# Any Albin Nimbus 42 owners out there



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I hear jakmedic owns a 42 and am trying to get his email so I can correspond. Are there any other Nimbus owners in this community?


----------



## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

*looking for jakmedic*

Sorry, I've been out of the loop for a while and haven't checked the site. Would be happy to help if I can. Try me again...


----------



## pippin (Mar 6, 2010)

Hello I have a albin nimbus 42 and would love to talk to anyone with one, haven't seen any on the water yet.
thanks


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

pippin said:


> Hello I have a albin nimbus 42 and would love to talk to anyone with one, haven't seen any on the water yet.
> thanks


Sweet boat. Very sweet. Sink's in a strange place, tho. And don't fall down the stairs!


----------



## pippin (Mar 6, 2010)

I love the boats layout. we are a live aboard family of three.
From the water you wouldnt think there is a aft cabin
just reinstalled engine (perkins 4108).
gave the engine room some well needed loving.

I emailed the fellow who designed them and he said they where drawn as cutters.
wondering if any are still rigged this way.

going to put a cutter stay in soon.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

I don't think many of them ever made it to the US. Albin never was a major vendor here and the Nimbus was a top-dollar boat. I met one and was trying to figure out how to take it home when I noticed someone had cut out sections of the fiberglass ribs amidship, apparently to help the bilge drain better. Cut out, like with a chain saw.

I said, I don't think so. Anything can be repaired...but I don't need structural repairs and questions like "What kind of bozo cuts apart the ribs on a boat?!" Still, if one followed me home....<G>....Nice boat!


----------



## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

When we purchased our Oday we were slipped next to a Albin Nimbus 42 and our neighbors gave us a tour. I thought it was a very, very stout boat and probably sailed like a dream. I don't remember what the draft of the boat was, but remember they were having issues in the marina. They had been kicked out of the slip they'd been in for some time while someone had their boat out for an extensive refit. They were grounded at low tide while they were in the slip next to us, and I seem to remember the depth being around
6' at low tide in that slip.


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

midlifesailor said:


> When we purchased our Oday we were slipped next to a Albin Nimbus 42 and our neighbors gave us a tour. I thought it was a very, very stout boat and probably sailed like a dream. I don't remember what the draft of the boat was, but remember they were having issues in the marina. They had been kicked out of the slip they'd been in for some time while someone had their boat out for an extensive refit. They were grounded at low tide while they were in the slip next to us, and I seem to remember the depth being around
> 6' at low tide in that slip.


They draw 5'10" normally. Bit deep for parts of the East Coast or Caribbean. Not fast enough off the wind for West Coast passagemakers. *shrug* Albin *always* designed its boats for the Baltic & North Seas -- point high, sail dry, survive full-speed collisions with granite rocks. Interior volume, headroom, ventilation, lighting, and BBQs got sacrificed, which is mebbe the reason only the Vega ever got much traction in the US ... and then only because Vegas are cheap and plentiful.

The Nimbus' companionway entry is said to be high on the cabin top, which is why the ladder is so steep. I see the teak decks are screwed down -- anyone heard of leaks with these boats? Still bemused, given the Nimbus has a long, lovely peninsula to the centerline, galley sink isn't THERE and the icebox in the corner. Does the outboard sink drain okay when heeled?

NIMBUS 42 (ALBIN) Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com


----------



## bcarli (Aug 4, 2002)

Hi
We are looking at a Albin Nimbus 42 for sale. Would love to hear other owners feedback. One question I have is the prices on these boats seem cheap, is there a reason why? Would love to get private messages back.
thanks
bill and chris
[email protected]


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

bill-
As Bob said, they were designed for rough cold waters. Compared to the typical US boat, the ventilation is poor, making them less desirable for island cruising. Of course that makes for a snug dry boat in cold waters, it is a tradeoff.
And there were never many imported into US waters. I fell in love with one in the 80's only to find the owner had taken a chain saw to one of the main ribs instead of adding a weep hole through it. Didn't even want to ask, passed.
Then there's the flush-deck design, also not popular in the US. But it allows for the main to come down to the deck, more lower sail area, if you aren't using a spray hood over the hatch.
Their reputation is as solid boats--but the design is defintely more "north seas" than typical US market. AFAIK the rep is for a solid boat, well designed and well built and if the price is right, and you're either not looking at hot humid climes, or planning to add AC...


----------



## svGemini (Jul 19, 2002)

Hi, Les and Diane here of San Francisco. We traveled 35,000 miles over 11 years in the warm climates of Mexico, Central and South America We were pleasantly surprised by the comfort the boat provided. During that time we shared many anchorages with all kinds of different boat. The climate below decks on our Albin 42 was no worse than those with many open port light on their cabins. During the last 4 years we added two opening ports lights aft of the stationary portlight that were provided. One in the galley and one in the aft head. Improved life while cooking and ....
All for now
Les


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Bill, did you take one home yet?

Les, are the teak decks a leak problem? Are they cored (with?) or solid FRP under all that teak?


----------



## svGemini (Jul 19, 2002)

*Teak Decks*

The teak decks were fine in the cold climate of San Francisco, one year in Mexico did them in. We removed almost all the decks and only keep the area under the windlass just forward of the staysail. We replaced with Imron LPU with Awlgrip poly beads. Decks are now 9 years old and look great. One bennifit that we noticed was our ambient temperature inside the boat was 7 to 8 degrees cooler with the white LPU decks. The teaks decks absorbed more heat. We spent 2 summers in the Sea of Cortez, one with and one without. White is a much cooler color. Decks are cored with foam and we needed to fair the deck once we removed the teak. 
Les


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

Old thread... but another Nimbus 42 owner checking in. 1982, hull #16 of 26.
I've had her for about 15yr, purchased in Tampa, currently berthed in Corpus Christi.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

Old thread, but I wanted to add that I am a proud new owner of an 87' 42' nimbus located temporarily in Charleston SC. I love her already and have yet to see water =)


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

FWIW, the writer and sailor (or vice versa) John Kretschmer owns, or at least owned, one and he has as many offshore miles in different boats as just about anyone.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

talonawd91 said:


> Old thread, but I wanted to add that I am a proud new owner of an 87' 42' nimbus located temporarily in Charleston SC. I love her already and have yet to see water =)


Congrats! Pictures, please! I'm interested to see what a nice one looks like... Mine's a little run down these days...

Anybody looking for a project boat?


