Albin Vega 27 - Possible Renovation - Delamination Concern...

[TGK]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Unless you're unemployed with no prospects of a job it would be cheaper and time saving to get a $5-10k 27' boat which you can sail from day one. I went through what you are proposing to do with my first boat - a 27footer for $400.00. It needed a lot of work and equipment. Which made it much more expensive in the long run. The only positive was tons of experience accumulated in 4-5 years that I owned her. From fiberglass work to outboard repairs and everything in between. But today I would spend $5-10k on a turn key boat of that size and not waste months (in fact a full year in my case) getting her in decent enough shape to splash.

Currently, I more or less am. This is another reason why this project seems appealing. And as you mention, I could gain loads of experience in the process.

[TGK]

Originally Posted by thomm225

A final word of advice to the novice sailor – resist the temptation to undertake a major refit and extensive modifications on your new old boat right at the start. It’s best to make only the obvious repairs needed and go out and sail locally and on some limited coastal passages to learn exactly what is and what is not needed for you. Otherwise you may end up spending years and many thousands of dollars more than expected modifying your boat and then find out on your first ocean crossing that the boat is not right for you or those great ideas you had during the refurbishment did not work out that well at sea.

Very sound advice...
Thank you.

[Flagfish]

Enjoy! I had a Vega for 10 years, sailed to/from Hawaii, all around the West Coast, caught many many salmon and halibut and greatly enjoyed her.

Your plan sounds workable with many of the same things I did. Good luck.

[gsuescum]

My wife and I have owned, refit and cruised on multiple sailboats in various states of condition and size. Live fulltime aboard now. Currently in Grenada.

Unless you are more into fixing the boat than sailing it, I’d consider selling the boat on to the next person and finding one that you can sail now. $500 is not big sunk cost. ($500 is the cost of a diesel mechanic to just read the serial number on your engine 😂&#128517

If you’re someone who wants to go sailing, a project boat will cost 3-4x as much as you think, take 3x as long as you plan for and will break your heart. Even when you’re finally “done,” there will be a lot to fix and you probably will not love your boat any more. I took on a “project boat” to save some money for our plans to go cruising. It was never really finished. Missed most of two sailing seasons and ended up with what was still a “project boat.”

Came close to ditching our cruising plans and just staying ashore. My wife kept looking and found the boat we have now. It was “sail away ready”; which only meant a new foresail, running & standing rigging, new battery bank, new alternators, heat exchangers, new enclosure, new life raft, etc. 😅

If you’re like me you will end up selling your project for way less than you put into it and will have missed out on at least one season of sailing.

[Bluechart]

Just so there’s no confusion, sounds like spending money and time fixing old boats (things) makes your heart sing….And you have little interest in sailing and cruising.

If that’s correct, you will have a great time!

If it’s sailing and cruising on your new boat that you desire, look elsewhere. (You are going to spend $$$ in the restoration of your boat, money that could be used to buy a boat ready to go, but still with a smaller list of things to do.)


Good luck

[barnakiel]

AVs were cheply built, they were the 'economy' class. So over time those that have been sailed harder, and those that have been semi abandoned, have developed an endless list of issues.


Now if you can address the issues on yours depends solely on your skills, your budget, and on how you are going to use the boat.


A not too hard sailed, well maintained, AV is as good a boat as any other boat of the same quality and age. Definitely not anything one should avoid just because there is some repairable damage.


Small old boats. But I would rather have a boat than not.


Good luck.


b.

[Don C L]

I have not looked into the bilge of a Vega so take this with a grain of salt, but my boat was constructed similarly. I believe what you see there is the layer of fiberglass capping the ballast below in the keel. I was thrown off because it is such a substantial layer of glass going up the inside of the keel. I have the same thing though mine seems to have more roving. In any case it is not structural except that it is the only thing sealing out an ingress of seawater if you hit something hard, crack the skin on the keel and water is allowed to travel up inside the keel. I’d happily sail her as is but I’d have that repair on the “need to do fairly soon” list. Not a hard repair but messy.

[Catalacmarc]

Joe, Vegas are wonderful boats. My father's last boat which I would have accepted from him but I was much fatter then and didn't quite fit the interior. Now that I am smaller and 73, I wonder if it is time to downsize and a Vega is one of the candidates.
As for cred, I have had more than my fair share of foolish fixers and haulouts from hell. That said, get an old boat solid and sail it has always worked for me.


I recommend that you look up John Neal's book "Log of the Mahina". He did some very serious long distance cruising in a Vega and had issues with the mast support and bulkhead which he remedied. I have read that the issues were fixed in later boats but not sure. The Mahina was completely rebuilt like you are planning on doing. The folks who did it would be good contacts for you.


https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic...ega-27-mahina/


As for the delamination, it appears from the pictures to be the fibeglass capping the keel has separated from the hull. If something distorted the hull, that would be where the damage would be even if the flexibility of the hull allowed it to return to shape. Has it affected the hull itself? I am always a little wary because damage like that could indicate some kind of abuse, like being dragged sideways grounded or mishandled during a haulout. Maybe sitting for a long time on it's keel without high enough hull supports? Look carefully at the bottom of the keel for signs of damage.


Enjoy your project, Marc

[smacksman]

Vega 27 looked after us well over many K of miles in Europe. Close quarter handling under power was bad because the prop was above the rudder so no prop wash. We got used to it. I bought an old Bristol 30, sight unseen, in Connecticutt from my desk in the UK. An auction on Ebay. Spent 10 days making her seaworthy then sailed/motored down the ICW to Key West. Sold her on Ebay for what I had paid for her and flew back to the UK. It can be done so good luck to you and enjoy her.