Realistic Liveaboard Boat

[troymclure]

Well an update, i've got an appointment to go see a 35 Albion Ketch Monohull this weekend. Desinged by Gilbert Caroff a french designer, the boat has already travelled from EU to Aus and a sister ship has circumnavigated so she should definately be good for blue water.

It is already mostly setup for liveaboard bar a shower system. Which I can hopefully get installed.

One major problem though is that an overseas buyer was going to purchase, got a survey and then pulled out. The agent said that the survey showed that the hull was fine, no signs of corrosion/rust and hull thickness was uniform and good but there is some oil leaking from the rudder and a bit of dry rot in one of the cabins ply framings.

I'm not worried about the cabins, that can be fixed pretty cheaply i would think but how big of a job is fixing the oil leak in the rudder? The agent said some welding would be required... the boat is nicely kitted out, watermaker/generator etc and I'd save money on liveaboard gear but only if the rudder is not too expensive to fix... anyone had a similar rudder problem and if so, how much did it cost to fix?

[surfingminniwinni]

Is this the Albion?

Albion 35 Ketch

[troymclure]

yep thats her.


I generally like the interior layout but... kinda have to budget at least 5k+ for installing a shower/hotwater system and then depending on how much work the keel needs it might end up out of my price range.

Still any opinions? Most of the information i've been able to find on the albions was in french and even then there wasn't much.

[anotherT34C]

Hi, you may remember me from such threads as, this one.

The T37, if properly maintained is one of the best deals on the market, IMHO. I would have bought one myself if it wasn't so ugly to my eye. You would find the space similar to a small basement studio apartment.

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by troymclure

but how big of a job is fixing the oil leak in the rudder?

Rudders do not typically contain oil. Unless this is a very unusual design, the leak is not "in" the rudder. Probably, they are referring to a fluid leak in the pump/lines/ram of the hydraulic steering system. This could be anywhere from very simple/cheap to very expensive to fix/replace.

[troymclure]

Unfortunately the Tartan 37 went under contract a couple of days after I spotted it and isn't listed anymore. Otherwise that would have been a great boat. Blue water capable plus centreboard for around queensland, ah well.

I'm currently living in a one bedroom apartment so I think as long as I get a 35"+ boat I should be alright for space. Though i do like centre cockpits for the extra room downbelow... I know most people think they're boxy looking but thats ok with me. I just want a boat i can live and work on comfortably and that will get me to the mediterranean. Trade winds after that would be nice but maybe i could buy a new boat after a few years cruising there.

This albion and the herreshof nereia i posted before are the two i'm looking at the most right now.

I prefer the CC on the albion as I could put my office where the aft cabin is (it's an empty space used for dive gear right now) but that rudder problem might be problematic. Still thanks for the info, time to go read up on steering systems. ^^.

I guess it's probably normal to haggle on the initial price for the cost of that sort of repair though?

Thanks once again all, will keep you all posted as the search continues.

[bangkaboat]

Troy,
Caroff designs strong, safe offshore boats, no problem there. I noticed that the hull was sandblasted & painted in 2006, so you should find it to be in good condition, there shouldn't be any rust streaks on the hull. There may be a leak at the rudder post, or there may be a cooling reservoir in the skeg. In either case, it won't cost you much. I'd recommend going onto a website such as origamiboats or boatdesign.net - metal boatbuilding section). In either place you should find amateur steel boat builders, and a few professionals, who are in your area. Having one with some experience to view the boat may save you a lot of money. Alternatively, grab a shipyard steelworker & pay him a couple of hundred to view it/fix the problem. The designs are good, but the builder is the key factor in one-off built boats, especially in steel. Pay careful attention to the hull/keel & hull/skeg welds. if they are uniform & reasonably flat, good. if they look like grapes & are bumpy & wavy, this is not a good sign. If you have any further questions about steel boats, feel free to send me a message, I build/repair steel ships, barges, boats, etc., for a living.

This boat is well-equipped for liveaboard and/or offshore. Windvanes, wind generators, solar panels & reg., electronics, etc., are a consideration when buying, due to the cost. Is it worth $89k(AUS)? That's a lot of money for a 35' boat, in most places. Still, I realize that boats are generally more expensive there &, in the long run, you'll never feel the difference.

Best of luck!
Mike

[troymclure]

Ok well the search continues, though good to know that the Albion seems to be generally well regarded and i'm looking forward to having a look on the weekend.

I'm also inspecting Adams 40 Centre Cockpit Aluminium Sloop this boat on Saturday(through the same broker), Adams 40 aluminium construction. Has a watermaker and hot water shower though no mention of any recent refits and looks like it could do with a bit of TLC.

I think resale value would be better on the Adams (aluminium vs steel, adams being slightly more well known then caroff) but it is a 40" boat. As i'll be singlehanding and it's my first boat that may be a bit of a concern.

The adams is listed as 2.5 tons heavier then the albion and no mention or sign of a bowthruster.

Truth be told I think i'd be happy with either (though obviously alot will depend on how the inspections over the weekend go) but i'd like a few opinions on singlehanding a 35 vs a 40 if possible? Also if anyone has any blue water singlehanding experience that might be relevant?

At the least i'm going to be sailing to the med. From what i've learnt the adams being longer and less beamy then the albion will probably be a bit safer on the ocean though the albion has a better motion comfort rating. The albion is a ketch vs a sloop/cutter for the adams. Which would I guess be a slight edge to the albion for singlehanding but the adams will be a fair bit faster which means less time spent making passages.

Again alot will depend on how the inspections go but it'd be nice to know if an Adams 40 is ok for a singlehander or not as well.

Thanks again people.

ps: Mike I sent you a message with some questions on aluminium vs steel boat construction. Cheers muchly, appreciate the help.

[ceejfletcher]

I like this thread, I am in a similar situation to Troy. Thanks every one

[bangkaboat]

Welcome to the forums, C.J.(?)!
Though living aboard isn't for everyone - wasn't my wife's first choice - I did it for a few years & really miss it! The most important thing I learned was to keep the boat in sea-shape, so you can take off within an hour's notice. What happens too often is that the boat becomes filled with a lot of items that become excuses for not going sailing. I reached a point where a buddy wanted to go for a weekend sail on my boat, but I figured it would take a day to re-arrange things. That is when I made the decision to move ashore.
Mike

[ceejfletcher]

Hi Mike
Thanks for your advice. I have found myself at the moment trying to upgrade and fix everything and not going out on her much. I will defiantly take your advice and will keep her ship shape rather than the perfect yacht with all the extras.
Thanks Chris