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

> Congrats! Pictures, please! I'm interested to see what a nice one looks like... Mine's a little run down these days...


Thanks! I am not sure mine fits in to the "nice" category =) hull in nice, deck NEEDS work as half the teak was removed and mid project. Down below, coming from a 1970 irwin, she is like new to me, but I am more about sailing than perfection. PM me and we can trade Albin pics =)


----------



## snider (Jun 26, 2006)

talonawd91 said:


> Thanks! I am not sure mine fits in to the "nice" category =) hull in nice, deck NEEDS work as half the teak was removed and mid project. Down below, coming from a 1970 irwin, she is like new to me, but I am more about sailing than perfection. PM me and we can trade Albin pics =)


Your boat was anchored out off Charleston for awhile. I met the guy who lived aboard with his family of four and went aboard a few times. I also had a boat ached out for awhile before moving into the marina. I was amazed at how much room was aboard and while I never sailed the boat I liked the rig. What are your plans? I think you got a pretty good deal, I followed the listing for awhile. Seemed like a good price


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

snider said:


> Your boat was anchored out off Charleston for awhile. I met the guy who lived aboard with his family of four and went aboard a few times. I also had a boat ached out for awhile before moving into the marina. I was amazed at how much room was aboard and while I never sailed the boat I liked the rig. What are your plans? I think you got a pretty good deal, I followed the listing for awhile. Seemed like a good price


That's the boat! It's been a huge undertaking, but she is in Racine, WI now. Myself and my two BFF's sailed her from Charleston to Racine, 2100 miles in 19days. Did the ocean route on the outside, and overall it was very uneventful. I love her even more now that I have had the sea time.


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

What route did you take back on to the lakes? Must have put the spurs to the old gal to get her home so quick. Any plans to do Queen's cup or the like here on the lake. Have a friend that would love to see the boat. We are here in Chicago. By the by whats the boat name?


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

Sorry for a long after reply, really have to check my mail settings becauseI never get the notice that the thread updated. Anyhoo. 
We went outside the whole way from Charleston to NYC and dropped the mast in the Catskils. Erie for 6 or so days and then Erie, Huron, Michigan home. 

It really did not feel like we were hauling, but other than the canal we did 24/7 shifts with two people from lock 7 on. 

I would love to show her off anytime just PM me. She was "fazzy" but now "Stockholm Syndrome"


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

Love the name. Can"t pm you have not posted enough yet but let me work on that and I'll fill you in. What yard are you staying at? Didn't think you could run at night on canal. If you ever head south via river system contact me as I've done that 6 times( Love that trip ) even though I'm a sailor.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

Thanks!
I have the same limit on PMs =) Yeah you can't it was like 6am-10pm so other than those 6 days we were 24/7.
I'm at Pughs marina. I would love to go south that way but my draft limits that dream. I am looking forward to the St. Lawrence on our way out though.


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

well lets see if there's an angle to all this. 6' of draft works on river, I've taken a 43' pilothouse down with just over six. limits your chioces some but not to bad. just leave late sept, not mid oct. as will be at a "winter pool" stage down south. I'm at jacksboatworks (note spelling, lack of grammer) thats a kind of ya hoo kind of thing if you catch my drift. I'm guessing your boat tracks well. Big question is what do you think of her in the light stuff? This is coming from a racer mind you.


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

Are there any other nimbus owners still folowing the thread? looking for some thoughts about the sailing ability and overall construction. thanks for any help.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

Something to think about, I guess I always figured the rivers were off limits. 
So the boat. I think it tracks well. Mine could use a main refresh, but I felt she moved pretty well in a lite blow. I had a 38 irwin that was super light and under built that moved in a bug fart. The albin is not that, but she is VERY sturdy and really leaves me feeling safe and sure without being tub. The stringers and other smart design items really make it much stronger per pound than may boats. The surveyor said that the furniture could all be removed and the boat would still be as strong. I really feel, for the money they seem to go for, they are one of the best deals around for quality, performance, and space.


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

Was hoping to get in contact direct, and come up and see boat soon (week or two). As for river channel depth is 13', dockside at most marinas with diesel is 6 something hence the need to plan days careful. sometimes wind up stopping at 3pm. night travel really bad idea but at some point you wind up out for a couple of hours witch is really trying on the nerves! look my previous post about ya hoo, thanks


----------



## watchcap (Nov 11, 2012)

Looking to see what anybody knows aboat the foam cored decks in the nimbus. Those of you who tore off teak decks w ould probably have the best insite to this question.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

My understanding is that it is not "foam" but a curly plastic material more like a coarse version of a Scotchbrite pad. It is not a foam rubber or anything like that, and should not degrade when wet, as the water will simply run through it. I haven't been into one to see what it actually is, but heard it repeatedly in reviews, etc.


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

hellosailor said:


> My understanding is that it is not "foam" but a curly plastic material more like a coarse version of a Scotchbrite pad. It is not a foam rubber or anything like that, and should not degrade when wet, as the water will simply run through it. I haven't been into one to see what it actually is, but heard it repeatedly in reviews, etc.


Sounds like those "breather" pads for under berth cushions.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Yes, and they are all properly known as "geotextiles". Invented IIRC by Phillips Petroleum one of the other Seven Sisters as a road underlayment material. In the early 60's there were plans to build the big PanAmerican Highway by having huge six-lane wide machines cut and level the forest, lay underlayment for road drainage, pave it over, and leave six lanes of highway behind the machine as it ran from the north down to Tierra Del Fuego.

My, haven't we lowered our expectations.

This is all the same road underlayment, still used as a geotextile material for drainage in landscaping. The stuff under bunks is just a very expensive slice from the same big roll at the gardening supplier.

The stuff that 3M made popular for scrubbing pads, supposedly comes from 3M's great culture. Someone left a piece in the group kitchen, someone else started using it as a pot scrubbing pad, voila, millions to be made by encouraging different departments to eat and play together.


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

hellosailor said:


> Yes, and they are all properly known as "geotextiles". Invented IIRC by Phillips Petroleum one of the other Seven Sisters as a road underlayment material. In the early 60's there were plans to build the big PanAmerican Highway by having huge six-lane wide machines cut and level the forest, lay underlayment for road drainage, pave it over, and leave six lanes of highway behind the machine as it ran from the north down to Tierra Del Fuego.
> 
> My, haven't we lowered our expectations.
> 
> ...


