Albin 36, what have I done?

[AZ2Loop]

Congratulations to a new Albin owner! Enjoy the boat. We are working hard on getting ours ready for (hopefully) many months of cruising.

 

[BruceK]

Or, get rid of that complicated, space-eating vacuflush mess and replace it with a Raritan Marine Elegance electric head. Maintenance every five or ten years. In the meantime, flush and forget.

And, as a radio guy here(advertising a plumbing service) says " You`ll be back to sending old friends off to the coast in no time at all".

 

[Fish53]

Congrats on your new Boat. Good to see you back on the forum. Brought ours back from Lyman Morse in Thomaston Maine last August. Still going to get you to sign that picture some day.

Thank you and it would be a pleasure to sign it for you, hope to see you out on the water soon.

 

[jleonard]

This might be usefull if you don't have it already.
Best of luck!

 

[Fish53]

I did get the fuel piping schematic but not the others, great stuff to have and I appreciate you sharing them. Thank you!

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Ok, you were on boats of different types in different conditions and experienced some tough living conditions. This ain't that.

And why do I say that so firmly? I walked five miles to school through the snow, up hill both ways no longer matters nor does I was in 35 degrees with no heat and only a thin jacket for seven months.

This is now PLEASURE BOATING.

Keep that in mind for you and your wife and your guests. Some have mentioned weather delays. You've brought up toilets. Think of all those things that are key to making long periods of time aboard comfortable and pleasurable. Even if it seems silly and not at all macho and tough guy kind of stuff, consider it. This is a home, not a job.

Specifically, the first things that come to my mind are temperature control. Ski mentioned it a little. Heat and air will be important to you. You're heading back north and been in 80 degree weather and suddenly in NC you hit a cold snap of 50 degree days and 35 degree nights. Not bad if prepared for them, horrible if not.

Being set up so you can still cruise comfortably is so important. Even if just at a dock, having heat adequate to keep you warm. Ability to enclose additional areas so you don't get claustrophobic. I've been on some wonderful trips when we went from bikinis to parkas to full coats. Had the times when it was 70 degrees one day and dropped to 35 and the high the next day was 45 and the wind was horrid cold.

Can happen the other way too. Can think summer is over and suddenly it's 90+.

You intend to be thermos like and be in the cold when it's warm and hot when it's cool or some such thing I don't have any idea but I know it just doesn't always work out that way and since you're going between a warm area and a cold area, keep both in mind.

You'll love your boat and have the time of your life. The seamanship sounds like no issue to you and doubt the maintenance will be that difficult for you. Just don't overlook the importance of comfort. Otherwise is turns out too much like camping and not like a wonderful second home.

 

[kchace]

This ^

 

[Fish53]

Wifey B: Ok, you were on boats of different types in different conditions and experienced some tough living conditions. This ain't that.

And why do I say that so firmly? I walked five miles to school through the snow, up hill both ways no longer matters nor does I was in 35 degrees with no heat and only a thin jacket for seven months.

This is now PLEASURE BOATING.

Keep that in mind for you and your wife and your guests. Some have mentioned weather delays. You've brought up toilets. Think of all those things that are key to making long periods of time aboard comfortable and pleasurable. Even if it seems silly and not at all macho and tough guy kind of stuff, consider it. This is a home, not a job.

Specifically, the first things that come to my mind are temperature control. Ski mentioned it a little. Heat and air will be important to you. You're heading back north and been in 80 degree weather and suddenly in NC you hit a cold snap of 50 degree days and 35 degree nights. Not bad if prepared for them, horrible if not.

Being set up so you can still cruise comfortably is so important. Even if just at a dock, having heat adequate to keep you warm. Ability to enclose additional areas so you don't get claustrophobic. I've been on some wonderful trips when we went from bikinis to parkas to full coats. Had the times when it was 70 degrees one day and dropped to 35 and the high the next day was 45 and the wind was horrid cold.

Can happen the other way too. Can think summer is over and suddenly it's 90+.

You intend to be thermos like and be in the cold when it's warm and hot when it's cool or some such thing I don't have any idea but I know it just doesn't always work out that way and since you're going between a warm area and a cold area, keep both in mind.

You'll love your boat and have the time of your life. The seamanship sounds like no issue to you and doubt the maintenance will be that difficult for you. Just don't overlook the importance of comfort. Otherwise is turns out too much like camping and not like a wonderful second home.

Despite rumors to the contrary I'm not actually a Neanderthal. We have air conditioning, washer and dryer, water heater, stove, micro wave, queen size bed and I'm installing a Sig Mar diesel cabin heater for when we're in the frozen north. I'm assuming those things and my undying love may possibly suffice.

 

[OldDan1943]

Despite rumors to the contrary I'm not actually a Neanderthal. We have air conditioning, washer and dryer, water heater, stove, micro wave, queen size bed and I'm installing a Sig Mar diesel cabin heater for when we're in the frozen north. I'm assuming those things and my undying love may possibly suffice.

Daymn, you are not a Neanderthal? And I had such high hopes for you.

Hmmm, no fridge, electric lights nor running water? There is hope for you yet.

