Berth Lengths for Albin Vega, Rawson 30, Alberg 30 and the like?

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

I love that you have a small sailboat and a huge king size bed at home, lol.

How tall are you?

I am 6'2 and my wife is 5'8. The V-berth on our big 40 ft sailboat is the same length but wider at the aft end.

[Jim Cate]

I'm not sure about their berth lengths, but Columbia 34s have very good headroom, and are reasonably available still. Not full keel, either, but are you really sure that this is a deal breaker for you? There are a hell of a lot of fin keeled boats sailing all oceans of the world, and they mostly seem to survive, notwithstanding all the traditionalists who decry them. We've done a few miles at sea, and they have all been done in fin keeled boats...

Jim

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Can you handle sleeping head first in the v-berth of such a small boat? Especially when underway, or at anchor when the weather kicks up. As the motion that far forward can get pretty obnoxious.

Probably not I have a hard time sleeping at the best of times although I am often woken up by artificial light and train horns (the joys of being a trucker). I wonder how realistic sleeping on the cabin sole would be...

I will probably not sleep for 24 hours while on long crossings and then pass out due to exhaustion, time will tell.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I'm not sure about their berth lengths, but Columbia 34s have very good headroom, and are reasonably available still. Not full keel, either, but are you really sure that this is a deal breaker for you? There are a hell of a lot of fin keeled boats sailing all oceans of the world, and they mostly seem to survive, notwithstanding all the traditionalists who decry them. We've done a few miles at sea, and they have all been done in fin keeled boats...

Jim

I'm not opposed to a fin keeler 100% but I am a bit leery of them. For one they seem to all have unprotected spade rudders and I don't like that.

I'm a real rookie though so I don't have enough experience to say what I like and don't like. that's one of the things about the Vega that appeals, it seems to be a nice middleground between full and fin keel. Shame about the rudder's integrity with its stock setup and the prop exiting well above the rudder kinda sucks too. Hoping to avoid motoring as much as possible and don't want to spend any time in a marina at all so probably not a big deal.

I do like the look of the Columbia 34, though

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

Thank you Don, I will add the Columbia 29 to my list of boats to look for Have you sailed an Alberg 30? The two look very similar, how do they compare?

Not an Alberg 30, but my friend next to me has a Cheoy Lee Luders 30 that I have sailed with him a few times. It is a nice boat, old school long keel, sails well for its vintage and design. It too is a good design to check, but in his case the v-berth would be too cramped for you as too the settees. I believe the Alberg 30 also has the galley under the companionway, so no quarter berth. Mine and it's 24 and 26 (mk 1) kin all have the ability to add settee berth length into the hatch since the stove and sink are forward of the settees. If the A30 has a quarter berth it might be long enough. Quarter berths are great places to sleep IMO. Btw the A30 also has a very good rep as you may know.

[Don C L]

BTW I have not been in a Rawson 30, but there is one two slips away from me. It is a monster of a 30 foot boat. I bet there is room in one of those for you. Oh, as to how my C29 and the CL30 compare in sailing, mine is a little more nimble, accelerates a little faster (a ton less weight) but once they are up and running pretty much the same speed, I might be a little faster. I am guessing the A30 will be comparable to the CL30. The Rawson is pretty heavy and doesn't carry much sail compared to its weight, I am guessing it needs a good breeze to get up and go. Now as for interior, the A30 and certainly the CL 30 will feel more spacious, my boat has an 8 foot beam. I think the A30 and CL 30 have closer to 9 feet.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Don C L

BTW I have not been in a Rawson 30, but there is one two slips away from me. It is a monster of a 30 foot boat. I bet there is room in one of those for you.

Yes I met a local guy who has one, he said it has 6'4" of headroom so I think you're right. Beats a folkboat at least. I don't like the companionway door though, looks like a wave would smash it right open. Would have to modify that.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

Yes I met a local guy who has one, he said it has 6'4" of headroom so I think you're right. Beats a folkboat at least. I don't like the companionway door though, looks like a wave would smash it right open. Would have to modify that.

Well you'll have to figure what kind of cruising you'll be doing and where you'll be going. Most folks starting out aren't going to be finding themselves in conditions like that. But I will say that cockpit is one of the biggest ice cream scoops for a pooping wave you'll find anywhere. You'd be riding pretty low in the water if that thing ever got filled up! It is considered a "bluewater" boat though. As much as I am a fan of the classics, to the point of obnoxious perhaps to some! I think Jim's suggestion of a C34 is also a good one. Those ol' Columbias have a good rep for being strongly built, I know mine is. I have not seen the guts of one but I have heard good things about the hull/keel joint and have heard of no issues with the rudder. I too prefer not to have a spade rudder though, in a cruiser, but many folks do. The only downside to the C34 is that I am not sure even in that boat you can have a 6-8 bunk. The quarter berth maybe, it might be worth a look if you see one for sale.