That IS part of 3M's culture - thinking outside the box. The Post-It note is a great example - a "failed" adhesive that became a ubiquitous product.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

From what I have seen of the foam in our boat, it was not quite 3m scrub pad, but more like the green foam block used in flower center pieces. It sure does let water run though. 
Watchcap, Feel free to drop me a line at talonawd1991 at yahoo dot com.


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

talonawd91 said:


> From what I have seen of the foam in our boat, it was not quite 3m scrub pad, but more like the green foam block used in flower center pieces. It sure does let water run though.
> Watchcap, Feel free to drop me a line at talonawd1991 at yahoo dot com.


Yeah, that's it. Here's a couple core samples taken today from our 1972 Albin Ballad:



The one on the right is from just in front of the seahood. It is dry and well-adhered to the skins. The one on the left is from near the port side chainplates, which have probably been leaking for twenty years. The foam is damp to the fingers when squuezed, and it isn't particularly well-stuck to the skins.

But the side decks don't flex, and as long as the foam keeps the skins apart from each other, the essential strength of the core-box design remains. The decks do not flex when you walk on them. And the wet foam has not turned to slurry as balsa often does. It is still quite rigid. I suspect Albin made the outer skin so stout, the core and inner liner are almost optional.


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

bobmcgov said:


> Yeah, that's it. Here's a couple core samples taken today from our 1972 Albin Ballad:


Looks like CoreCell foam. I've used it in the past. Expensive but good stuff - very rigid and difficult to compress, even with very localized pressure on the bare foam. Except for the cost, I would use it in a heartbeat over balsa.


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

Very like CoreCell -- probably a direct ancestor. Slightly different texture (I recored our SJ21 with CoreCell, and like you, I think it better than balsa.) It's definitely a closed cell urethane of some kind. On the Ballad, the core is a full 1" thick. Which seems like total overkill, but I'm okay with that.

This boat lived in the Great Lakes for probably most of its life. Despite many freeze-thaw cycles, the wet foam has generally not caused any deck problems. I'll still recore where appropriate, but I'm not going to sweat every last square inch of wet decks. Three years in Wyoming and five more in the Sonoran Desert ought to dessicate things nicely.


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

Final note on Albin deck cores. I've since learned the core material is Divinycell, a high-density PVC foam. Still made and available in Europe and North America. The plug I removed was 1.77 cubic inches of foam. The foam weighed 14g wet (30+% MC)at removal; in less than five days in a warm house, it has stabilized at 4g and 6-% MC. Upshot is, if you expose the core & keep the ambient RH low, your foam will go back to factory-dry in jig time. Despite undergoing many freeze-thaw cycles in the upper Midwest, the foam is structurally very sound & resistant to compression. So wet decks on Albin boats are less of a deal-killer than they might be on other marques. Cheers.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

Any of you guys owning a nimbus out there able to take a photo of the helm steering setup down below, and of the mechanisms that hold the engine hatch on? My helm had been removed but the sheaves, quadrant, and such are still there, but they look unoriginal. My engine hatch was glued down and missing what I assume was hatch locks. Any help would be very appreciated.


----------



## Albin42 (Jan 11, 2013)

Hi, another new nimbus owner here. Just bought Veela, formerly Sherry Dawn. Who knows something about this boat? It just got new decks, but needs TLC


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

talonawd91 said:


> Any of you guys owning a nimbus out there able to take a photo of the helm steering setup down below, and of the mechanisms that hold the engine hatch on? My helm had been removed but the sheaves, quadrant, and such are still there, but they look unoriginal. My engine hatch was glued down and missing what I assume was hatch locks. Any help would be very appreciated.


Bueller Bueller Bueller...anyone =)


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

talonawd91 said:


> Any of you guys owning a nimbus out there able to take a photo of the helm steering setup down below, and of the mechanisms that hold the engine hatch on? My helm had been removed but the sheaves, quadrant, and such are still there, but they look unoriginal. My engine hatch was glued down and missing what I assume was hatch locks. Any help would be very appreciated.


Sorry, I don't have pictures, but I can describe the setup of both. 
The steering pedestal setup was from Yacht Specialties (no longer available), not Edson and had a sheave box bolted onto the bottom of the cockpit sole. I think it may have been some non-standard sheave box and/or farther forward than it should have been, can't recall for sure. Quadrant travel was limited by some big fiberglass bosses tabbed into the hull on each side of the quadrant. 
And the rudder... If you want to lay awake at night and worry, ask me about the inside of my rudder...
I changed up my steering years ago when I installed autopilot. I think I reused the original sheave box and relocated it a few inches aft or maybe turned it around to take advantage of the built in stop, or I may have got a different one. Anyway, it now has a pin extending down from the sheave box casting down into the quadrant to limit its travel and I removed the fiberglass stops from the hull.

It also had criss-crossing cockpit drains fiberglassed up under the deck that were just stupid and caused standing water in the cockpit when healed. Now that mess is all removed and I just ran the cockpit drains through a Tee and down to their respective through-hulls.

The engine cover is also a really bad design. It's got a very shallow lip as you can probably still see, and doesn't channel water forward to the drain. On my boat, the aft end of that channel (opposite the drain) sits lower than the forward end (where the drains are) even when the bow tank is empty. And it can't drain to the rear because the area where the pedestal sits in about 1-1/2" higher than the lip. So the water and any sediments accumulate in that aft end of the drainage channel.
The hatch had neoprene foam as a seal, but it was not effective. Rainwater would always make it through the seal onto the motor because there is really no way to clamp it down; it just uses a bronze hatch lift fore and aft (like ABI #AA51027B TURNING LOCK HATCH LIFT HANDLES ). And it would take a huge force to effectively clamp a sealing area that large anyway.
I think gluing it shut is the only way to solve the leaking without major fabrication. 
Building the lip up a bit higher with a knife-edge could form an effective seal without requiring monstrous clamping forces. I figured I'd screw/5200 a square hoop of 1/8" AL or stainless inside the aperture and bring the lip up another 1-1/2" or so to form a much deeper channel and bring the hatch cover up to the same level as the adjacent fiberglass under the pedestal (do away with the teak sole insert). Then ideally build a new hatch cover too.
I've still got my hatch, but there's apiece of plywood and caulk under the teak cockpit floor right now.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

I've got several working drawings of the Nimbus I got from Mike Kaufmann about 15 yr ago. If anybody is interested I could look into duplicating them, but they're blueprints and may not reproduce that well.
I called him to ask what the rudder bearings and structure were supposed to look like, then faxed him my own drawings of how the boat was actually constructed. They differed substantially in some cases... 
He was very nice, and sent me blueprints.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

wamcneil,

A description is the next best thing =) I thought I saw some sheaves mounted under the cockpit floor in the diagrams I've seen online. I have no such thing, instead there are large stainless stands port and starboard. I am not in love with this setup, mostly because it seems to not be perfectly aligned. 