 

[78puget-trawler]

The head stories remind me when I went commercial trolling with my dad once off the WA coast in a newer boat for him. This would be late 70's I guess
On there it was how shall I say "direct discharge", ie. right over the side! No buckets or seats in between! Anyway after a couple days of this I barked at my dad that he ought to get a head some day and come into the 20th century!
Says he, "whatayamean?" "the heads down below". Mind you this boat is about 35' long and typical NW double-end wood troller, not much room for a head.
So I go below, annoyed and for the life of me I don't see this head. Pop comes down below, sees the perplexed look on my face and bends over and lifts up a box in front of the engine. Under the box is a porta pot, brand new and never used! He laughed all day about that.

 

[BandB]

Despite rumors to the contrary I'm not actually a Neanderthal. We have air conditioning, washer and dryer, water heater, stove, micro wave, queen size bed and I'm installing a Sig Mar diesel cabin heater for when we're in the frozen north. I'm assuming those things and my undying love may possibly suffice.

Wifey B: I applaud you as many who come from other types of boats or ships are hesitant to go after the conveniences of home. Those of us who haven't "roughed it" sure don't want to start doing so in retirement.

Many who cruise the coast also think that by going south and back north they'll somehow avoid all the cold and all the very hot, and just not going to happen. We had a couple of days on our loop in Oswego, upon our arrival 39 degrees, 15 knot winds, 8-10' seas on Lake Ontario. Warmed up to mid 50's the next day but lows still around 40-45. When we left, was in the 50's and virtually no wind and smooth, calm lake. We pulled out coats and outfits we hadn't worn since Alaska.

 

[BruceK]

Wifey B: Ok, you were on boats of different types in different conditions and experienced some tough living conditions. This ain't that.
And why do I say that so firmly? I walked five miles to school through the snow, up hill both ways no longer matters nor does I was in 35 degrees with no heat and only a thin jacket for seven months....

The Four Yorkshiremen have something to say about the privations of living destitute in with neither food warmth or pretty much anything else, to sustain life...

 

[BandB]

The Four Yorkshiremen have something to say about the privations of living destitute in with neither food warmth or pretty much anything else, to sustain life...

Wifey B: I'd never heard of those old dudes. Cool.

 

[BruceK]

Wifey B: I'd never heard of those old dudes. Cool.

Did you recognize John Cleese, 2nd from left? They are part of the venerable Monty Python comedy team which more,ahem,senior,TFers might remember. Think "Life of Brian". Maybe also Tim Brooke-Taylor and Eric Idle,and that insane English Jewish comedian with the bulging eyes, whose name escapes me for now. Old stuff, but very funny.

 

[78puget-trawler]

Marty Feldman. In Young Frankenstein he had the best lines. My personal fav is when he replied to Dr. Frankenstein who asked him to help with me with bags, Igor said 'OK, you take the blond and I'll take the one with the turban!" Hilarious!

 

[BruceK]

Marty Feldman. In Young Frankenstein he had the best lines. My personal fav is when he replied to Dr. Frankenstein who asked him to help with me with bags, Igor said 'OK, you take the blond and I'll take the one with the turban!" Hilarious!

Thanks, knew someone would remember. He died some years ago.
I think he worked with Dudley Moore in the zoo sketch, where a monkey gets put in charge as more competent than the zoo manager. I think in the same sketch there was a zoo exhibit with a sign reading"Topical Fish", which unsurprisingly turned out to be "Tropical Fish", explained away by the Manager that during windy weather, "his ars blew off".

 

[BandB]

Did you recognize John Cleese, 2nd from left? They are part of the venerable Monty Python comedy team which more,ahem,senior,TFers might remember. Think "Life of Brian". Maybe also Tim Brooke-Taylor and Eric Idle,and that insane English Jewish comedian with the bulging eyes, whose name escapes me for now. Old stuff, but very funny.

Wifey B: I've listened to some Monty Python and like that kind of music.

 

[READY]

I'm sure somewhere in my near future I'm going to encounter whatever the "duck valve" is, I had no idea what vast horizons my toilet would open up for me.

It keeps the ducks on the outside of the vessel.

 

[Boatingbill]

If you have been commercial fishing, and around other things mechanical you should have a grasp of how things work. I myself bought our new boat this year. I now have a full working knowledge of vacu flush systems. Asked around about components. Paid the local guy to rebuild my pump on the condition I did all the work, he just walked me through it. After we were done I was almost embarrassed at how easy it was. I have since updated the system. I now have spares for every component, as well as a vacuum gauge to track down leaks. After toilet school 101 from my local guy I can check that off my list. We have 2-3 years before we head from the Great Lakes to the great beyond!! I will know every system on the boat before we go. As troubles arise you will learn to fix stuff. Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[Murungal]

Mate! Mate!! Mate!!!
Great choice. I have an Albin 36 Aft Cabin built in 1978.
Check out the history of these vessels.
Mine is fitted with twin Volvos and is currently in year 2
Of renovations. Plan to have all completed by end 2020.
Moored in Abbotsford Bay in Sydney Australia.

Have a great time. Photos please.

Regards

 

[LynBob]

The best change I made on my 36 was the cabin windows, changed out the original wood frames for custom aluminum sliders (no more wet wood) Other than that I loved my 79, best wishes.

 

[mjneejr]

This is our second season with our 1980 Alvin 36. A lot of bright work, teak decks, and brass to polish. We love it.

 

[Zoar]

Yes taking care of the old teak is a lobfr of love. And a good work out.