71 replies to this topic

[Diarmuid]

Temporary name, final name TBD. Currently Destination ... Knot Sure. We just (stupidly) bought, sight unseen, a 1972 Albin Ballad 30' sloop, on eBay. Small, IOR-biased, thinly equipped .... This is the boat that makes my heart go pitty-pat. That's the only justification I can offer here.

The boat is lying Chicago. Is anyone here familiar with Burnham Harbor on S Lake Shore Drive? I'd be infinitely grateful for an overview of their facilities & a reliable contact name there, if you have one. I may need to pay them to pull the mast and haul the boat, plus a month or more yard storage until I can arrange trucking.

On that last, the name of a reliable shipper who might be able to get the boat (probably 8000 lbs weight, 10' beam) to Wyoming and help us get it off again -- if you know someone, please pass it along. I won't know until tomorrow exactly how the Ballad is lying or how long we can store it at Burnham.

Oh God. What have I done.

[Gatekeeper]

Damn....I like it!!

[kimbottles]

Congratulations!

I have used both Associated and Dudley to move boats and have been quite pleased with their services.

Both are based here in Western Washington.

[4knotSB]

It's a shame Eisenhower wasted all that money on the Interstate Highway System , when what we really needed were more canals.

[Diarmuid]

Thanks Kim & Gate. The Ballad has that Folkboat DNA printed all over it, and that has a deadly effect on yours truly. Sisterships under canvas:




"Blaue Maus" - Albin Ballad by winchman2010, on Flickr

In repose:



Hull form, cuz you like that sort of thing :



I'm such a sucker for tumblehome.

[Diarmuid]

It's a shame Eisenhower wasted all that money on the Interstate Highway System , when what we really needed were more canals.

True. But locking your way from Chi-town up to 7500' would take awhile.

[hard aground]

Saw that on the 'bay the other night and wondered what it would end up going for. Really always liked the 30, knew a guy that had one a bunch of years ago and thought that it was a well sorted boat. Congrats mate.

[Slim]

Post your question about Burnham in the Area III Anarchy thread in SA. One of those guys can help.

If you need more info - PM me and I can reach out to someone there.

Crowleys in Chicago and Larsens in Waukegan are the two main yards near there.

And congrats! Great looking boat.

[Diarmuid]

Thanks, Hard. This is an early Ballad, very much a 'base' model, with no port-side Q-berth or salon table & a strange nav station. The lack of upgraded deck hardware or cruising amenities, tho, suggests to me a short chain of owners & no hard racing past. That suits our purposes pretty good. We intend to spend 2+ years gutting & refitting the hull from the bulkheads up, sorta like this guy did with a Ballad he dragged out of the weeds. The Volvo Penta allegedly runs, tho for how much longer who knows & buying parts will be brutal. Our town has the largest concentration of trainee diesel techs in America, tho, so I might just be in luck there.

We paid $2500 after document fees -- about what we spent on a SJ21 with wet decks. But we aren't gloating, because we know buying the boat was the easy & cheap part. Now comes the reckoning. I missed out on a $1500 barn-find Ballad two years ago, tho, & I couldn't let this one slip past.

[reis123]

Temporary name, final name TBD. Currently Destination ... Knot Sure. We just (stupidly) bought, sight unseen, a 1972 Albin Ballad 30' sloop, on eBay. Small, IOR-biased, thinly equipped .... This is the boat that makes my heart go pitty-pat. That's the only justification I can offer here.

The boat is lying Chicago. Is anyone here familiar with Burnham Harbor on S Lake Shore Drive? I'd be infinitely grateful for an overview of their facilities & a reliable contact name there, if you have one. I may need to pay them to pull the mast and haul the boat, plus a month or more yard storage until I can arrange trucking.

On that last, the name of a reliable shipper who might be able to get the boat (probably 8000 lbs weight, 10' beam) to Wyoming and help us get it off again -- if you know someone, please pass it along. I won't know until tomorrow exactly how the Ballad is lying or how long we can store it at Burnham.

Oh God. What have I done.

What you have done is purchased a really poorly designed plastic boat quite fitting her era, when the sailboat glut, I mean market, was driven by tax deductions for 2nd homes, including sail boats, then later, sun-setted by Congress, and why sailing plastic dingies , I mean cruising designs, befitting you and others here before you, has never been the same.