How many degrees do you think you get of travel? I feel as though mine was setup to allow for the Autopilot but not well done. I have bought a new helm and I am planning to install it, and move the autopilot to it's own tiller arm off of the quadrant. The current autopilot and stops seem to limit my travel to 20-22 degrees each side of center. Makes the boat a bear to turn around in tight quarters. How is yours in terms of turning radius?

On the engine cover front, I'm at war with it. Here in the freezing zone, the ice heaves it up and I have to keep a real eye on it or else I take on too much water. Just installed a garboard drain as an insurance policy against the worst case water ingress. I am going to design a stainless cross beam hold down system for it that tightens from below and replace the aged seal around the border. If it goes well I will share the results gladly. 

If you could digitize those drawings you have, I would be very excited and eternally grateful. So they show measurements for the rudder and such? 

What work did you do/need on the rudder? Mine may need a lower bearing and I was wondering if you have done one or did you need the drawings for something else?


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

I may not be remembering the original steering sheave arrangement properly. Now you mention it, left and right sheaves on brackets sounds familiar. And I remember the cables coming in at an angle I did't like; sheaves too far forward maybe. It was a loooong time ago.
I think maybe I picked up a used yacht specialties or edson sheave box. As I recall, I've got more rudder articulation than with the original fiberglass bump-stops out beside the quad. Picture a ~1-1/4" dia pin hanging down inside quadrant to limit travel. It's about as much articulation as possible without interference problems on the rudder skeg and I'm real happy with the turning radius.
For the A/P, I looked at adding its own tiller, but maybe had trouble finding the right one, and maybe there's not enough keyway on the shaft for both? Anyway, couldn't come up with a good tiller solution, so I bolted an AL plate to the top of the quad and that freed me up to set my own A/P tiller length, so that rudder articulation is limited by steering stop (big pin), not the A/P. I'll be down by the boat tomorrow and maybe can take some pictures of it.

On the rudder, I had problems with the gland leaking, so in the course of messing with that (gotta remove quad and key first) I discovered that it has a really small bronze bearing inside. And my top bearing was a complete joke, only secured to the fiberglass with 4x #10 bronze screws. Yeah, it moved around a LOT underway. So I made some big delrin bearings; one just a 4" long sleeve and one with a big flange. Put the sleeve in the gland and repacked, and fiberglassed the flanged one in where the little top bearing used to be. And reinforced that upper well that the bearing sits in.
Inside the rudder was a much worse story. It was all full of water, so I took it apart and found that the beefy 3" stainless stock extends down into the rudder only about 6 inches!!!!!! uke
The design specifies 24" as I recall, but in mine, the rudder armature was just butted and welded up against the bottom of the stainless stock. It's probably a good thing that the upper bearing was wallowing around and letting the skeg take most of the load, or else the rudder probably would have fatigued itself in two and fallen off the boat. I've got some old pictures of that somewhere. I don't know if they were all like that, but mine was not build to spec (hull #16) and it was a shock to M Kaufmann.
Sure, I'll see what I can do about the drawings. Probably take a couple weeks to get around to it though.


----------



## jstoner1 (Dec 3, 2011)

Hi wamcniel, 
I walk past your boat every week, and would be interested in taking a look inside next time your down here, if it can be arranged. I just dont have enough posts to get contact info to you.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

hmmm... I wonder if mine are "stock" then. They just look kinda out of place. The sheaves are too far forward, so maybe it's the same deal. 

I have a full circle quadrant that would not require sheaves. I am thinking about changing over to it since fewer pulleys should be easier on the cables. But it's an aluminum part and it find it hard to trust it as much as I would the cast bronze one that is currently there. The keyway was probably the issue since from what i have seen on mine, it stands only 1/2" proud of the quadrant. Any pics would be great though I am sure it's not easy task getting in there.

I'm glad you mentioned the rudder issues since I will be in there this summer dealing with the other steering parts, now I will have some things to look out for. 

I'm fitting out to do some major travel and i'm addressing everything I can think of now, because it will be much harder later. On the docket are some titanium chainplates, which I should be able to make on the cheap with some ebay TI and a local machinist. I will share the measurements with you if you need/want them when I am done. 

Take your time with the drawings, but I sure would appreciate it.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

talonawd91 said:


> I have a full circle quadrant that would not require sheaves. I am thinking about changing over to it since fewer pulleys should be easier on the cables.


Is there room behind the post for a full circle?


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

I believe just. And I think I could invert it and use it that way. I have not torn anything down yet to concrete it in. But the eyeball test says it would work.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

OK, got a bunch of steering pictures uploading. Yours must be different, because there's no way mine has room for a full-round quad. There's a longitudinal 'bulkhead' for lack of a better word just aft of the rudderstock. This is what the backstay chainplate is bolted onto, so I'd be reluctant to cut it...
The pictures should give you a pretty good idea of my setup. Very dirty and neglected looking, but still...
Mine had some PVC pipes glassed to the underside of the cabin sole to direct scupper discharge (stupidly) to the opposite side through-hull. I had to remove these to make room for the relocated (and probably new) steering sheave box. It's a single cast assy with integrated steering stop. Can't remember if it's an edson P/N or if I souurced a used Yacht Specialties part.
You can see where the pipes were run just at the back of the cabin sole, so I guess this is why the original sheaves were positioned too far forward. I remember them not leading fair when the helm was all the way over, but I do not clearly remember the original sutup.
In a few of the pictures, you can see where the sheave box has a big pin to act as a rudderstop, and rectangular/polygonal outlines inside the hull where the original rudder stop bosses were tabbed in.
And you can see my solution to the A/P steering arm. This arrangement has been in place for almost 15 years and steered the boat through some of the roughest weather (tropical storm in the gulfstream) that I would ever ask a A/P to steer in.
I'll post an album link in a little while when the uploads are done.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

Here's a link to the album.
https://plus.google.com/photos/113516450614416983404/albums/5852983392405954417


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

talonawd91 said:


> wamcneil,
> 
> What work did you do/need on the rudder? Mine may need a lower bearing and I was wondering if you have done one or did you need the drawings for something else?


