[alberg30] Alberg 30, Texas review

[SandersM at aol.com]

From: SandersM at aol.com


In a message dated 1/29/00 9:30:37 PM, dai at pdq.net writes:

<< I went aboard her for about 3 hours today, and then spent time poking on 

a 30 cape Dory and Bristol 29.9, private owners. >>

David, greetings.

I do not know much about the CD30s, except that they are also an Alberg 
30-foot design whose lines, to my eye, have been fattened to accommodate more 
cruising space below.  The A30s were designed more as a one-design racing 
boat with cruising abilities, whereas the CD30 was built with an eye to 
maximizing interior volume at the expense (I believe) of fine sailing lines.  
But that is only my opinion, formed after looking at the CD30 moored next to 
my A30 last season.

The Bristol 29.9 I know a good deal more about, as I used to own a Bristol 
35.5.  They are fine boats but to buy a 29.9 in serviceable condition, you'll 
easily spend more than twice what an A30 in comparable condition would cost.  
If you like the A30 and the 29.9 excited you, you might consider the older 
Bristol 29, which looks nearly identical to the A30 but which was designed by 
the 29.9's designer, Halsey Herreshoff.  Halsey's Bristol 29 design is a very 
good one; my recollection is that the B29 has a sharper entry into the water 
and a longer waterline than the A30, and it shows in a faster PHRF rating.  
In fact, the Bristol 29's longer waterline makes her faster than her bigger 
brother, the Bristol 32.  Bristol also made a Bristol 30, which was identical 
to the Bristol 29 except that Herreshoff redesigned the coach roof to 
eliminate the raised doghouse abaft of the mast step.  Then, in the 
mid-1970s, Bristol came out with a more modern line of designs that are 
differentiated by the decimal-point names:  29.9, 31.1, 35.5, 41.1, etc.  The 
newer Bristols (except the 29.9, a Herreshoff design), were from the pen of 
Ted Hood and Dieter Empacher, and they are great sailors, and exceedingly 
well-built, but also very expensive. 

The older Bristol 29/30s trade for about the same amount as do Alberg 30s.  
If you go shopping for older Bristols, pay particular attention to the 
foredecks and the hull/deck joints.  I looked at four before settling on my 
A30; all had spongy foredecks and leaking hull/deck joints.  Deck 
delamination is a real problem with the older Bristols, and you need to 
choose carefully when shopping for one.  Delaminated decks are not fatal; 
they can be repaired in several ways, and it can be a DIY job if you have the 
time to do it; but the fix will take eiither a lot of your time or a lot of 
your money, and so it is a problem that you should watch out for and 
understand, if you're going to look for older Bristols.

The Alberg's Hull ID plate is located below the companionway.

Sanders McNew
WILD ELF  (# 297)
Oyster Bay, New York

--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------

GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds.  Get rates as low as 0.0 percent 
Intro APR and no hidden fees.  Apply NOW.
<a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/NextcardCreative7SR ">Click Here</a>

------------------------------------------------------------------------


 949246002.0