[Ishmael]

Congratulations, Diarmuid. It's nice to start with a clean palette so you aren't fixing others' fuckups. Have lots of fun with your new baby.


Speaking of fuckups, Reis is back.

[Paps]

Reis my girl, hows it hangin?

[boomer]

Congratulations! Always liked the Albin Ballad, the design really appealed to me.

[Diarmuid]

Thanks, Reis. The lovely thing about sailboats is there is something out there to fit everyone's desires and needs. The Ballad is a broadly-respected Swedish craft which fits most of our needs. There are many differences between this boat and a wooden schooner replica like Rebecca. One difference -- one essential difference -- is that I now hold legal title to my plastic boat, while your 'purchase' of Rebecca was purest charade from start to end. I'm sorry if that makes you bitter. Me, I'm jazzed about our cheap, outmoded, actual sailboat.

[steele]

Congrats, the more 1970's plastic boats on this site the better. The fact that the topsides are completely devoid of wood is a plus. I mean that, I curse my toe rails.

[Ishmael]

For just a brief moment, I wondered what kind of relationship you had with your feet.

[Diarmuid]

People asked whya professional woodworker would choose an all-steel home. I said I adore wood -- but I don't wanna build a damned house out of it. Wood looks so pretty on boats, but brightwork requires more attention than we could spare, given the realities of our lives. This critter will likely spend much of its life on the hard in San Carlos. The less exterior wood, the better. Inside, we'll go nuts with da tree-stuff. Boat's about to enjoy two years parked behind a tricked-out cabinet shop. I don't know much, but I can sure make dem plywood boxes.

Regards quality ... it's worth recalling Albin's low-end model, the Vega 27, recently made it around the Americas via the Northwest Passage and Cape Horn ... solo, non-stop. Matt Rutherford was pumping hard by the end, but he got home. I think the Ballad will do just fine in the Sea of Cortez.

[Paps]

Oh God. What have I done.

That answer depends on what you paid for it?

[Keith]

nice lines, well done... sail, sail, sail.....

[Salazar]

Nice catch Diarmuid, congratulations! Sweet lines.

Oh Reis, how about a photo of one of your boats? One you actually own and sail? I'm curious to see what that may be. Photos of boat you don't own don't count.

[Joli]

Congrats D, it like a lovely boat you'll enjoy for many years. You might try Uship.com and a local yard to break the boat down and load it for you. Or it may be cheaper to fly in for a weekend to do the work yourself.

[Tom Ray]

...We just (stupidly) bought, sight unseen, a 1972 Albin Ballad 30' sloop, on eBay. ....

I'm pretty sure that's at least three different stupid moves in one!

This is the boat that makes my heart go pitty-pat. That's the only justification I can offer here.

That's the only one that is needed. Congrats!

[Ajax]

Dia-

Sleek! I really like it. Uh...where the hell are you going to sail her? In one of the resevoirs?
The condition of your boat is like my Pearson when I bought it- a blank canvas. That's so much better than undoing someone else's work.
Fix her up, but don't forget to go sailing!

Daniel- Get the fuck out of this thread. Don't taint this man's happiness with the foul stench of your bitterness and immaturity.

[Steam Flyer]

Congratulations! Always liked the Albin Ballad, the design really appealed to me.

I wouldn't advise anybody to buy a boat they haven't looked pretty closely at, in person... but if you're gone ahead and done it, then CONGRATS and encouragement. Albin built a lot of nice boats; the Ballad was never a hell-bent racer but a nice sailing boat.

FB- Doug

[Soñadora]

The fact that the topsides are completely devoid of wood is a plus. I mean that, I curse my toe rails.

People asked whya professional woodworker would choose an all-steel home. I said I adore wood -- but I don't wanna build a damned house out of it. Wood looks so pretty on boats, but brightwork requires more attention than we could spare, given the realities of our lives.

pussies



nice looking ride, Dia


Ries... get bent, tosser

[kimbottles]

That is a very nice looking boat! Congratulations!

[Bob Perry]

Derm:
I think that is a great boat. Having owned an Albin Cirrus for 15 years I can asure you they are tough, well built boats. Enjoy.

[SemiSalt]

There was a time I was interested in the design. It has a reputation for shining in rough upwind conditions.

[Thorvald]

Nice! I like it. Have fun.

[Diarmuid]

Oh God. What have I done.

That answer depends on what you paid for it?