[Kelsea]

I have sailed an Alberg 30. Lovely boat. My dream boat was an Alberg 37 but when I could finally afford one, I discovered there wasn't a berth on the boat that could accommodate me at 6'2". Never slept on a 30 but can't imagine the berths are longer than the 37. I sail an Aloha 34 now. Every berth is 6'4" long and comfortably wide. My wife is 5'5". We sleep comfortably in the V berth. The quarter berth is a huge single and could easily be lengthened. Headroom is 6"4" throughout. Not quite as pretty as the Alberg but still has classic lines and more accommodation than the 37 due to it's 11'2" beam. If you're looking at other 34s you might want to include the Aloha.

[Captain Puget]

One of the reasons I bought my Rawson 30 pilot house was headroom. At 6'3' I have standing headroom (mostly). All bunks are 6'6' and the quarter berth could be expanded if you are willing to give up a little storage. Very stoutly built.

[AmericanVagrant]

Originally Posted by KetoNomad

I'm currently leaning toward the Albin Vega because the design seems to favour function above all else (except the big oblong windows). I don't want to have chainplates running through wood nor do I want to polish or stain cosmetic features above and beyond the hull and decks themselves. The berths don't look too long though :/ Anyone have one of these little boats that knows what the berth lengths are? I am hoping, at worst, I will have to throw a board into the middle of the "V" in the v berth and sleep in the middle with my feet hanging off the end and stuff on either side to prevent rolling around. I'll almost always be singlehanding except maybe once in a while when accompanied by my friends (mere mortals of a more normal size ) so this space hogging tactic isn't a big deal.

As I'm reading this from my Vega, I decided to take measurements for you. The two longest berths (port side V-berth and starboard side cabin berth) measure 6'6" almost exactly. Your idea about closing in the gap on the v-berth is a good one, there is sufficient space for you to do this and come up with your extra height and then some.

For what it's worth, I'm 6'1" and have become accustomed to hunching over...pretty sure I'd be able to say the same thing if I were 7" taller. You'll feel particularly gigantic when emerging from the forward berth area, but in time you'd get used to it. A taller boat would be nice, but something of comparable design, build, capability and cost while also offering substantially more clearance is going to be difficult to come by.

[markpierce]

It's all about short-persons' revenge. ... Often with even my short 5'8" length, my feet stretch beyond the length of a land-based, queen-sized bed. Frequently end up diagonally, resulting in my companion's complaint.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by canyonbat

I am 6'2 and my wife is 5'8. The V-berth on our big 40 ft sailboat is the same length but wider at the aft end.

Nice, definitely looks comfortable!

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Well you'll have to figure what kind of cruising you'll be doing and where you'll be going. Most folks starting out aren't going to be finding themselves in conditions like that. But I will say that cockpit is one of the biggest ice cream scoops for a pooping wave you'll find anywhere. You'd be riding pretty low in the water if that thing ever got filled up! It is considered a "bluewater" boat though. As much as I am a fan of the classics, to the point of obnoxious perhaps to some! I think Jim's suggestion of a C34 is also a good one. Those ol' Columbias have a good rep for being strongly built, I know mine is. I have not seen the guts of one but I have heard good things about the hull/keel joint and have heard of no issues with the rudder. I too prefer not to have a spade rudder though, in a cruiser, but many folks do. The only downside to the C34 is that I am not sure even in that boat you can have a 6-8 bunk. The quarter berth maybe, it might be worth a look if you see one for sale.

I guess I just don't want to have to buy another boat after my next one, huge expense to find, inspect and personalize a boat. Not only the normal costs but lost wages. It's all but impossible for me to do due diligence when I'm working so that ups the hassle factor of buying and selling. Plus I don't want to fix up a boat and then sell it, limited funds. I'm out of luck with the berth lengths, looks like. So ironic that my first boat, much as I hated it, had plenty of room to stretch out.

[KetoNomad]

Originally Posted by Kelsea

I have sailed an Alberg 30. Lovely boat. My dream boat was an Alberg 37 but when I could finally afford one, I discovered there wasn't a berth on the boat that could accommodate me at 6'2". Never slept on a 30 but can't imagine the berths are longer than the 37. I sail an Aloha 34 now. Every berth is 6'4" long and comfortably wide. My wife is 5'5". We sleep comfortably in the V berth. The quarter berth is a huge single and could easily be lengthened. Headroom is 6"4" throughout. Not quite as pretty as the Alberg but still has classic lines and more accommodation than the 37 due to it's 11'2" beam. If you're looking at other 34s you might want to include the Aloha.

Ah yeah I like the Alberg 37 too, shame it's not meant for taller sailors :? I saw a nice one in Mexico for 40 grand, ah well.

I've seen a few Alohas here for sale, spade rudders mostly, aren't they?