Albin Vega

[unbusted67]

Does anyone on this sight liveaboard or know someone who has lived aboard and Albin Vega? From the few things I have read online about them they seem like good boats. I am curious about their ability to be lived aboard and also if the rep they have aquired as the-little-boat-that-could-(sail-offshore) is for real or just marketing hype. It seems like, with all consumer products, but especially sailboats, that certain stigma are attached to the name that may not actually describe the attributes of that product. Is this true for the AV or are they generally good boats?

[svHyLyte]

It seems to me that John Neal of Mahina Tiara fame started out with a cruise to Tahiti in an Albin Vega in the mid-1970's. I ran into him at at Chandlery in SF before he set out and he mentioned where he was going. (I though he was nuts!). The next time I saw him was in a check-out line at West Marine in Long Beach, Ca in 1986 or so, together with a young woman by the name of Barbara Meritt. I asked him how his first trip was and he said "Slow and lonely!"

N'any case, you might be able to correspomd with him through his website at Mahina Expeditions conducts sailing and navigation training and expeditions in the South Pacific and offers offshore sailing seminars .

Good Luck!

svHyLyte

[hellosailor]

They are strong, well-respected boats with avid fans who have taken them all over the world and done everything with them. Nevertheless, 27' is a small place to live aboard!<G>

And, they are getting old. Old Volvo engines can be expensive and tempermental, the original ones had a unique starter/alternator that was one piece. If that fails, you may find yourself needing a replacement for the entire engine, apparently there's no substitute if you can't procure and rebuild another one.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Does anyone on this sight liveaboard or know someone who has lived aboard and Albin Vega?

Not personally, but I recall that folk with Vega's have cropped up now and again over on:-

Yachting and Boating World: Viewing list of forums

[Brent Swain]

Neales book "Log of the Mahina" is a must read for anyone planning on cruising a Vega. They are a great sea boat , tough and well designed. Neale talks about having to sail with a reef in the main most of the time, in order to take the weather helm out of her. This can be easily resolved by putting the rudder where belongs, outboard , over the transom, on a strong skeg, instead of too close to midships. The rake of the transom is perfect for this, and it will enable you to drastically simplify and strengthen the self steering arrangement ,as well as go for trimtab steering ,operated by an autohelm, using the smallest one available , below decks.This will reduce your autohelm power consumption to milliamps.
The skeg, if made of metal , can be used for a keel cooler. Get rid of the Volvo.
I once saw a bumper sticker which said "Any parts found falling off my Volvo are of the finest Swedish craftsmanship."It said it all about Volvos.
Brent

[unbusted67]

Thanks Louis,
It seems like every Albin Vega on Yacht World's previous owner already had that realization about volvos. Of the 9 or so that came up only one still had a volvo in it.

As for the rudder issue doesn't that seem to kind of defeat the point of the boat. I mean if it was such a well designed boat would you need to do move the rudder? It seems like with all the work involved in skeg mounting the rudder it would just make more sense to buy a boat that balances better? I have not owned a large boat before so correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't moving the rudder like that take a lot of work and planning?

[GordMay]

A Cruising Yacht Review
Albin Vega: Modest but Tough ~ by John Vigor (in Good old Boat magazine)
Albin Vega Cruising Yacht Review

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

As for the rudder issue doesn't that seem to kind of defeat the point of the boat. I mean if it was such a well designed boat would you need to do move the rudder? It seems like with all the work involved in skeg mounting the rudder it would just make more sense to buy a boat that balances better? I have not owned a large boat before so correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't moving the rudder like that take a lot of work and planning?

Yo 67,

I would not become overly concerned with this boat's rudder. There is no sound reason to alter the steering system unless you enjoy these projects. And the addition of an independent self-steerer is straightforward if you decide it necessary.

I know of a young couple who quite happily lived (?) aboard one of these little boats for many many years while they built a larger boat for themselves. They found it was all they needed.

best, andy

[Kenneth Magee]

I live on one. It's tight, but doable. I sail though it's my passion, so I am not bogged down with a lot of other things like excessive belongings. I have managed to equip the thing pretty well and will leave for a couple year cruise if I ever get back stateside from Afghanistan/Iraq. A caveat to all of this, when the boats were built Per Brohal, the designer, had the boat ran into rocks at full hull speed, with little more than minor fiberglass repairs needed. And mine was one of 12 boats out of 425 in my marina that survived hurricane IKE in 2008. Was in Galveston area, and she didn't get hurt at all. So you tell me if she's tough enough to go out on the water. I say HELL YES!

[SVDistantStar]

Ive known a few people that lived aboard Albin Vegas. The first was a guy in his early 50's that lived aboard one with his dog. They seemed to get along great on it. His boat had some weird gas motor in it that damn near looked like a V-twin harley motor. He also had an outboard on the back.

There was a young couple living on one here in Charleston awile back. They had spent a few years rebuilding the boat to what they wanted. Nothing was left unchanged. I think they lived aboard for about 2 years and then split and sold the boat.

[Curmudgeon]

I knew a couple that lived for 18 months in a 9' diameter yurt in Vermont. They split up as well. I'm a little suprised, since the yurt had much more space than the cabin of an Albin Vega.

[smj]

There is one for sale in Galveston unscathed by hurricane Ike for $3,500.00 or best offer. Comes with a walker bay with sail kit. Needs cosmetic work but great deal!

[mangomuffins]

Unbusted,

Vega... GREAT little boats. But then I may be a bit prejudiced

Here is a link for the Beta replacement engine. Apparently the "kit" is quite complete.

http://www.albinvega.co.uk/beta.html


Not cheap but looks like the way to go if you need a new one.
I have an old mariner 8hp on a transom mount but for long range cruising an inboard would be VERY desirable. And...
yes, they are getting a bit long in the tooth, there are still perfectly sound Vegas to be had.

cheers,

mm

[mangomuffins]

oh yea, I think the price (when I checked about a year ago) for the kit was something like 6G (plus shipping of course).

mm

[Curmudgeon]

Yes they are sweet sailing boats and by all accounts very seaworthy, but anyone who chooses a Vega as a full-time live-aboard is either a midget or a masochist.