Is Alberg the best production designer ever?

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Carl Alberg designed most of the Cape Dory line. My own favorite is the CD31. Singlehanded to Bermuda four times and a great coastal cruiser also.

That's a fine looking boat. There don't seem to be many around, although there are bunch of 30s I can check out.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Lance Monotone

Thanks Gord. Would you be willing to share a couple of designs you're more fond of if you have a moment and care to keep within my wishlist specs, 27-31' full keel?

Your desire for a full keel (& fear of balanced rudders), disqualifies me from advising further.

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Your desire for a full keel (& fear of balanced rudders), disqualifies me from advising further.

Haha, okay, fair enough!

[SVSOLITAIRE]

Originally Posted by Lance Monotone

I am a little concerned about the tankage. I have my eye on a Cape Dory 27 but it only holds 24 gallons of water, which doesn't seem like a lot on an otherwise well-regarded boat.

You can put secondary tanks. My Alberg 30 originally held 25 gallons then I added 25 more with 14 in gerries. 65 gallons is more than enough for me.

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by SVSOLITAIRE

You can put secondary tanks. My Alberg 30 originally held 25 gallons then I added 25 more with 14 in gerries. 65 gallons is more than enough for me.

Oh, that's interesting. I'll have to look into that. I see that's a gas inboard. If you know, how does that stack up to diesel?

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by SVSOLITAIRE

You can put secondary tanks. My Alberg 30 originally held 25 gallons then I added 25 more with 14 in gerries. 65 gallons is more than enough for me.

PS, I have decided I love the Alberg 30. This one is outside my budget but it's sweeeeeet. https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/88249

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Lance Monotone

She's really pretty! Did you have to do much work when you bought it?

I unloaded it, and painted the bottom then started sailing it.

Then the ancient diesel failed so I replaced it with a new 5 hp 4 stroke 25" extra long shaft outboard and it has gone from there.

Every few years when I repaint the bottom, I make other improvements,

I have basically painted the entire boat inside and out over the past 9 years a bit at a time, added solar, replaced the autopilot, dodger, mainsail, mainsail cover, tiller, and have added a Raspberry Pi 4 computer for a chart plotter plus replaced the dirty old curtains with shades and replaced the cabin lamps with LED

Picture shows how it was when I found it.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Lance Monotone

Oh great, now I have another designer to research. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on this haha.

Do any models between 27 and 31' stand out so I can narrow my reading?

Robin Lee Graham sailed 3/4th the way around the worlds on a Lapworth 24.

Another guy sailed a Lapworth Gladiator 24 Round Cape Horn

A Lapworth 24 Gladiator Page

[CarlF]

In buying an old used boat I'd say that the quality of the builder and quality of PO maintenance is more important than the designer.

Your steering example is a good one. It is the builder who makes a strong steering system not the designer. The robustness of the fiberglass layup. The quality of the metal castings and internal frame. This is true of both spade and skeg hung rudders.

I don't believe Alberg ever built a boat in his life. I owned an Alberg designed SeaSprite built by CE Ryder and enjoyed her immensely even though the builder had done a terrible job with the hull to deck joint. Water just poured in on starboard tack.

For quality construction in your size and price range Bristol, Pearson, Sabre, Morgan, Tartan and Cape Dory are all worth a look. Remember also that any used boat will need $10,000+ of work and upgrades before it's ready to cruise instead of just daysail - so watch your budget.

Here is an excellent discussion with a long list of boats at the end. This is for offshore - I'm not sure if you're thinking offshore or coastal. There are many perfectly fine boats that really aren't meant to go offshore: https://www.mahina.com/cruise.html

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I unloaded it, and painted the bottom then started sailing it.

Then the ancient diesel failed so I replaced it with a new 5 hp 4 stroke 25" extra long shaft outboard and it has gone from there.

Every few years when I repaint the bottom, I make other improvements,

I have basically painted the entire boat inside and out over the past 9 years a bit at a time, added solar, replaced the autopilot, dodger, mainsail, mainsail cover, tiller, and have added a Raspberry Pi 4 computer for a chart plotter plus replaced the dirty old curtains with shades and replaced the cabin lamps with LED

Picture shows how it was when I found it.

You seem to have done what I'm more or less planning, which is instead of spending two years on the hard refitting whatever I end up with, I'm hoping to tackle them along my boatventure. I have no idea if that's a reasonable plan, but you have given me hope.

I think I ran across a post of yours in another thread talking about your Raspberry Pi plotter. I'm going to look into that.

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by CarlF

In buying an old used boat I'd say that the quality of the build and quality of PO maintenance is more important than the designer.