I needed the drawings to see what the rudder's steel inner structure was supposed to look like. The steel armature was pretty close to spec, but the 3" stock stopped 6" into the rudder instead of extending 24" down and tying into the armature's structure. I was also hoping for drawings of the upper bearing, but I'm not sure he had details of it.
On the lower bearing, it was pretty straightforward to make a new bearing. As I recall, there was only packing inside the gland, lots and lots of packing, but no bearing as such, which leaked a lot and didn't provide a very slick bearing surface. I could tighten the gland, but rudder movement would very quickly compress the packing and it would start to leak underway. So I made a 4" tall Delrin sleeve with ID just bigger than the 3" stock and OD to just slip-fit into the gland, then put 2-3 wraps of packing on top of that. Much smoother and no leaks. Then made a big Delrin bearing with flange to replace the little bronze collar on the top bearing, which really just provided vertical support.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but here's an old pdf that shows how the Yacht Specialties steering system and sheave box was supposed to work.
http://forums.beneteau.sailboatowners.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=48&act=down
These YS steering systems were pretty common at one time, so there's probably parts to be had at places like Don's Salvage in Tampa, where I would have found mine years ago.
If you want to try fabricating something, I have a really nice pair of NOS roller bearing wire sheaves that would make for a real slick steering setup.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

WOW!
Many thanks for taking the time to collect those pics and upload them. I can't tell you how much light that shed on the matter for me. The tabbed in spot for the stops you had tell me mine must be original. I am going to look at them and see if the surface was enlarged to stop the rudder sooner. My guess is yes. 

Is that sheave box you have bolted through the cockpit? I love the box and the simplicity of it, but after bad experiences on a past boat, I would be against putting any holes in the cockpit floor. 

The aft stay bulk head seems larger on yours than I remember, but i'll give it another look. The circle quadrant was a 10" so you only need 5 inches on that side and I thought I had it. Sure would be nice to pull a set of sheaves out for the mix. But I do wonder if there are any drawback to that setup vs. the classic quadrant. 

I am going up to the boat this weekend to pretty much measure everything I can get my hands on. My setup is harder to access since the PO built a metal frame and shelf around the quadrant so the aft area could be used for storage and not interfere with the steerage. I have to decide on a direction before it really starts to get warm. The base plate under the helm still needs to be purchased base on if I am going to use the same quadrant or change it. 

For the lower rudder bearing, I see some rust coming from the bottom support and I think it's just lower rod wear. After what you told me though, I may splurge and get the rudder Xray'd to find out if it's hiding any ghosts.

My rudder gland does not leak and feels pretty tight, but I have not looked super close at it. The force or the oversized tiller did seem to wear the top "bearing" more than I would like.

Do you have any pics of the sheaves you have? The major concern with mine is that the lip on the wheels seem to be worn to a razor edge for the wire entering and exiting at a bad angle.


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

talonawd91 said:


> WOW!
> The tabbed in spot for the stops you had tell me mine must be original. I am going to look at them and see if the surface was enlarged to stop the rudder sooner. My guess is yes.
> *My recollection is that I got a lot more articulation with the current setup than original*
> 
> ...


*Sure, I'll send some pictures.*


----------



## welljim (Jun 15, 2012)

So how do they sail after all?? How many degrees high do they point, and at what wind speed do you start motoring (at what point of sail)?

Do current owners think it would be possible to add a hard dodger, and relocate the mainsheet traveller on top of it? It may sound weird, but I have this obsession with hard dodgers for safety reasons (see offshore gales/storms). How much clearance is there between cockpit sole and boom? I'm thinking about something like this:

http ://s17.postimage.org/v6c1ljwan/dodger.jpg

(there is an added space between the "http" and the ":" as I don't have enough posts to be allowed to post links. Just remove the space when you copy the link to your browser)

How about the sink, not sure why it is not located in the center of the boat but the original location seems to be too close to the hull. Does it flood at high angles of heel?

Many thanks


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

welljim said:


> So how do they sail after all?? How many degrees high do they point, and at what wind speed do you start motoring (at what point of sail)?
> 
> Do current owners think it would be possible to add a hard dodger, and relocate the mainsheet traveller on top of it? It may sound weird, but I have this obsession with hard dodgers for safety reasons (see offshore gales/storms). How much clearance is there between cockpit sole and boom? I'm thinking about something like this:
> 
> ...


I don't know how to quantify it, but the nimbus points pretty well. I think the hull design is a pretty good compromise between racer and cruiser, with a deck design slanted toward racing. It's a wet boat with low freeboard.

In my opinion, a lot of the attraction in this boat is the ability to sail it like a much smaller boat; The boom is nice and low, the traveller is right in the cockpit kind of like a j29 and it is operated without a winch.

I think the cockpit coaming forward of the companionway would lend it self very well to a much bigger (wider) soft dodger, as opposed to the little snap-dodger between the companionway handrails. I would want it to have an arch just like the coming so it could be laid down flush with the deck when not in use, and be easily pushed forward to facilitate entry/exit like the original snap-dodger. Any other rigid design will _severely_ limit access to the companionway. The original little dodger protecting the companionway is held in place with bungee so that you can push it forward as you approach the companionway and then it will snap back into place when you let it go.
I often longed for a sheltered spot offshore in cold conditions, but I wouldn't compromise the design with a big hard shelter.There wouldn't be nearly enough room to move around under the enclosure unless you moved the boom up another couple-feet.

There are plenty of Hunters and pilot-house cruisers around if that's what you're after...

Yes, the sink can accumulate a bit of water at heel. Not enough to be a problem, but I'm not a fan of its location either. My plan was to close off the port access to the aft stateroom and put the sink right there next to the companionway. Water in the sink isn't a factor for me, but in my opinion, giving up galley space for a 2nd access to the aft stateroom is a bad compromise. I'd rather access the aft stateroom via the head, but some folks might not agree with me.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

I would suggest that putting a hard dodger on a Nimbus would be like adding two stabilizing wheels on a motorcycle. Or welding a hard top on a convertible sports car.

If you need to do that, consider changing boats. Look at a Nauticat. (Honestly.)

