Anyone Do the Loop in 27FC or 28 TE?

Anyone done the ICW run from Norfolk to the Keys or the loop in a Albin 27FC? I’ve heard of people doing in in Ranger tugs but kinda likes the looks and like the dual cabin layout. Thoughts? I’m dreaming for my future boat. Love the dual cabin layout of the 27 but I think the 28TE will be a better overall fit for what my wife and I. We enjoy cruising and fishing near and offshore, and anchoring over at the barrier islands for the weekend. But we want to comfortably do trips down the ICW and eventually go to the Keys and maybe the entire loop. Thanks for the insite.

Greetings,
Mr. Jm. This seems to be a common question. "Can we do such and such in this (insert brand/size/model) boat". IMO, one can go pretty well anywhere in any boat with a very close eye to weather AND access to food and fuel.


We've only done the ICW from, essentially, Norfolk to Marathon with one side trip to Bimini, Bahamas. Although our "southern boat" IS 46', our "northern boat" is a vintage 23' Penn Yan Sport Fish and I would NOT hesitate to travel the same waters (ICW/Bimini) in it. As mentioned above, weather would be the MAJOR factor in a go/no-go decision for the Penn Yan, on a daily basis.


My $.02...

In Washington state, there is a company called Slow Boat which creates small flotillas and takes them up to Alaska from I think Anacortes into the southern panhandle of Alaska. There are three owners of this company, one of which took his 22 foot express cruiser from Washington into Alaska and back a couple of times.

Here are webinars they have created for folks for the run I have described above. In one webinar, what kind of boat must you have is discussed, the parameters are pretty wide. The longest fuel jump is 85 nautical miles.

Slowboat Webinars – Slowboat

Yes. I know there was a Brit who did it with a pretty good blog going. I thought I'd book marked but can't yet seem to locate it. I'll post it up once I do. Otherwise....

This is a good project page for inspiration -

Albin 27 Family Cruiser

And of course the owners forum -

Welcome to Albin Owners Group


A "video" blog on utube -


These might whet your appetite for adventure....

Jmk2000 said:

Anyone done the ICW run from Norfolk to the Keys or the loop in a Albin 27FC? I’ve heard of people doing in in Ranger tugs but kinda likes the looks and like the dual cabin layout. Thoughts? I’m dreaming for my future boat. Love the dual cabin layout of the 27 but I think the 28TE will be a better overall fit for what my wife and I. We enjoy cruising and fishing near and offshore, and anchoring over at the barrier islands for the weekend. But we want to comfortably do trips down the ICW and eventually go to the Keys and maybe the entire loop. Thanks for the insite.

Click to expand...

Hi, sorry for tardy reply...just noticed this the other day. Yes we did 2600 miles; Nashville (Cedar Creek marina old hickory lake) to Jacksonville, FL 1 Nov 2019-25 Mar 2020. We have paused and left the boat at ortega river marina due to covid. We are planning resuming and finishing the loop beginning Jan 2021. The 27FC is a great couples boat for cruising but not so good for fishing in my opinion. Check out my blog for changes I made to the basic 27 FC to improved the live aboard capability. https://aroundtheloopwego.blogspot.com

Dennis Bruckel (sp?) did it and a lot more-He and his wife did some 40,000 miles in their 27FC. They did the loop-6000 miles and used 880 gallons of fuel according to his log. He published cruising guides on the TN, Cumberland, OH rivers and the loop. That should give you something to shoot for! Ben '87 27FC

I believe the 27FC and the 28TE are very very different boats. I think the 27 is a slow cruising boat meant for displacement speeds, and the 28 is a full on fast planing boat.

Also, are you sure you want to do the loop in an open cabin boat ? Different strokes for different folks, but I would need more enclosed space if I was spending months on end aboard.

Albin 30

Jmk2000 said:

Anyone done the ICW run from Norfolk to the Keys or the loop in a Albin 27FC? I’ve heard of people doing in in Ranger tugs but kinda likes the looks and like the dual cabin layout. Thoughts? I’m dreaming for my future boat. Love the dual cabin layout of the 27 but I think the 28TE will be a better overall fit for what my wife and I. We enjoy cruising and fishing near and offshore, and anchoring over at the barrier islands for the weekend. But we want to comfortably do trips down the ICW and eventually go to the Keys and maybe the entire loop. Thanks for the insite.