Less than the winches are likely worth. But also less than it's going to cost to truck it here & back down. $2500 all told.

I'm pretty sure that's at least three different stupid moves in one!

The Doofus Trifecta. That's our genius. AND it's a donation boat! Four of a kind. (Actually, Boat Angel has around 9000 feedbacks, 99.5% positive. They have been excellent to deal with thus far.)

Doug: thanks for the encouragement. I realize it's an iffy way to buy a boat; the risk is factored into the purchase price. No core in the hull; foam core in the deck, seldom delaminated; no history of blisters in Albins. The bones are good, and we always planned to strip it to those bones. If you have some time to kill, it's worth any boat-rehab-fancier's time to visit the Mostly About Boats site. That Ballad was absolutley trashed.

Sleek! I really like it. Uh...where the hell are you going to sail her? In one of the resevoirs?
The condition of your boat is like my Pearson when I bought it- a blank canvas. That's so much better than undoing someone else's work.
Fix her up, but don't forget to go sailing!

We have two other lake sailboats to amuse us (see Tom's 'stupid moves' observation, above -- there's a pattern here) and an eight month off-season for boat fixin'. I am liking the blank canvas. Forty years old -- it all has to come out for inspection, anyhow. The less clutter, the better.

There was a time I was interested in the design. It has a reputation for shining in rough upwind conditions.

Yeah, it's supposed to be an absolute witch close hauled, and the stinkier the better. Most owners don't even reef the tiny main until 30-35kts. And less crazy downwind than later IOR designs, not if you don't horsewhip it. But that means we are going to need both heavy air combos (some balance of roller furling and an inner staysail?) and an effective light air sailplan. We've met that range to our satisfaction on the SJ21 -- but that's a fractional rig & only 1500lbs. Much of the terror I'm feeling right now regards the Ballad is its (relative) complexity. It has actual plumbing! And a diesel engine!

[blackjenner]

Pretty! Congrats!

[Tom Ray]

I'm pretty sure that's at least three different stupid moves in one!

The Doofus Trifecta. That's our genius. AND it's a donation boat! Four of a kind. (Actually, Boat Angel has around 9000 feedbacks, 99.5% positive. They have been excellent to deal with thus far.)

Hmmm... you seem like my kind of customer, and with that in mind, please shop for boat parts on ebay here. /spam

[Diarmuid]

I'm pretty sure that's at least three different stupid moves in one!

The Doofus Trifecta. That's our genius. AND it's a donation boat! Four of a kind. (Actually, Boat Angel has around 9000 feedbacks, 99.5% positive. They have been excellent to deal with thus far.)

Hmmm... you seem like my kind of customer, and with that in mind, please shop for boat parts on ebay here. /spam

I'm trying hard to become somebody's customer ... but without success. Auction ended yesterday evening. Boat is slipped at Burnham Harbor. Chicago Harbors close down midnite Oct 31st. Burnham has a mast crane, but no real haulout or storage facilities. The 31st St Marina is about half a mile away; it does haulout and store, but not short-term -- can't get your boat until April.

Downtown private marinas unresponsive. The only folks who seem vaguely interested are Crowley's, about ten miles south. I'm basically waving money at people, trying to find someone to move/haul/truck this boat, and no one can be bothered. I'm sure they are very busy with regular haulouts right now, but sheesh. Help a Wyoming brother out, please. I'm half-panicked here.

[Ishmael]

Any chance you could borrow a trailer locally, drive it to Chicago and load it up yourself?

[Diarmuid]

I could possibly borrow a 2-axle flatbed & F250. Not sure I really want that headache, tho, & dedicated sailboat tralers are uncommon around here. So the props/jackstands would be a bodge job. Then need oversize load permits, etc. Hopefully something will happen on UShip. I prefer dealing by referral rather than brokerage websites, but right now it's looking ugly. Sounds like Crowley's can do everything from fetching the boat at Burnham to short-term storage. I'm also waiting for some eager young Burnham boat lads who are supposed to call me. They could drop the stick right there and motor the boat to Crowleys. What do you think is a fair price? $45 per man hour, plus expenses?

(One of the many amusing parts of this saga is that I'd probably have no better luck if I were in Chicago right now, rather than snowed in here shouting over a cell phone. For one thing, I don't actually know how to operate a diesel boat engine. "How hard can it be....")

