everyone that I know that has owned one has been pleased.

[Low Country]

Albin 31 TE: I have the Cat 3126 420 HP single.
With the bow thruster handles very well around the Marina/docking. I have a fairly tight runway at our Yacht Club and rarely have any issues backing the boat into the slip.

I am not running 15-16 knots 2200rpms as Joe described. (Darn)
I am more like12-13 knots with a well maintained engine and boat bottom. (I plan to address this next year when I am in the yard.)
My Fuel consumption is close to 10 Gallons an hour.

Very comfortable Ride, Awesome Boat!
This will be my fourth season.
Dave

[ESpiegel]

Being a 2008 kowal_53's 31TE may be one of the last made. So I looked it up on the NOAA Vessel Search and digits 6,7 & 8 of the HIN are 232. With the 28TE Albin started with hull number 101. So if this holds true for the 31TE, his 2008 is hull number 132. Wow, not as many made as I would have guessed. As to single vs twin I would venture to say the majority were singles..

I'm not sure I can follow your math. So how many 31's do you think were made?
And your guess is most were singles? There are MUCH many more twins in the marketplace than singles it appears.
Just trying to get an idea.

OS

Digits 6, 7 & 8 of the hull ID designate it's number in the models production. As with the 28 and if Albin did start using 101 to designate hull #1 for the 31 as well, with Kowal-53 having hull ID 232 it makes his the 132nd hull laid. If they started at 001 his hull at most is number 232. I do believe that 2008 was the last year for this hull as that is the year that Albin sold the 28 & 31 molds to Shamrock who went out of business shortly thereafter not even laying one one 31TE. My 2006 is number 221 making it the 121st or 221st hull laid. I hope this helps with the math further explaining how Rob got to the determination of how many 31TE's exist. Maybe we can get some guys with earlier vintage 31's to share digits 6, 7 & 8 of their hull ID. I have a buddy with a 2000 laid in June of 1999 and his (a single) is number 115 / an early vintage 31. Remember, the 31's when new were 2X the price of a 28 which limited the market. In '02 a new 28 was around 160k and a 31 hovered around 300 for a single. At the end of production in '08 a 28 was in the 180 range and a single 31 was just shy of 400k. The pricing alone made market demand for a 31 much less than the 28 which limited production.

As far as how many singles vs. twin screw boats were produced .. at this point we can only guess and I would say that taking a snapshot of the marketplace is a tough way to evaluate it. I've followed the market for quite a few years and the balance is always changing. I would also venture that singles dominate with Albin having its roots in single screw keeled boats and not twins. In my area I know of five 31's and all are singles.

When I finally got serious about looking for a 31TE it took me 15 months to find mine and it was a private sale shared to me by Rob from an ad that he saw in the "LI fisherman". Be patient and the right boat will come along.

My 2009 Albin 32TE (Shamrock Built 31TE) has Hull ID # OPAA1100J809. It was the last Albin built and the only one finished in the Shamrock factory. They built it for the 2009 Miami Boat show and went all out on the interior woodwork. I guess they reset the build numbers back to 100 for this one? The wife and I love this boat, but I'm still having a hard time getting over the speed withdrawals and the the inability to trailer it. I've spent hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of $$s getting it up to my standards and it is turn key ready. I've pondered selling it for something big and trailerable. It is still practically an as-new boat, as it only had 170 hours on it when i bought it in January. It was appraised at 190k in December. I've doubled the hours on it since I put it back in the water in April and have been enjoying it all summer. I don't have it listed, but if the right offer came along.......

Eric