Click to expand...

If you like the aft cabin layout like I do you should consider the Albin 30 family cruiser , it's based on the other modern Albin hulls with all the usual quality and Design,( no wood!) . It was intended to be a replacement for the 27Fc . It was not very popular , the step in the middle is one complaint I have heard and looks but they are minor reasons to get a great boat. They also are 25% less than similiar open cotpit Albins on the used market.
https://images.app.goo.gl/1Gn9PYNRU2HSLw4d9
Cheers Warren

Hi Warren, funny you chimed in. I have been following your blog since you started your Journey. I was saddened to head you had to stop the trip for Covid but understand. When do you think you might attempt to get her back in the water? I check you blog from time to time still hoping for an update.

Hi, just saw this post, so not sure if you have made your decision or if you are still researching. We’ve done The ICW from the Maryland/VA line to the keys a few times on our Mary Jo, a modified 27 FC. Here’s a link to an article on prop talk about our first trip that you might find helpful.

https://www.proptalk.com/first-time-icw-snowbirds-gain-confidence-water

She’s not a planing hull but certainly good for the ICW, inshore and nearshore fishing. We have joined Freedom Boat Club and have enjoyed the benefits of being able to use a variety of boats including offshore center consoles and sailboats when we travel by boat and/or land.

warren said:

If you like the aft cabin layout like I do you should consider the Albin 30 family cruiser , it's based on the other modern Albin hulls with all the usual quality and Design,( no wood!) . It was intended to be a replacement for the 27Fc . It was not very popular , the step in the middle is one complaint I have heard and looks but they are minor reasons to get a great boat. They also are 25% less than similiar open cotpit Albins on the used market.
https://images.app.goo.gl/1Gn9PYNRU2HSLw4d9
Cheers Warren

Click to expand...

To further update an older discussion, the Albin 30 FC also has a significantly different hull shape and comes with more horsepower over the original Albin FC. In other words she morphed from a displacement pocket trawler to a faster cruiser. Not that I didn't appreciate the extra space afforded by the length.

AlbinFC

Bearkeley said:

Hi, just saw this post, so not sure if you have made your decision or if you are still researching. We’ve done The ICW from the Maryland/VA line to the keys a few times on our Mary Jo, a modified 27 FC. Here’s a link to an article on prop talk about our first trip that you might find helpful.

https://www.proptalk.com/first-time-icw-snowbirds-gain-confidence-water

She’s not a planing hull but certainly good for the ICW, inshore and nearshore fishing. We have joined Freedom Boat Club and have enjoyed the benefits of being able to use a variety of boats including offshore center consoles and sailboats when we travel by boat and/or land.

Click to expand...

Hi good to hear you are still enjoying Vics boat Mary Jo. He and I were in touch quite a bit when he was coustomizing her!
And to ‘Alaska’ , yes the A30 is quite different ( stretched TE28?) but is also much newer with a more modern engine and no wood!!!!! and a good choice for a small trawler as many seem to overlook it .... apparently the step in the cotpit puts people off but what does that matter? I do worry about engine access as they get older!
All the best. Warren

I know I am late on the thread, but I wanted to say I did own a 27FC and I am still wondering why I sold it. I had the original 61 HP diesel. Fuel was NOT a problem. Unbelievable range. Also, I know it is a slow boat, but on days it was feeling good my 27 FC would actually plane over and reach 17 MPH. Of course with a light load.

I did run into a terrible storm on the Mississippi River one night. I read the next day it was a "wind shear" or something like that. I was single handing at Togo Bend about 20 miles South of Vicksburg following a boat pushing 35 barges (I did not have radar). The wind hit and knocked my little boat over. Yes over. I luckily grabbed the wheel as I was about to be thrown into the port side of the boat. This move kept me from being body slammed. I pulled myself up to the controls and gave it all 61 HP. I heard water gushing off the forward deck as I was able to see the lights of the tow boat again. The captain of the tow boat told me a few minutes later that when the wind hit he informed some other crew members that this boat was going down. He said he was amazed it came back up. I certainly was. I developed total trust in that boat. I now own an Albin 34 for that reason.

There is a 1978 30FC for sale currently, so not sure about the boat being a replacement for the 27FC, which came 6 years later.