Or first, buy a good set of foulies (and a good wool watch cap, not the $1.99 kind) and some silk or polypro underwear, and see how much fun it can be to be outdoors, unobstructed, and still very much warm and dry! Honest, there is NO excuse to be cold and wet on a boat. And I say that having made any numbers of mistakes that left me cold and wet on a boat. I try not to make the same ones twice.

Or, similarly, a good Tilly hat, some lightweight sunblock clothing, and try to avoid those 100F days.

Mind you, I'm not saying dodgers and cabins are bad ideas--just that personally I don't like "the box" and would call it mutilating a flush-deck boat to add one that way.

The sink, that's another story. Either it is under foot, or, yeah, those problems are not limited to this boat. A good reason to keep that thruhull shut off when not in the galley, no?<G>


----------



## welljim (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks for the input guys, unfortunately for multi-week passages in the PNW (where I mostly sail) a hard dodger is a safety necessity. It just gets too cold even though we wear Mustang GoreTex survival suits (they are like breathable drysuits, even coast guard uses them). And it's not only the cold, there is so much spray that gets in the eyes that visibility is compromised. Crew fatigue is just too much without a hard dodger, especially during night watch.

Anyway, I get it, no space for a hard dodger on a Nimbus 42.

Thanks.


----------



## obelisk (May 23, 2008)

The Albin Nimbus is a 42' version of my Skye 51 and, personally, I would NEVER install a hard dodger. there is room for one but it destroys the lines of the boat, a point of pride for both Nimbus and Skye owners. my soft dodger has performed admirably in the worst conditions, including a 65kt blow off Cape Horn. there is plenty of room to get out of the weather while on watch and plenty of protection for an open companion way hatch while at anchor overningt. the ability to drop the soft dodger for an unobstructed view from the wheel when entering port, maneuvering in tight spaces or docking is invaluable. soft dodgers lay flat for times at dock, anchor or fair weather sailing and pop up in 20 seconds when the weather turns foul. see pictures below to compare the lines of the boat with and without the dodger.

with dodger up, the boat is functional but something has been taken away from her elegance.


















with dodger down, she is sleek and elegant


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

Dammit, Obelisk. Now I need a cold shower!

(There's something about those Scandinavian lines that jacks straight into my limbic system. We're planning a soft dodger for the Ballad, but we expect to go thru several mockups to find one that provides coverage while not totally destroying the boat's appearance.)


----------



## obelisk (May 23, 2008)

bob,

definitely go through several iterations before deciding on a setup--i focused less on the appearance while the dodger is up because, when it is up, it's all about utility, and when it's down, it's all about the lines. i selected a setup that utilized only two tubes for the structure. enough coverage for me (face it, i'm going to get wet in bad weather anyway because i can't bring myself to put a bimini over the cockpit!), very simple, easy to deploy and not very clunky when dropped on deck.

btw, where are you from in WY? i lived in jackson for 5 years in the mid-2000s


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

We're down in Laramie. Putting any sort of canvas on these boats is a tricky choice, agreed -- their low freeboard, gentle sheers, and wedge-shaped cabins makes it tough from both a practical and visual perspective. (Made worse by the Nimbus' odd companionway.) OTOH, these are wet boats & really need _something_ to keep the green water out. The Ballad has upswept coamings that both lend themselves to a dodger & make blending it to the lines somewhat tricky. Have seen sweet canvas:










and some attempts more labored:










To be fair, the latter dodger would look nice w/out the rest of the enclosure. There's the golf visor windshield:










the "off-the-peg":










and at least one hard dodger:










The smaller ones blend better, but there comes a point when it's too small to fulfill its mission. It seems like color choice has a lot to do with our perception of fit.


----------



## welljim (Jun 15, 2012)

It's a very pretty boat indeed. I posted a comparison question on cruisersforum which you can see here, I would be very interested to get your opinion either there or here on this thread.

Many thanks for your help.


----------



## welljim (Jun 15, 2012)

on the dodger design: how about à la Van De Stadt style? Maybe that of Samoa?


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

The Samoa47 looks like the dodger uses hard glass and is fixed in place, with the boom raised 3-4' above deck to work with it. Raising your boom would of course be an option as well.

We're going to see you on the History Channel out crabbing in the Bering Sea with that boat, aren't we? (VBG)


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

welljim said:


> So how do they sail after all?? How many degrees high do they point, and at what wind speed do you start motoring (at what point of sail)?
> 
> Do current owners think it would be possible to add a hard dodger, and relocate the mainsheet traveller on top of it? It may sound weird, but I have this obsession with hard dodgers for safety reasons (see offshore gales/storms). How much clearance is there between cockpit sole and boom? I'm thinking about something like this:
> 
> ...


Welljim,

I will have to agree with the others here on the dodger front. And this is coming from a guy who's only wish more for his boat would be one. I, like you, like the protection but on the nimbus, it's just not a workable situation. The lack of it is really not that bad when you have a soft dodger like the ones shown. On my transport of it back from Charleston NC, I would sit under the dodger, with my butt on the first stair. It came to be called the captain lounge. You can see lights and boats form there and still stay dry. In extreme weather, it would be nice to have a VanDeStadt style setup, but that's really a whole different boat. In the end I will settle for a manhole cover companionway that leaves me with the feeling that boat could be sealed up like a bottle and never take on water. One never has to fear the wash boards getting washed out and it filling down below. Them's the breaks.

As far as sailing ability, I would not know what to compare it to. I would say it points well, but is more tank than racer, but not much more. I find that although she is a wet boat, she slices the waves and moves through them without the usual sudden slowdown I have seen aboard other boats. Overall it's a compromise like any other boat, but it is one well struck preferring bluewater to all out speed.


----------



## bobmcgov (Jul 19, 2007)

There is the possibility of a simple windshield, like another wedge-decked line of Scandinavian boats is famous for: Najad.










It is visually less intrusive than large spans of canvas. Looks a bit out of place on a sailboat! Won't provide shade, but you can attach canvas to it if needed.



















Sigh. I simply love these Norther European boats, but half our refit is going toward making ours survivable in hot, sunny places. I've drawn the bloody line at a bimini. Here's a hat -- nice, big hat.


----------



## welljim (Jun 15, 2012)

How easily do they heave-to?

Thanks


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

welljim said:


> How easily do they heave-to?
> 
> Thanks


Not well in my experience. But then again, I've only tried it with a mostly-furled #2 jenny. I don't have any canvas for the inner forestay, but I suspect it may heave to a lot better with a storm jib on the inner stay.
They take heavy weather pretty well. With running backs set and the inner forestay the rig doesn't move around at all in a pounding. And double-reefed, the main will tack under the running backs.