[Jose Carumba]

As Kimb said, try Associated or Dudley. They haul boats all over the country and would probably move your boat, especially if it meant they could save part of a dead head return run. A couple of phone calls couldn't hurt.

http://www.associatedboat.com/

http://www.dudleyboats.com/

[hard aground]

I have a trailer that would hold it comfortably the only downsides are that my boat is presently on it, and I'm approximately 8-10 hours the other side of Chicago from you.

[kdh]

snowed in here shouting over a cell phone. For one thing, I don't actually know how to operate a diesel boat engine. "How hard can it be....")

Just got a note from Teton Village that Jackson got 30".

Enjoy the boat, seems like a great choice.

[b6sfull]

try Great Lakes Haulers.....out of Michegan.......or Google (your friend)

sweet looking boat there........congrats and enjoy

[Paps]

Darenude, I like your style. It'll work out.

[Diarmuid]

Darenude, I like your style. It'll work out.

Thanks, Paps. It's the right boat, for sure. Right time? Mmmm, not really. I guess I sorta know everybody in the Grea Lakes is scrambling to pull boats around now, and that fabulous bargains on freshwater craft may be had from owners seeking to avoid the lemming rush + haulout and storage costs. What didn't occur to my feeble brain is (DUH!) buying now drops me right into that same bowl of cacky, totally without the resources to deal with it.

I seem to have found a bright young thing who is monetizing his local knowledge & sailing habit by pulling people out of the cacky. Good for him. Here's some dollars. Waft Fionn down to Crowley's and those magic boat stands, willya? Looks like we have the most pressing demand solved. The rest is just a matter of money. Innit always.

[Paps]

I just google earthed Laramie will you be dry sailing?

[Diarmuid]

I just google earthed Laramie will you be dry sailing?

Regret to inform, today's Frostbite Regatta cancelled on account of frostbite:



We're like Alice Springs. Strategically located -- equidistant from several famous sailing locales. At the drop of a hat, we could drive 1000 miles in any direction and find water. Liquid water.

We own two lake-sailers to amuse us while refitting the Ballad. After a couple years, we'll drag it to California, learn to sail it in the forgiving summer waters off L.A., then point it towards Mexico. It will probably live in San Carlos, where yard storage is inexpensive. Cheap airfares from Denver to Mexico.

The reason to refit it HERE rather than in some coastal marina? We have 32 acres of land, a full-service woodworking shop, HVLP spray equipment, and an eight month off season. So nice, when you realize you have the wrong pliers, to stroll into the shop rather than run to the nearest hardware store.

[hard aground]

You probably don't have a chandlery close by though when you need something boat specific, do you? Do like the long term plans though.

[hobot]

Fisheries Supply (affectionatly known as Fisco fiasco) in Seattle for any stuff you might need for the job.

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/

Liken it a bit to the Sears Christmas/Grainger Supply catalouges.

[Diarmuid]

ACE Hardware! Ahhahaha. Kidding. No, we don't have a chandlery. There's a West Marine in Denver, but it's mostly powerboat stuff. This plan would be harder without the internet & great companies like Sailrite & Defender. Our SJ21 was always the 'practice boat,' were I could learn everything from deck recoring to canvaswork to sailmaking to parts-sourcing.

The other advantage of buying the boat early, before we are anywhere close to cruise-ready, is TIME. Time to scrounge good used gear on eBay or CL; time to attend each boat system in logical order; time to pester everyone on this board for advice; time to learn cruiser's Spanish ("We have run aground/lost our outboard motor/eaten too many tacos", "Our dog was in another pregnant"); time to get our business affairs sorted. The alternative is to scrimp and save, scrimp and save, for ten years -- buy a turnkey boat on the coast -- and leave the next day.

Somehow, the boat-buying piggybank was not swelling as we hoped. There was always a more pressing use for our spare change. So fuck it. Right boat shows up for a ridiculous price ... we BUY it. Buy it and get it home, somehow. The rest is just details.

[rattus32]

The reason to refit it HERE rather than in some coastal marina? We have 32 acres of land, a full-service woodworking shop, HVLP spray equipment, and an eight month off season. So nice, when you realize you have the wrong pliers, to stroll into the shop rather than run to the nearest hardware store.

Diarmuid, congrats!

If you need any semi-local sailing help once the water becomes liquid again, drop a PM. Mountain sailing's a blast and keeps us on our toes...

Mike

[bmiller]

I just google earthed Laramie will you be dry sailing?

