New member

[autoacademy]

Just joined as a new member. Bought a 1986 Albin 27 w/Nissan diesel late September. No sea trial. Just looked at her, got the engine and tranny going and fell in love with her. Sent her by truck 600 miles to my home port. Got someone working on her for a full month, just doing cosmetics so that she's ready to be launched next May. I have 57 years of boat owneship and this is the 25th boat I own in my life, from 15' to 34'. Most of them sailboats, loved sailing and still do but I am now at an age where pulling on lines is a thing of the past. Reason for this boat is that the great loop is on my bucket list.

[Mark Deeser]

Welcome to the form, hull looks great, shows me I need to do some some bright work. Sure would like to see some additional pictures. Your storie models many who have moved to Albins. We also purchased 86 FC with that engine package, hoping to start loop this spring. For two people I feel the 27 will be a great boat, it was almost like it was designed for this purpose. This form is a great resource for knowledge on this boat, I have used it many times. Please keep us up to date on your progress. Thanks, Mark.

[autoacademy]

Here a some more pics, All the teak was removed, stripped and refinished inside and out and I still have to get the engine compartment cleaned up, I am also getting lifelines installed all around, recovering all the horizontal floors, (deck, sides, cockpit and cabins floors with teaklike finish and I just bought two new bolster seats. I want her to be perfect in all aspects.

[DesertAlbin736]

I have 57 years of boat owneship and this is the 25th boat I own in my life, from 15' to 34'. Most of them sailboats, loved sailing and still do but I am now at an age where pulling on lines is a thing of the past.

Welcome aboard! Oooohh, that is sure one pretty boat!!! No wonder it was love at first sight! You know quite a few of us here are former sailboaters that naturally gravitated to Albins for similar reasons as yourself. In my case it wasn't so much the pulling on lines as it was raising and lowering heavy masts to trailer to points far and wide.

I know one thing, we love Canada and Canadians from our experiences in 2014 and this year cruising the Gulf Islands & Sunshine Coast in British Columbia with our Albin 25. Canada is second to none in beautiful geography and wonderful cruising grounds.

[autoacademy]

You're right about BC cruising grounds. Breathtaking!

[DesertAlbin736]

Slightly off topic, but this past summer we cleared Canadian customs in Sidney on June 30th after leaving Friday Harbor in the San Juans. Of course that put us in Sidney just in time for Canada Day celebrations the next day on July 1st. Sidney is not a large city, but a medium size town of about 12,000 people. This is just up the road from Victoria, which is a larger urban area. But for a town of 12,000 residents Sidney put on an amazing celebration for Canada Day, with a parade, fireworks, concerts, and a fun homemade boat race.

These were the basic rules for the boat race: Entrants, in teams of 3 persons, had to submit an application with a $25 CN entrance fee weeks in advance. A local lumber supply company donated $100 worth of simple materials to build these boats. Design and selection of materials was entirely up to each team, as long as the cost of materials did not exceed $100. The catch was that each package of materials was delivered to an assembly area in a shore-side park the day of the race, and the teams had 4 hours from noon to 4PM to build their boats using hand tools only. Then they portaged the completed boats down to the beach to run the race one lap around a couple of marks. It seemed that nearly the whole town turned out for the parade and boat race.

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This stitch-and-glue pram, shown here being built and 4th from the bottom of the beach picture, were the ones who won the race. Not only did the boats have to be scratch built, but also the oars and/or paddles as well. The motley fleet was a mix of kayaks, proas, trimarans, and rafts, some of plywood as the winner was, others with 1x2 frames "skinned" over with shrink wrap.

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[autoacademy]

They have to be creative and quick! I did not know about that "build a boat and race it on the same day" Canada Day venue but I am sure it had to be exciting. Although I live about 3,500 miles East of Sidney, I have been there quite a few times and been on Vancouver Island about twice a year over the past 20 years. I am now retired, I worked on my own as an automotive sales trainer for most automobile manufacturers. You mentioned in another text that you were at the marina in Nanaimo. I had quite a few customers (new car dealers) in that area and I used to stay either at the Coast Bastion Hotel or at the Best Western Dorchester both of them right at the marina shire. Beautiful area! If you ever go back there, I strongly recommend that you go have a Halibut Fish & Chip meal at the Maple Bay marina restaurant in Duncan. Has to be the best I ever had. Happy Thanksgiving !

[DesertAlbin736]

I strongly recommend that you go have a Halibut Fish & Chip meal at the Maple Bay marina restaurant in Duncan. Has to be the best I ever had. Happy Thanksgiving !

I'll keep that in mind. 2018 will probably be our earliest chance to get back there again. Our big trip for 2017 will be a road trip by car to the East Coast in August & September & a stay in Rhode Island. This year was our 2nd time in the Gulf Islands. In 2014 we only went as far North as Ladysmith, with a stop in Maple Bay. Prior to that we had shared a sailboat bare boat charter with some friends in 2011, but stayed within the San Juans that time & did not leave US waters. We love fish & chips, but didn't eat at that restaurant in Maple Bay.

This is the place you're talking about?

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We did spot this rather forlorn Albin 25 in a slip at the marina in Maple Bay.

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We anchored out that time, as we did most places.

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Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[autoacademy]

This poor forlorn Albin 25 looks like she needs serious TLC...

One big advantage of the Duncan area is that you can use your boat all year around. I went boating there with a friend early February of last year. They have special looking very rugged fishing boats there that are built right in Duncan (www.lifetimerboats.ca) My friend has a 27' w/twin 200hp Yamahas and goes fishing as far as 80 miles offshore the west coast of Vancouver Island. Gone for 2 to 3 days at a time not coming back to shore at night. They catch super big halibuts in the 150 to 300 pounds he says. Who knows, that could be fishermens story...? These boats sell for stupid money but the're supposed to last a lifetime. In my area, boats are only used 4 months of the year, then they have to be hauled out and winterized. So my 30 years old boat only has like 10 years of use and never been in saltwater plus when in the water it has always been in a boathouse. That should make it a good boat, good for 3 lifetimes