Niagara 35 or Alberg 37?

[gerson]

Looking on the boats I think that, understanding why MAHINA EXPEDITION is sailing a modern HR 46k, a modern boat will be an easier way to begin the style, and although the introdutory price may be higher the maintenance during sail much lower,

[jack2]

We are selling our Ohlson 38. It is Bluewater proven as we have done an extensive Atlantic circle with it and done the maintenance following the trips to have it ready to do again.
Here is the link for the sale, I am happy to answer any question you might have.

https://yachtingsolutions.com/boat/1...op-cutter/1351

[Piratenorm]

Have a look at this Corbin.

https://www.georgianharbouryachtsale...s/corbin-39-1/

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by Piratenorm

Have a look at this Corbin.

https://www.georgianharbouryachtsale...s/corbin-39-1/

Thank you! It's unfortunate that this broker did not even post any photos of the interior! I just wrote them to see if I could see more photos.

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by jack2

We are selling our Ohlson 38. It is Bluewater proven as we have done an extensive Atlantic circle with it and done the maintenance following the trips to have it ready to do again.
Here is the link for the sale, I am happy to answer any question you might have.

https://yachtingsolutions.com/boat/1...op-cutter/1351

Thank you. Your boat is definitely beautiful! However, with the covid with limit ourselves to the Canadian market. It's just too complicated to cross the border and buy a boat in the US for now.

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by DNS1324

Thank you! It's unfortunate that this broker did not even post any photos of the interior! I just wrote them to see if I could see more photos.

I get the impression that this is a boat that was well set-up originally but not much money has been spent on it in recent years, e.g. they mention that one sail is only 20 years old. No mention of engine hours which may or may not be an issue. engine seems a bit on the small side for the displacement.

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by gerson

Looking on the boats I think that, understanding why MAHINA EXPEDITION is sailing a modern HR 46k, a modern boat will be an easier way to begin the style, and although the introdutory price may be higher the maintenance during sail much lower,

It's a good point. It could sometime be tempting to buy a cheap boat but, at the end of the day, that may end up to be more costly in refits and also, not to forget, in time spent working on the boat for a year or two rather than sailing right away! That's our challenge: to try to find a very decent boat under 80$ USD in good enough condition such that we could start sailing right away this summer with bigger adventure ambitions within the next 5 years.

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by captqrunch

Here is a performance comparison of the two boats, from Tom Dove's website. Two measures, Comfort Ratio and Capsize rating, may be revealing. ...

Excellent! Thank you for these stats. We're learning a lot from the repsonse we get on this thread for you all.

Originally Posted by captqrunch

Enjoy your search, and hire a good surveyor

Thank you! We had a boat inspected last summer by a really good surveyor. We ended up not buying it because of the survey results and decided to take our time and postponed our search to this spring.

[nofacey]

Niagara over Alberg (comfort, maneuverability, light air speed), Corbin over both

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by DNS1324

We're a couple looking for acquiring a decent "blue water" sailboat on a budget. We currently have two opportunities:
1) A Niagara 35 (1983)
2) An Alberg 37 (1975)

Both seems to be in very good shape and the asking prices are very similar. Both are considered to have blue water capabilities according to this site: Mahina Expeditions - Selecting A Boat for Offshore Cruising

The Niagara, although shorter, is more roomy and probably more confortable to live aboard over a long period of time. It doesn't have a full keel and has a spade rudder. The Alberg is narrower, has a full keel and is slower but has proven blue water capabilities.

Let's say you were to travel the world, cross oceans and live aboard for a few years on one of these two boats. Which one would you choose and why?

Thank you for any advice and opinions!

The Alberg is not slower in my experience. We own a 1970 Alberg 37 MkI. We raced her for several years and found her quite fast, defeating many larger fin keelers. We have a lot of flags to show for it, many of them yellows.

Niagara is cored hull and deck. Alberg cored deck, solid hull on the MKI (the MKII has a small and unnecessary core where the cradle pads would contact). Completely unnecessary as an Alberg is cradled on its keel and should have no pressure on the pads other than for keeping it from toppling. Pads should be hand tight and slightly moveable, so that's how little pad pressure there should be. Have owned an A-37 since 1992.

Capsize screening formula shows the Alberg significantly better.

Keel hung rudder on the Alberg is pretty close to indestructible unless you back it into rocks - so just don't do that.

Try to find one with a Westerbeke 4-107, or Perkins 4-107/108, simply great engines.

For offshore, Alberg over the Niagara without question.

You'll appreciate that somewhat narrower beam when below in heavy weather not getting flung about the cabin. Boat balances better with its more balanced ends, the boat is steerable at extreme heel in a heavy gust without ventilating the rudder and rounding up out of control.

The other advantage of the Alberg's balanced ends as she's fairly easy to set up to sail without touching the helm. In addition, if you heel her 15 degrees or so that 26' waterline draws out to 31' and she moves beautifully.

Best of luck in your search.

Cheers,

JB

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

The Alberg is not slower in my experience.... JB

Good to hear good things from someone who owns an Alberg 37. Thank you for your feedbacks. This is really appreciated. The one we're considering as a balsa core hull according to the survey the owner gave us. So I'm assuming it's a MKII. We hadn't realized there were two different models with different hull construction. Thanks for the info. The engine is a Yanmar from 2006.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by DNS1324

Good to hear good things from someone who owns an Alberg 37. Thank you for your feedbacks. This is really appreciated. The one we're considering as a balsa core hull according to the survey the owner gave us. So I'm assuming it's a MKII. We hadn't realized there were two different models with different hull construction. Thanks for the info. The engine is a Yanmar from 2006.

As I said, on the MKII the cored area is actually fairly small in the hull where the cradle pads would be, and not the whole hull.
A recent repowering with a quality Yanmar is a plus.
Also, check out the Alberg 37 Sailboats page on FB, lots of knowledgeable owners. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627377127519118
You may have to request to join to post, but that is to make sure no one 'murdered thy last captain at sea' Ismael
Cheers,
JB

[DNS1324]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

As I said, on the MKII the cored area is actually fairly small in the hull where the cradle pads would be, and not the whole hull.

Ok, understood. Good to know. That subtlety is not indicated in the survey. It only tells that the hull is a balsa cored. And thanks for the Facebook A-37 group.

[MistyCat]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

The Niagara 35 is an excellent boat built by a great builder.

The Niagara 35 is a very good blue water boat for its size. The Classic layout (Companionway cabin for wet locker, sea berths and nav station, double entry to dry salon via head and galley, work space in forward cabin) is extremely liveable at sea. Lots of light and ventilation throughout. 6’3” headroom. We made up a large king size berth in the salon for use at anchor or dock, easy conversion. Your cost Est for fitting to go cruising is realistic based on my experience. Standing rigging! Big issue. I refit mine starting 2015, all new systems except motor. Some recoring. Now mostly done, sailing for past 3 years in Nova Scotia. Very happy with this boat. It has an incredible confident stability that I have not experienced in any other ‘fast’ cruising sailboat.

[Jim Cate]

As I said, on the MKII the cored area is actually fairly small in the hull where the cradle pads would be, and not the whole hull.

Are you sure about the location? Seems counter intuitive to me, putting the coring where the pads would be pushing on the outer skin. If one was gonna do partial coring, I'd have thought having solid laminate at t he pad location would be the choice.

How large are the areas that you believe to be cored? Just pad size or much larger?

It's a curious idea, one I've not encountered before!

Jim