Regret to inform, today's Frostbite Regatta cancelled on account of frostbite:



We're like Alice Springs. Strategically located -- equidistant from several famous sailing locales. At the drop of a hat, we could drive 1000 miles in any direction and find water. Liquid water.

We own two lake-sailers to amuse us while refitting the Ballad. After a couple years, we'll drag it to California, learn to sail it in the forgiving summer waters off L.A., then point it towards Mexico. It will probably live in San Carlos, where yard storage is inexpensive. Cheap airfares from Denver to Mexico.

The reason to refit it HERE rather than in some coastal marina? We have 32 acres of land, a full-service woodworking shop, HVLP spray equipment, and an eight month off season. So nice, when you realize you have the wrong pliers, to stroll into the shop rather than run to the nearest hardware store.

Good plan, nice boat. I'm working toward the same type plan, just not as much land in the meantime.

I briefly dabbled in large boat ownership and had an Islander Freeport in Corpus Christi TX. The thought was it's not too bad to head down and spend a couple weeks at a time. Wrong. The realities of owning a boat that takes two days to get to got to be too much. so we sold and will do pretty much what you are.

[Diarmuid]

Fionn has landed. We had a most amusing day yesterday, getting it off the trailer. First the local (crappy) rental yard hasn't got enuf of the right kind of equipment to lift it: we settled on a 20,000# front loader with forks. It was barely tall enuf to raise the boat off the stands. And it came 3 hours late, since the rental truck slid off the road that morning in the snow. Boat transporter asks, "So what's your Plan B if this doesn't work?" I gave him a blank stare. "This is my Plan B. Plan C or D, in truth.""

I'm still cleaning previous owner's stuff off the boat. Mostly trash, a few items they probably wish they had taken off the boat. Sorry kids. You had three weeks after the sale to recover your personals. Anybody here want a Sony Watchman? So I haven't got down to the core issues yet. Overall, the boat seems a little...tired. Like the bones are still good, but no one had been going about & tightening bolts. The big waves in south Lake Michigan (30' reported) in between buying the boat & getting it pulled did, in fact, come close to harming the boat -- even tho it was in south-facing Burnham Harbor. Must have been a major surge. The fenders (clipped to the lower lifelines) were gone when my delivery guy showed up; and the aft port Herreschoff cleat, an aftermarket job which was controlling the stern, is hanging on by one loose bolt.

Anyhoo. The boat has a 2-blade Gori folding prop. It's in nice shape. Assuming the Penta MD6A tests out okay and we decide to keep it, is that a reasonable propeller for this boat? I'll measure diameter tomorrow. It's not large. There's certainly room to swing a bigger prop. Those Volvos run at low RPMs, tho. Like 2400. And at 10hp, you ain't pushing much bigger.

I'll also take some pics of the painted-over gate valve seacocks.

[Bob Perry]

Derms:
Way to go! Congrats.
I think you will learn to love your Albin as I did mine. I had some of the happiest times of my life on my little boat.
If there is anything I can do to help with the refit call me. I can get some good deals. But don't tell anyone.

[Diarmuid]

Thanks, Pat. I think the mast will hang on the back wall of the shop, under the eaves. We don't get lots of snow here -- 9" total precip a year -- and it's seldom wet or heavy. So we won't be tenting or tarping the boat. Tarps here are impossible. They degrade in the UV of 7500', and the wind either shreds them or causes them to beat to death whatever is beneath. Any time we see someone fitting a car cover, we smile & say: "You aren't from Wyoming, are you? When you take that sucker off in April -- assuming the wind hasn't done it first -- that Miata's paint is gonna be down to bare metal."

Lifeline stanchions and bow pulpit are shockingly loose. Stanchions sorta clamp over the bulwark/FG toerail, so they seem like they could be made solid. No one has addressed those in a long time. Seems like one soft patch on the foredeck (foam cored deck; solid hull). As far as I can tell, the deck is mated to the hull via turned-in flanges, thru-bolted on 5" centers. Mast step looks good. Chainplates and bulkheads will require scrutiny. Lower shrouds appear to be vinyl-clad wire. Head compartment was designed by Swedish dwarves. It's a Jabsco, tho. Looks fairly new. POs added an oak-look full size toilet seat, which rather spoils the proportions.

[Bob Perry]

You are welcome chopped liver.

[Diarmuid]

You are welcome chopped liver.