Your steering example is a good one. It is the builder who makes a strong steering system not the designer. The robustness of the fiberglass layup. The quality of the metal castings and internal frame. This is true of both spade and skeg hung.

I don't believe Alberg ever built a boat in his life. I owned an Alberg designed SeaSprite built by CE Ryder and enjoyed her immensely even though the builder had done a terrible job with the hull to deck joint. Water just poured in on starboard tack.

For quality construction in your size and price range Bristol, Pearson, Sabre, Morgan, Tartan and Cape Dory are all worth a look. Remember also that any used boat will need $10,000+ of work and upgrades before it's ready to cruise instead of just daysail - so watch your budget.

Here is an excellent discussion with a long list of boats at the end. This is for offshore - I'm not sure if you're thinking offshore or coastal. There are many perfectly fine boats that really aren't meant to go offshore: https://www.mahina.com/cruise.html

I'll be offshore, hopefully by summer. Haha, I am probably in for disappointing summer.

That is very good info to have because yes, I was assuming the builder built to the designer's specs. I'll check out that discussion. Thank you

[CarlF]

A boatbuilder typically buys a set of plans from a designer and pays a small royalty on each boat built. The designer rarely has much control or even input over what gets built. And builders frequently change the plans without telling the designer.

A poor builder will produce a boat with voids and weaknesses in the laminate. Gelcoat that allows blistering. Leaks in the deck that allows rotting of the deck core. Cheap quality metal that corrodes or breaks. Even something as minor as mounting the fuel thank in a way that it doesn't corrode is up to the builder.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Lance Monotone

You seem to have done what I'm more or less planning, which is instead of spending two years on the hard refitting whatever I end up with, I'm hoping to tackle them along my boatventure. I have no idea if that's a reasonable plan, but you have given me hope.

I think I ran across a post of yours in another thread talking about your Raspberry Pi plotter. I'm going to look into that.

Just know that these boats are of an older design and will not impress with their speed or pointing ability but are very seaworthy.

The Alberg 30 to me is a beautiful boat.

A friend of mine had one and we used to race each other on a 12 mile triangular coarse. The boats are about the same speed, (Alberg 30 PHRF 228, Bristol 27 PHRF 240) but I usually won because I had 15 years beach cat racing experience and newer sails (a new main) and my friend had zero racing experience.

As far as the Raspberry Pi, I got the idea here on CF. You download OpenCPN to it then you can display it on the monitor of your choice. Mine is to a 19" HDTV. You also need a GPS USB puck. I also have AIS feeding into the RPI from a Standard Horizon GX2200 (plus backup GPS info) and being displayed. It (the RPI) has a Linux OS though which is a bit harder to use than Windows.

I practiced with my Windows 10 laptop before I bought the RPI which cost anywhere from $35 - $99. I downloaded OpenCPN to it, connected the GPS USB puck, and had a chart plotter at my apartment which actually displayed my boat on the chart because my apartment is less than a mile from the Bay.

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by CarlF

A boatbuilder typically buys a set of plans from a designer and pays a small royalty on each boat built. The designer rarely has much control or even input over what gets built. And builders frequently change the plans without telling the designer.

A poor builder will produce a boat with voids and weaknesses in the laminate. Gelcoat that allows blistering. Leaks in the deck that allows rotting of the deck core. Cheap quality metal that corrodes or breaks. Even something as minor as mounting the fuel thank in a way that it doesn't corrode is up to the builder.

Ah, well that makes my original question even more relevant, namely whether there are Alberg designs that weren't built very well.

Not that I'm stuck on an Alberg design for my boat, mind you. I've just been seeing a lot of them out there and they generally seem to be well-regarded. I'm keeping my options open.

[Lance Monotone]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Just know that these boats are of an older design and will not impress with their speed or pointing ability but are very seaworthy.

This is spot on why I'm looking for one. I'm in no hurry to get where I'm going but I'd like to be alive when I get there. Also as a new sailor, I'm going to need a forgiving boat, which these seem to be.

Originally Posted by thomm225

As far as the Raspberry Pi, I got the idea here on CF. You download OpenCPN to it then you can display it on the monitor of your choice. Mine is to a 19" HDTV. You also need a GPS USB puck. I also have AIS feeding into the RPI from a Standard Horizon GX2200 (plus backup GPS info) and being displayed. It (the RPI) has a Linux OS though which is a bit harder to use than Windows.

I practiced with my Windows 10 laptop before I bought the RPI which cost anywhere from $35 - $99. I downloaded OpenCPN to it, connected the GPS USB puck, and had a chart plotter at my apartment which actually displayed my boat on the chart because my apartment is less than a mile from the Bay.

Seems like a great way to save a bunch of cash. Thanks for the tip!