Prospective Albin Owner - 1997 28 TE

[CTO203]

Hi all -
First of all, thanks for accepting me to the forum. I have done a bit of research since joining and this site has been very helpful. I have been an 80's Whaler guy since I was a kid and have owned a(n) '79 Newport -> '87 18' Outrage -> '87 22' Outrage (current boat - FS on New Haven, CT Craigslist if anyone is interested). I have been toying with going bigger (you all know the story) and now that I have a 2 and 4 year old, the 28 TE seems perfect for me. I understand that Albin has a solid build reputation and handles well in rougher seas.

I boat in a ~20 mile radius out of Guilford, CT on Long Island Sound (LIS) so I will be more than covered for anything LIS can throw at a 28 TE for everyday boating. My vision for the boat is to use it April through November for fishing locally (fluke, striper, blues, blacks, etc.), picnicking with the family and friends, and maybe taking a weekend/overnight trip to Newport, Block or LI. I really like the layout of the 28 TE for the family and the the fuel efficiency of the single screw is really appealing (I think it will burn less fuel than my '88 200 Black Max Merc on my 22' Outrage). I have no dreams of going truly offshore and for now, slower speeds are not at all an issue.

I am currently looking at a '97 28 TE on the Hudson river near NYC. I took a ride with the owner on 12/19/17 (pretty cool being on the Hudson 1 week before Christmas) and the boat really checks out from my perspective. I am going with a local Surveyor next week who is a long time Albin Owner and I will likely make an offer if all checks out.
Here are the cliff notes on the boat:
- '97 white hull with '99 Peninsular with ~1300 hours (I know that Peninsular is no more as off Nov '17 - I will continue to scour this forum on that front).
- Bow rail is missing.
- Slightly older gps/plotter/finder but functional - I will want to upgrade the electronics.
- Interior is really clean, as is the bilge, wiring, and motor.
- driveshaft is leaking at the stuffingbox but seller indicates it is an easy fix (surveyor to confirm).
- I think I can get it for $30K.

I have a few questions if folks have time and are interested in responding:

1 - Anyone know where I can get a replacement bowrail near CT (or somewhere one can be shipped)?
2 - What is the max capacity of the boat in terms of head count? Since there is no capacity plate, is it done by weight and if so, what is it?
3 - Has anyone ever put a folding bench seat along the stern wall of the fish box or on the port side in place of the co-pilot (similar to, albeit MUCH smaller than, the 31' TE)?
4 - I have seen electronic boxes hanging from the pilot house roof above the helm - are those available aftermarket or custom made?
5 - I have a surveyor hired to check things out from the sea to the hard but are there other major things to look for?
6 - $30K a good price? From my market research it is not a steal but a pretty good deal.

The owner is pretty meticulous with the boat so I am optimistic about it but any feedback, advice or answers to the questions above would be more than appreciated.

Thanks for reading my lengthy post and happy holidays.

--CTO203

[Norseman]

I can only answer Nr. 2: Max head count..
Use judgement and common sense.
In my book and on my boat, 6 pax and a skipper, max.
A neighbor the other day assured me that 11 pax on her 24’ Shamrock Center Console was perfectly safe because nothing happened and nobody drowned.
Do not push stupidity to the limit..

[Jack]

Question # 3: I use a large ice chest with a cushion that snaps on. It is covered in the same Sunbrella fabric as the cushion on the engine box. I take the cushion off when I'm fishing.

[whwells]

Well anytime you can get a fine boat with a diesel for 30,000. it sounds good. Seems like you are aware of the GM Peninsular stopping production problem. Suggest you get a both a mechanical as well as the standard hull surveys.
I have forgotten the name of your survey person. If he is the one who purchased and restored a sunken 36 Express Trawler I was impressed with him. He looked at an Albin Express Trawler for me
voluntarily where I had hired another surveyor who was not the best choice.
Check with Standish a former Albin Dealer and repair shop in your area on the bow rail. One can be manufactured. I had to redo a rail on my former 35te after a mishap.
The price sounds very good but do go with your surveyor and see that everything is checked and that he talks with you about the boats need.
Good Luck.
Howard

[Sisu22]

I would say that is a pretty good deal for what sounds like a clean and fully functional boat. Has he done any major work on the Peninsular? Can you get a out of water survey so the core can be sounded out?

[jcollins]

#2 - I've had 7 with no noticeable impact on cruising.

#6 - Given what I'm asking and others have sold around that year, 30k is a very good price. My only thought is what happened to the original motor? Not a deal breaker, but just curious.

[CTO203]

Hi all and Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much to all for taking the time to respond.