TeeHee. Cross-posted, Bob. I'm a slower typist than you are. Appreciate the offer of help and the encouragement. This is going to be a long process, so we'll need a deal of both.

I wasn't familiar with the Cirrus (78). Interesting boat. That's a Norlin design, correct? Looks bigger inside than our 30'er. How long is that starboard berth, anyhow -- fourteen feet?



You'd hate the Ballad's saloon. Five-ten headroom and six-one berths. The outboard pilot berths are child-sized. I fancy they will be converted to storage. Boat needs light, lots of light!

Cockpit lockers all communicate below; lids currently weathered plywood, & not a single latch among them.

[Bob Perry]

Derm:
Now you are making me feel really bad. Yes, that's my boat or accurately was my boat. It was a fabulous little boat, all I ever could want. The bilge was so dry I had to vacuum it out from time to time. I never put ice in the ice box because I didn't want it draining into my bone dry bilge. The key to the roomy interior was not having an enclosed head. This was not a problem when I was by myself. They are very stoutly built boats. Do you have an iron keel or lead. Mine was cast iron.

[boomer]

Fionn has landed.

Cool! When you get a chance, post some pix.

[Diarmuid]

Derm:
Now you are making me feel really bad. Yes, that's my boat or accurately was my boat. It was a fabulous little boat, all I ever could want. The bilge was so dry I had to vacuum it out from time to time. I never put ice in the ice box because I didn't want it draining into my bone dry bilge. The key to the roomy interior was not having an enclosed head. This was not a problem when I was by myself. They are very stoutly built boats. Do you have an iron keel or lead. Mine was cast iron.

Integral lead keel on the Ballad -- 47% ballast ratio. The transporter was impressed by the keel and the rudder skeg, both being hell-for-stout with no separation. He moves a lot of Catalinas. He said many new sailboats he hauls, you can see the hull oilcan and twist in the rearview. The Ballad did not flex.

You no longer have the Cirrus, Bob? Understand the longing. What a sweet little boat. Not so common in the US, tho. Rarer & less-known than Ballads, even. What was it -- Cirrus, Cumulus, Stratos, Nimbus?

Your point about the enclosed head is well-taken. That is exactly the problem -- and the head itself is too small to be much use. Soooo.... One of our outlier ideas will be moving the head. Maybe under the V-berth, maybe even put it aft. I like aft heads: less motion, more headroom, don't have to traverse the saloon in dripping foulies. Can't easily move bulkheads on this boat, but we could do interesting things with bump-outs.

[Ishmael]

Derm:
Now you are making me feel really bad. Yes, that's my boat or accurately was my boat. It was a fabulous little boat, all I ever could want. The bilge was so dry I had to vacuum it out from time to time. I never put ice in the ice box because I didn't want it draining into my bone dry bilge. The key to the roomy interior was not having an enclosed head. This was not a problem when I was by myself. They are very stoutly built boats. Do you have an iron keel or lead. Mine was cast iron.

Integral lead keel on the Ballad -- 47% ballast ratio. The transporter was impressed by the keel and the rudder skeg, both being hell-for-stout with no separation. He moves a lot of Catalinas. He said many new sailboats he hauls, you can see the hull oilcan and twist in the rearview. The Ballad did not flex.

You no longer have the Cirrus, Bob? Understand the longing. What a sweet little boat. Not so common in the US, tho. Rarer & less-known than Ballads, even. What was it -- Cirrus, Cumulus, Stratos, Nimbus?

Your point about the enclosed head is well-taken. That is exactly the problem -- and the head itself is too small to be much use. Soooo.... One of our outlier ideas will be moving the head. Maybe under the V-berth, maybe even put it aft. I like aft heads: less motion, more headroom, don't have to traverse the saloon in dripping foulies. Can't easily move bulkheads on this boat, but we could do interesting things with bump-outs.

Like those slide-out rooms you see on RV's? There's an excellent concept to play with.

[SemiSalt]

If I recall correctly, the mast steps on deck and is supported by an arch and/or a bulkhead. I saw at least one boat advertised where the bulkhead needed to be replaced. The chainplates are covered by attractive woodwork on the interior side, which makes them difficult to inspect. Neither of these boats looked as nice as the interior shot above.