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

wamcneil,

I vaguely remember you saying that you un crossed your cockpit drains and plugged the hatch cover ports. Is that true? With the un crossed drains do you ever get water coming back through the drains ?

-Jeff


----------



## wamcneil (Sep 20, 2011)

Right. I tore out a bunch of PVC pipe that was originally glassed up under the cockpit sole and replaced it with wire reinforced hose leading down to the through hull on the same side of the boat; teeing the front and rear drains on each side. 
Yes, a little water will come up into the aft corner of the cockpit when the boat is leaned over, but drains right back out again when heel is reduced and it's a LOT less then the amount of green water than gets trapped in there when the boat is heeled over in nasty weather.
When the drains cross over, it works beautifully... when the boat is level. Of course it doesn't matter when the boat is level...
But when the boat is heeled over, water has to go from the low side drain UP to the windward side of the boat, and that means that the water has to be pretty deep in the corner of the cockpit before it will even start to drain out.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

Hello,
This thread has been very helpful for me to get to know the nimbus 42. We are also interested in this boat. I have couple of questions; 
-Did anyone else check the rudder stock on their boat as it was mentioned that it only penetrated the rudder by 6"? 
- how is the headliner attached? Is it easy to access installed deck hardwoare?
- how are the chainplates attached? Bulkheads? How?
- any specific issues/areas to pay attention to when surveying? 
- Is there enough day light inside? I can't really find good photos of interior. 
- any issues with iron encapsulated keel? Or mast step? What does the bilge look like?
- what about thru hulls or seacocks? Bronze? Quality? How are they installed?


Thanks in advance,


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

capo said:


> Hello,
> This thread has been very helpful for me to get to know the nimbus 42. We are also interested in this boat. I have couple of questions;
> -Did anyone else check the rudder stock on their boat as it was mentioned that it only penetrated the rudder by 6"?
> - how does the headliner attached? Is it easy to access installed deck hardwoare?
> ...


My rudder was opened and resealed. The stock was a solid 3 inch rod, machines to a pintle tip at the end to fit into the shoe. overall the rudder needed 3 men to lift it. Needless to say, I did not experience the short rudder shaft issue.

Ours is not "stock" in many ways so it may not apply but our headliners were sections held up by velcro stuck to wood battens. This gave the space to run wires for overhead lights and such.

I find ours to have enough light, but I am not too picky on that front and feel if I want much more I go above deck.

I redid our chainplates so I know them well. The are over 4.5' long and 10mm thick on port and starboard, and they are bolted into a 2 inch thick structural member that runs fore and aft. I've never seen a chainplate set to serious. The forward plate is a pretty complex bent piece that again is bolted in by many bolts in the box. The aft plate is a simple plate. All were fairly easy to replace, but the bow was a machine shop special for shaping and such. I made the stay plates out of titanium so as to never have to do it again.

Nothing I can think of on the survey front and the keel has been a non issue and I think stays such on most of them built.

Bilge is nothing special, fairly shallow but does the job. it's not huge so that one has head room instead.

Can't speak to thru hulls that are OEM. We redid ours, and I can say each had a generous backing plate for mounting the new ones to.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

talonawd91 said:


> My rudder was opened and resealed. The stock was a solid 3 inch rod, machines to a pintle tip at the end to fit into the shoe. overall the rudder needed 3 men to lift it. Needless to say, I did not experience the short rudder shaft issue.
> 
> Ours is not "stock" in many ways so it may not apply but our headliners were sections held up by velcro stuck to wood battens. This gave the space to run wires for overhead lights and such.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the very informative response. She sounds like a good boat. Couple more questions.

- Few people mentioned "Taiwanese issues", what's that mean?
- Is there enough storage space at cockpit lazarettes? I can't tell from drawings.
- What about the engine? Did anyone replaced the pathfinder? Anything worth noting?

And more importantly does anyone know someone with an Albin Nimbus 42 around San Francisco Bay area or California? We'd like to visit one and see how she feels.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

The Taiwanese shipyards at that time (and I won't say all of them, but many) were known for cutting corners. In the larger Chinese tradition of "Eh, they're hairy eyed barbarians, what they don't know they'll still pay good money for" the yards were known to cut corners, use untrained labor, work in the wrong conditions, and generally make a product that LOOKED like it was supposed to look, but on taking it apart or subjecting it to years of hard use, you'd find things hadn't been done as spec'd.

Some companies had no problems, some yards had no problems, some took the step of having an on-site qc manager to make sure no corners were cut. (Which is STILL advised by many folks doing business with China, more so in the mainland.)

OTOH Albin was known for "North Sea" standards typical of Finnish yards, where a yard would have been horrified to hear that their hull was only 25mm thick if the spec had been 26.

A very different tradition behind the entire production force.

Personally, I'd always thought the Nimbus wasn't a Taiwanese build, but I'd certainly not the expert there. The old teak decks, and the many kludges owners have done to strip them off and "refinish" the fiberglass, might be more of a concern. New glass, or canvas coating in with resin, or some very expensive and extensive yard work..._Any _boat that has had a teak deak stripped off, can have some baffling leak problems. And back then, if it was glued down, the glue would be failing. If it was screwed down....Well, nice for the first 20 years anyway. Kinda like what some folks say about trophy spouses. (Of both genders!)


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

capo said:


> Thank you for the very informative response. She sounds like a good boat. Couple more questions.
> 
> - Few people mentioned "Taiwanese issues", what's that mean?
> - Is there enough storage space at cockpit lazarettes? I can't tell from drawings.
> ...


The lazarettes are not tremendous, but space in the areas around and below is HUGE. It could use some creative plywood installation, but then you would have lots of space for the not so often used items.

Ours did not have any of the taiwanese issues. Everything looked pretty high bar, but I think part of that may be due to refits along the way. The Hull it's self is VERY well built. The internals are not bad minus some non-marine plywood here and there.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

What's the headroom height? Especially in the living area.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

wamcneil said:


> I've got several working drawings of the Nimbus I got from Mike Kaufmann about 15 yr ago. If anybody is interested I could look into duplicating them, but they're blueprints and may not reproduce that well.
> I called him to ask what the rudder bearings and structure were supposed to look like, then faxed him my own drawings of how the boat was actually constructed. They differed substantially in some cases...
> He was very nice, and sent me blueprints.