@Norsman - of course, without sound judgement, none of us should be on the water. My 22 Outrage has a capacity plate for 11 - would I put 11 on the boat - never. Given the fact I am constantly with families of 4, it is good to know the legal limits so if decide to take 9 for a shuttle run or quick ride and am comfortable, I know I am legal. That said - I agree with your assessment and appreciate your advice.

@Jack - I have seen a couple pix with 28 TEs with the chest in the back. While I do think it works well, I am envisioning a folding seat made of teak. I will be sure to post pix if I end up building them.

@whwells - I am headed down on Wednesday with Chris Nebel. He has a good reputation with some long time boating folks I trust so I look forward to what he will have to say when he does a full sea trial, mechanical and hull survey. From the ride I took last week, I am optimistic and think it will be a fair price if all checks out. I found Standish on another post and have reached out to them - thanks for the lead on the bow rail front! I am happy to entertain other ideas if folks have them...

@Sisu22 - My Surveyor will be going through top to bottom - in the water and on the hard, so he will be checking the core. As for the work that the current owner has done, he just did the water pump and keeps it serviced every 100 hours. There may be other things he has done but I will know more on Wed. Thanks for the feedback on the price and suggestion on the survey.

@jcollins - there is no word about what happened in '99 to the original '97 motor, other than the original log book (which is coming with the boat) stated it was completely overhauled. I know a lot of the early Peninsulars had issues, some catastrophic, so I could speculate, but it would only be that...

Again - thanks to all who have responded. I look forward to keep you all posted.

Merry Christmas and happy new year!
CTO203 (aka Thad)

[CTO203]

Hi all - the boat did not work out. There were some repairs done on the topside that had not been disclosed and my surveyor and I agreed to hold off until the next opportunity arises. Keep me in mind if you plan to sell your 28 TE. I have a budget of ~$35K ish and will consider just about any location on the east coast (New England preferably as I am in CT).

Thanks -
Thad

[verit]

Hi Thad,

Would you share the topside repairs that you found ? I may be looking at the same Albin.

Thanks,
Tom

[verit]

Hello all,

I have gone ahead and purchased this fine vessel. The likes and concerns that I had were the same as Thad mentioned in this thread. All of the comments above (and my son-in-law, a boat engineer) helped to influence my decision. The boat is still on the hard in NJ. It will be shipped down to MD (by land) sometime in late March.

The biggest challenge for me will be replacing the bow rail. It will most likely have to be fabricated. I may have to find another 28TE owner to take measurements.

I appreciate all of the feedback above and throughout this fine website. Look forward to seeing some of you out on the Chesapeake!

Kind regards,
Tom

[Sisu22]

Congrats. Any pictures? What kind of condition is it in currently?

[WillieC]

Sounds like a couple of boat owners just had the best days of their boating! Congrats to both!

[DesertAlbin736]

Tom says,

The boat is still on the hard in NJ. It will be shipped down to MD (by land) sometime in late March.

Where in NJ? As a kid I grew up on Barnegat Bay in NJ.

[verit]

Hi All,

As I mentioned earlier I purchased this A28TE but haven't taken physical possession yet Below are some recent pics. I expect delivery sometime in early April.

Here is my list of upcoming work:

• Repacking the stuffing box - hopefully a straight forward kind of job. Remove old stuffing - check size - replace with new stuffing.

• Bow rail and deck work - I got my hands on a stainless steel bow rail from a Carver 27 that looks promising. It's in great shape but is not an exact match. The bowsprit is not as rounded as the original rail and I'm not exactly certain of the fit yet but will keep you posted.

• Polishing the fuel - The boat has been sitting on the hard all winter and I expect some potential fuel/moisture issues even though it starts right up. Maybe, I might just be over caution. Has anyone built their own fuel polisher?

• Bottom paint and zincs - I hate painting. Not sure what kind of anodes and where they go but I'm hoping it's obvious.

• Re-install electronics. See what's working and what is not.

• Bimini - the wife insists on one. She sews so we might do this as a joint project based on Sailrite videos and kit.

Feedback on any of these items is always appreciated.

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[CTO203]

Hi, Tom -

This was the same boat and I am glad it worked out for you. The boat was in great shape less the repair my surveyor found. He did say that the repair could be stronger than the original build but it was hard to say so I chose to pass. I am sure it will work out well for you. As I am still awaiting to become an Albin owner, I don't have a lot of feedback for you other than I may have a Bimini available for you on a boat I am considering that I will likely remove. I will email you directly to coordinate.

Congrats!

--Thad