[Diarmuid]

Might be confusing your Albins, SS. Easy to do -- there's a gaggle of 'em. Bob Perry had the Albin Cirrus 28, which is the photo above with the lovely green cushions (note to self: think about strong colors for upholstery) and clever interior. It has a deck-stepped mast with compression post, IIRC. Peter Norlin design.

The Albin Vega 27 (Per Brohall) has a deck-stepped mast also; it uses a bulkhead arch to carry the loads out to the hull, and that arch does have a history of breaking down. Common issue on a Vega.

The Albin Ballad 30's mast is keel-stepped. Designed by Rolf Magnusson. The main bulkhead does have a burly-looking arch bolted to it, but that must be just to tie the bulkhead halves together, and maybe to keep the deck from lifting. It's not carrying any rig compression. Here's a photo of a nice Ballad bulkhead:



The chainplates on the Ballad are unusual, but not at all hard to get to or inspect. They pierce the sidedecks as eyebolts, essentially, then loads are carried to conventional chainplates thru-bolted to the bulkheads and joined by a welded underdeck truss sort of thing. The aft lower comes down to the hull in about three different steps, some of which aren't real well considered. We will defo be re-engineering that whole system! The good thing about Albins, like most Scandinavian boats of that era, is all the cabinetry is just screwed and bolted together. Piece of cake to remove.

It's allll coming out, man.

[Diarmuid]

Hookay. I must have lowered 500# of shit junk previous owner's stuff out of the boat so far. We're a bit over halfway to empty. And starting to get some idea where we stand on the overhaul. It's about what I expected. Plus some pretty funny surprises. Apologies in advance for the photo quality: it's been blowing 30 mph most of the day, and I don't want to bang my decent digital camera around. This a cheapo point-and shoot.



Boat on props. Still some tweaking to do on the shoring, but it's okay. Even with about six twists, the ratchet straps vibrate in the wind. Ropes hum less than webbing, but still vibrate some. Any thoughts about using 1/4" chain for tiedowns? I need something with a low natural frequency. Note the jerry cans: boat had two diesel and four gas jugs on board. Non-vented lockers, too.



Wakeboard? Ballad must be faster than I thought!

Shore power plug wired directly to GFCI outlets by the nav station -- though not, perhaps, to ABYC standards:

[Diarmuid]

The electrical work has nothing on the plumbing, however. Two seacocks:





Yowza. And a retrofitted holding tank:



It's gimballed!

[Jose Carumba]

Nice thread Diarmuid.

I have been following it and am impressed with the Ballad. As I ponder a possible next boat the Ballad is right in there. There are 2 currently for sale hete in the PNW, one of which was stripped and restored/repainted. It's very nice but I am not ready yet. Keep the pics and commentary coming.

[Tom Ray]

I have seen an alarming number of through hull fittings that were actually worse than those. In one case, the gate valve handle had actually corroded all the way off and was laying there in a pile of white corrosion. As I was poking around and finding such things, the owner of the boat was expounding on how solid his boat was and how he'd take it cruising tomorrow.

The amazing thing to me is that those kinds of things do not cause problems more frequently.

[Diarmuid]

I have seen an alarming number of through hull fittings that were actually worse than those. In one case, the gate valve handle had actually corroded all the way off and was laying there in a pile of white corrosion. As I was poking around and finding such things, the owner of the boat was expounding on how solid his boat was and how he'd take it cruising tomorrow.

The amazing thing to me is that those kinds of things do not cause problems more frequently.

It will be interesting to see what the valves are made of -- brass or bronze. There just seems like zero support on the thru-hull, like you could step on the valve and lever the sucker right out of the hull. Now, the raw water intake is similarly spooky but may be harder to upgrade. Its thru-hull is located in the bilge, on the keel itself -- about 8" below the keel/hull transition. Should we leave it there, try to fit a proper thru-hull/seacock arrangement, perhaps with a three-way valve so the engine could act as an emergency bilge pump (?) -- or should we plug the bilge hole & put the raw water intake up on the hull?

I think there may be some kind of cabin heater someplace. Lots of big vinyl hose running everywhere, like in the movie Brazil. "I want to talk to you about ducts." Haven't found the heater itself yet. Maybe they were just pulling air out of a hot engine compartment.

But ya know, people have a lot of fun on boats like this, and they hardly ever die.

