[Public-list] Thinking about buying an Alberg ... sorry very long post

Mon Jan 15 06:00:55 PST 2007

Hi Gord,
How do you like the wheel steering?
Can you post some photographs on this list please?
John
#624
On Jan 15, 2007, at 8:20 AM, Gordon Laco wrote:

> Good morning Sam -
>
> I hope you get your boat!  Mine has factory installed wheel  
> steering; the
> tell tales for determining the steering was installed by the  
> factory are:
>
> - they used Edson with small enamelled wheels
> - the pedistal is rather forward in the cockpit; abreast of the  
> main winches
> - no compass on the ped. Just a teak disc covering the top.
> - throttle lever on starboard side of that wooden disc.
>
> It is dead easy to remove if you want to go back to the tiller, it  
> will just
> be a matter of unbolting the pedistal and removing the steel cables  
> from the
> quadrant on the rudder shaft under the cockpit.  You can leave the  
> quadrant
> in place.  The only complication will be re-positioning the  
> throttle lever.
>
> Cheers - Gord #426 Midland on Georgian Bay
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> First a little introduction. My name Sam Stone and I live, for the
>> moment, in Austin, Texas. I have been thinking about buying a  
>> sailboat
>> for some time now. I have done some sailing, mostly making offshore
>> deliveries. I have subscribed and lurked on this list for a couple  
>> years
>> now. Below is a copy of a post I made to sailnet.com recently that  
>> does
>> a pretty good job of describing where my thinking is on potentially
>> becoming a new Alberger. For what is worth, most of those who  
>> responded
>> to the inquiry thought that the A30 was the best of the three.
>>
>> snip ------------
>>
>> I am for the first time seriously thinking about buying my own  
>> boat. In
>> the past I have satisfied my sailing itch by sailing others boats ...
>> that is beginning to change. I have very little money for the initial
>> purchase ... at the most $20,000 ... less that $15,000 would even  
>> better.
>>
>> My basic requirements are cheap (in price not quality), proven  
>> bluewater
>> capabilities, active owners groups (i.e. fair amount of "communal"
>> knowledge to aid in upgrades and known problems and solutions), small
>> enough to single hand yet large enough to coastal cruise with wife  
>> and
>> daughter, small to keep slip fees and maintenance cost to a minimum,
>> high quality initial build. I am very handy and usually not  
>> frightened
>> the need for a little work (i.e. I could do the work required to deal
>> with the mast compression issues that have been known to occur in the
>> A30 and Vega). I am pretty sure I don't want a wood boat. I want, for
>> the most part, to stay clear of home built boats (can you say Bruce
>> Roberts kit boats). I realize that this limits my choices fairly  
>> old boats.
>>
>> To that end my short list is:
>> Alberg 30
>> Albin Vega
>> Pearson Triton
>>
>> I have sailed on two A30 although in mild conditions, seen and been
>> aboard a Vega, seen but never aboard a Triton. I have been  
>> subscribed to
>> both the A30 and Vega mailing lists for a couple years. Read  
>> everything
>> I can find on the boats (PS Boat Buying Guide, Vigor's 20 Small
>> Sailboat, John Neal, even recently brought Yves Gelinas dvd With
>> Jean-du-Sud, atomvoyages.com, etc).
>>
>> I am currently leaning towards the A30.
>>
>> Any and all comments and insights anyone has on any of these boats,
>> these boats compared to one another, any other boats I should  
>> consider,
>> whatever would VERY GREATLY appreciated.
>>
>> ---------- snip
>>
>> In the coming month of so I plan to go to Dallas to look at an A30  
>> the
>> broker describes as a "project". For those interested the boat can be
>> found on yachtworld.com ( http://tinyurl.com/ykoaxt ). This boat has
>> been listed for sale on yachtworld for 2 to 3 years. The original  
>> price
>> was $23,000. It was lowered about about 14 months ago to its current
>> price of $15,000. It is listed as having been built in 1968. It has
>> wheel steering; I don't know if this OEM or not (BTW, how  
>> difficult is
>> it to change it back to a tiller?) The "improvements" and  "upgrades"
>> pictured strike me as downgrades and "unimprovements", if you  
>> will. The
>> one big advantage I to this boat is I can "customize" (i.e. galley
>> upgrades as talked about in the recent "oven installation" thread)  
>> it to
>> my needs without worrying about ruining its resale value. There was
>> another A30 for sale during this time period on the same lake that  
>> went
>> up for sale and was sold fairly quickly (in less than 8 months).
>>
>> Here is what the broker has told me so far (I have not any way  
>> been able
>> to confirm any of this yet):
>> 1) The boat has been in fresh water for at least 12 or 13 years,
>> probably longer maybe as long as 15 or 20 years
>> 2) He doesn't know the hull #. He thinks at the last survey of  
>> this boat
>> could have been as long ago as 15 years ago; he hasn't seen any  
>> survey
>> for it.
>> 3) He doesn't know the condition of the engine. AFAIK, it could  
>> have as
>> long as a couple of years since the engine has even been started.  
>> I am
>> going to assume the engine will need A LOT work, if not even a new  
>> engine.
>> 4) The hull, deck, and spars are in good shape. The boat is in the  
>> water
>> and the bilges are dry.
>> 5) He doesn't know the age of the rigging or sails. The standing  
>> rigging
>> is good shape, though it and the sails could be original to the boat.
>> 6) He said it is for sale for the "right price", intimating that the
>> boat could go for very much less than the list price
>>
>> I invite any comments any of the above (the quoted post, or the boat
>> itself) and, in particular, what to look for in an A30 in this  
>> condition
>> that  could be either a deal breaker or indicate a real steal. Has  
>> this
>> boat ever been the subject of discussion on the list and I somehow
>> missed it?
>>
>> I often times hear people say to be wary of "project" boats  
>> because even
>> if they are a "good deal" the coast of fixing them can exceed the  
>> price
>> of buying one that is in good shape. Does anybody have any good  
>> rules of
>> thumb, if you will, about how to judge this? I have more time than
>> money. Should I have this boat surveyed before closing on it  
>> regardless
>> of how much I pay for it?
>>
>> To be frank, I can't see myself offering more than $5000 to $7000  
>> (and
>> maybe even a lot less) for this boat given what little I know  
>> about it
>> at this time. I can easily see have to sink $5000 to $15000 into  
>> this boat.
>>
>> Thanks and sorry for the very, very long post,
>> Sam Stone
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>
> _______________________________________________
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