New Member

[JeffDemme]

Hello,

I have been looking for an older Albin 25 for some time and now I found one and need to travel to check it out. It looks like a project boat, so I joined this group to see what I can learn. I would love to find an owner near home so my wife can approve the boat design in general. Home is Tampa, FL area. Actually Riverview, FL.

Thanks already for all the postings that I have been enjoying.

In the past I had a 28TE. It was a good boat, but not an economical cruiser.

Currently we have a 43' Pearson Portsmouth. This is a very comfy and roomy boat. But it is not very economical and a huge amount of work just to keep it up. Its for sale.

Thankfully I am rapidly approaching retirement and we want to travel by boat. Currently we are planning a "Florida Loop" adventure. Just back from 9 days of local cruising.

Jeff

[ipcaptbill]

Hi Jeff,
I'm a previous Island Packet sailor, just sold my 380 and looking at several Albin 28TE's (2000-2002) with Yanmars. Curious about maintenance and fuel costs for the 28TE if used as a casual cruiser. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Bill
St. Petersburg, FL

[Capt Brad]

I burn about 5.2 gal/hr at 14-15 kts

[Norseman]

I burn 12 gallons per hour at 17 knots, 1 gallon per hour at 6 knots.
At slow speeds the -28TE can be economical, but it takes forever to get home.

[WillieC]

Welcome, Jeff. Good luck in your search. I hazard to say that all A25s are project boats in one way or another. Take your time. Some projects are nice to have out of the way.

[DesertAlbin736]

Welcome aboard! Always good to hear of someone willing to take on a project to "rescue" an A25 in distress. There are projects and then there's projects. And guess what, all Albin 25's are "older".

Of all the ones I've seen or heard about they range from model years 1970 to '78. In other words range in age from 43 to 50 years old. Supposedly they were imported up to 1980 but with the single exception of a rare updated 1984 "Bonum 25" which had an Albin 25 hull with re-designed topsides I've never seen or heard of one newer than 1978. The good news is they were well built.

Within those model years there are two basic variants, the pre-1972 Albin 25 and post-1972 Albin 25 DeLuxe. The latter are more numerous. From the outside, especially when sitting in the water they look nearly identical. The significant differences are mainly in hull design & engine horsepower. The early versions (like mine) are full displacement and came equipped with Albin's own in-house built AD21 2 cylinder diesel. Most of those have since been repowered with newer 2 or 3 cylinder engines in the 24 HP range but on rare occasions you may find one with its original engine. The later DeLuxe versions have a flared bottom toward the aft end to make it "semi-displacement" which increases cruising hull speed from about 6.5 knots to around 7 or 8. Stock engine horsepower was increased from 20 to 36 with Volvo MD3B and later MD17C OEM engines. To accommodate the larger engine the midships engine box was modified from the earlier stepped design and extended the height of the box all the way back. Also changed the way the box opened up to access the engine. In the earlier version the front end of the box intrudes about 4 inches into the front cabin & a hinged section of the cabin bulkhead swings in to allow the box to be lifted on it's rear hinges after the driver seat is moved out of the way & the first floorboard panel is removed to give full access to the engine. On the later version the box is moved aft a few inches so it doesn't intrude into the cabin and eliminates the hinged bulkhead section & instead the cabin bulkhead is a single piece. The top half of the box is hinged so it can be opened back to front.

When it comes to restoration projects the hull & deck are usually sound without osmotic blisters. The deck coring is 1" thick foam. Cosmetically it will depend on how the boat was cared for and the environment it spent most of its life in. The joinery (woodwork) may need to be replaced if left exposed to weather & not cared for. Same with cushions which can be expensive to redo or replace even if you can do your own sewing. The big thing is the engine, whether it's in running condition or in need of repair, overhaul, or replacement. Also wiring & general condition of the electrical system. Being old boats no two are exactly alike in configuration & most if not all have had a variety of owner modifications done for better or worse. So the thing is to be dispassionate & thoroughly examine the boat, do your research on materials costs to complete a project, the amount of time you're willing to invest or labor costs if you want or need professional help, maybe have it surveyed, and make your offer accordingly.

One thing about these boats is that your fuel costs to operate will be the least of your expenses. With our 24 HP Yanmar we average 0.4 to 0.5 gallons per hour at 6.5 knot cruising speed. That's 13 to 16 nautical mpg. I'll guarantee no other cruiser of this size & displacement can match that kind of fuel economy.

Good luck!