I just finished preliminary bilge cleanout. Mostly rainwater, I think -- no sort of cap on the deck/hawse pipe thingy. (Me and a tapered bung of blue foamboard just settled that.) The bilge was sorta nasty but not too awful. I took out about three gallons with a manual bilge pump, removed the small Rule bilge pump (not functioning), scrubbed off the worst of the slime, then filled the compartments with soapy water, scrub, pump, repeat. Starting to look fairly tidy. It's a deeper bilge than expected.

[olaf hart]

Hmm, a little imagination there and you have your extra headroom.

[Diarmuid]

Hmm, a little imagination there and you have your extra headroom.

Almost. One Ballad owner was talking about lowering the saloon floor. What you see there, tho, is the only area that's deep. That is the top of the keel proper. So you'd maybe gain an inch or two at most. Albin was experimenting with expanding foams at this time, so the cabin sole is a little spongy. I will likely be cutting it out & replacing with something more rigid. Might be able to steal an inch or two there.

We're cool with 5'-10" headroom -- GF & I are only five - eight. Btw, I actually fit in the pilot berths!They're still going away, but that was worth the experiment. My partner is somewhat better equipped in the chestal regions, however. She'd have to take the lower bunk.

[Bob Perry]

Dearm;
Actually I had the Cirrus 7.8, the 26'er. I dreamed of the 28' version.

[austin1972]

Even with about six twists, the ratchet straps vibrate in the wind. Ropes hum less than webbing, but still vibrate some. Any thoughts about using 1/4" chain for tiedowns? I need something with a low natural frequency.

More twists!

[Greever]

My partner is somewhat better equipped in the chestal regions, however. She'd have to take the lower bunk.

Pics, or we will never believe you!

Congrats on the boat.

[Diarmuid]

Dearm;
Actually I had the Cirrus 7.8, the 26'er. I dreamed of the 28' version.

Oh right, rats. Cumulus is the 28. Cirrus 26. Express 25. They really packed em in in the 24-36' range, didn't they? Seems like many manufacturers had at least one boat model for every length. FWIW, the Cirrus seems a more modern ride than the Cumulus, & so much airier inside. I like the Albin Nova a lot, but they are very rare & tend to cost much more. The Stratus 36 is also a neat boat but typically came with teak deaks. Not something I wish to deal with.

Ish: Fixed bumpouts rather than moving -- but ja, that's the idea. A thing you figure out when designing kitchens for impossible spaces is to think multi-dimensionally. If a certain volume isn't being used effectively, steal it for something else. Why put a 12" deep cabinet over a fridge? Bump it out to 25". Can the fridge be recessed 4" into the wall cavity? Makes a huge difference. Dusty utility closet behind this other wall? Let's block a pullout pantry into it. We wanna move some of that wasted space into the kitchen, where it can do some good.

Even more important in small cruising boats, that every cubic inch is doing something. Preferrably, doing two or more things. Reasons I've considered putting the head where the nav station is: all plumbing in one place, and you only need one sink. Berths could be bumped forward with your feet under the current hanging locker/head. Then we just need to find a place for the chart table & comms.

Tho it is only a matter of time until someone designs a production cruiser with slideouts. Pull into the marina, pay your slip or mooring fee, and suddenly big sections of hull extend in all directions. Swim decks, awnings, two spare cabins....



You hafta think Bavaria is already working on this.

[Bob Perry]

Derm:
I rthink the 26 may have been a heavy air quarter tonner originally.
It was pretty advanced for it's day with a frac rig and swept spreaders. Mine had some odd diamond stays from the hounds that attached right at gooseneck level on the mast. Not sure why they were there. Maybe the caps were undersized and needed some help. But it doidn;t look like it to me.

[Diarmuid]

Almost done with the preliminary strip-out. Today I finished cleaning the bilge. There were no wrench flats on the raw water thru-hull, so I started gently unscrewing it by hand. Oops.



I do believe the gate valve is brass. The thru hull snapped off at the collar nut. One down, four to go.

As long as the rubber gloves were on, I stripped all the head plumbing and pulled the holding tank, which had about three gallons of liquid delight left in it. Guess flushing that didn't figure into $2000 of marina haulout services. Lots of low spots in the hose routing, too. It was that white, spiral-reinforced hose that doesn't seem to block odor so well. All gone now. I need a bath.

Couple drawers worth of chandlery items, much of it past saving:



Four (count 'em) Whale Gusher foot pumps, one oarlock of uncertain purpose, and a chrome Enko winch handle too heavy to lift. The red handle next to it is the backup engine starter.