Wamcneil,
I'll be interested in the drawings. I'm trying to figure out the design of the rudder shoe? I can't PM yet (less than 15 posts) please PM me if you still have the drawings. 
Thanks,


----------



## talonawd91 (Oct 2, 2009)

I'm interested in the drawings too. I'd chip in to have them scanned on a full size setup some where if that's an option. 

I'll look for pics of the shoe but I could take some more. And if you really really need it, I could pull the shoe and bring it to a CAD place to have them take measurements and make you a drawing on your dime. They are rare boats so I know how hard it is to get this stuff. We need to work together =)

-Jeff


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

In a major city you should be able to find a "reprographics" business. They make, copy, scan, print, blueprints and other oversize documents for the architectural and design trades, and will have no problem with 3'x4' and larger size sheets.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

I am so glad to have found this thread. I am driving down to Virginia tomorrow to take a look at a Nimbus, named Obsession. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she is not in horrible shape.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

She's been on the market for a while, so look carefully. Especially for leaks from the teak decking, which appears to be original and would be overdue for big maintenance.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

hellosailor said:


> She's been on the market for a while, so look carefully. Especially for leaks from the teak decking, which appears to be original and would be overdue for big maintenance.


The deck, of course, worries of me, although the photographs show the only remaining teak being on the side decks. It looks like the cabin top and forward have already been redone in fiberglass. The broker says there is no teak left on the decks, so either she is misinformed or the photos are old. Both are a concern.

I am also wondering why the boat has been on the market for so long. I will be asking some more direct questions to the broker, but may have to take a look for myself.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

I've met some brokers who were nice people. Interesting people. Good people. Knowledgeable people. It is just the ones who are unsure of whether a boat is a sloop or a yawl...the ones who don't know where or if the sails are stored...the ones who can't bother answering an email because, you know, it is SO HARD to do that these days....

Not knowing if the deck is or isn't leaky or repaired or teaked, is kinda like a home broker not knowing if the house has a roof on it, isn't it?

Could be the biggest problem is the broker, and it could be a fine boat.

I looked at one many years ago, and surprise! One of the floor beams literally had about 18" cut out of the middle of it. "Oh, no, that won't matter"...Uhuh. No, I really don't want to know about structural parts being removed and having to be rebuilt. Or about how and why a chainsaw got take to them in the first place.(G)


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

I took a look at a 1981 Albin Nimbus in Virginia yesterday. Very interesting boat. A helpful and knowledgeable broker, as well. 

The deck was redone more than 10 years ago. The non-skid paint that was applied needs a bit of help in a few spots. There is a bit of blistering on the hull but the blisters are small enough not to to worry me much. Mechanically, the engine looks good with 1,600 hours since the last rebuild. The mast and rig were new in 1996 and 1997. The boat appears to be have been reasonably well maintained, notwithstanding that she has been on the market for the last 3 years.

The most obvious problem with the boat is that the portlights and hatches leak. There is also leaking around the anchor locker forward. The cracked and missing caulking on the portlights is visible from outside. The hatches seem to have similar issues. That is the sort of work I could handle or I might want to hire a boatyard to take care of.

Obviously, there is a lot that surveyor with a hammer and a moisture meter might be able to tell me as well. Likewise, I won't know much about the engine prior to a sea trial and survey.

I am leaning toward making an offer. Anything obvious that I am missing?


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Three years, wow. I thought that looked familiar.

"The non-skid paint that was applied needs a bit of help in a few spots." Sp they fiberglassed over the foredeck but left the teak on the side decks? If so I'd expect that will also be a potential for more leaks, could be time to redo the entire deck. PITA to remove all the fittings and do that, I guess that all depends on the specifics. I _think _Albin used a curly plastic scrim, not wood, in the deck, so a moisture meter might not say much, as the water would be running through, not held and trapped. Dunno but a good surveyor might. I'd settle for either putting a fire hose on it, or doing a pressure leak test. (Send the broker out to a bar and tell him to have lunch while you're doing that.(G)

1600 hours can be nothing on a diesel, but three years of sitting around means checking how carefully it was laid up as well. If it wasn't fogged, the rings may have rusted, etc.

A new mast begs the question of "what happened?" and an 18-year old rig just means it is the normal time to have the entire standing rigging redone "need it or not". I wonder if the engine and mast were both replaced out of the same incident?

"the portlights and hatches leak. There is also leaking around the anchor locker forward." Plenty of threads on that. I've done both, and the only talent needed is taking care to make sure the new bedding compounds are chosen and used correctly. You *will* have to totally remove every one of them, clean the hull and flanges, and reinstall in order to seal them properly. If any need replacement or reglazing, that's the time. Hiring a yard to do it...a lot of labor and personally, I'm always a little gun shy of how well a job I can't see was actually done, by some guy who's main concern is the clock, not how dry I'll be in five years.(G)

No water damage below? All that beautiful Albin woodwork still firm and solid?

Figuring that any deck work, hatches, etc. will require adhesives or paint or caulking, most of which require "warm" temperatures...thirty days for a fast schedule of boat and engine surveyors...you're into September. Maybe another two weeks if you have a local rigger re-rig the boat before taking it home. (Your insurer will have requirements for a survey, and rigging age, yada yada) So you're pushing a window simply to bring the boat home this season, and then if September is typical for NJ, you may not be able to deal with the deck & openings until the spring anyway. Plan for some heavy tarps, and a month or two starting in April or May where you'd need to get the boat and the work started, not blocked in the back of a yard. (I'm guessing the broker warned the guy "If you don't sell it now, it will be here another eight months..."

Kinda like putting away a xmas present for yourself, you just have to remember that you won't be able to unwrap it until late spring, unless you find a good yard to do all the work "now now now" and take a chilly delivery back home. I'd hate to rush a job that big.

Do also make sure your surveyor knows Albin construction, and checks the rudder out of water. Even a hairline crack at the rudder post can mean internal water, and they aren't quick, cheap, or simple to replace.

Then again...What's the worst thing that happens if you pass? She'll still be up for sale in spring, at a lower price? (G)

I think a lot depends, in this case, not only on the condition of the boat, but more so on how much time and money you can put into it now, real hard and fast, versus stowing it "as is" for the winter, and the extra expenses of that.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

The brokerage photos show teak on the side decks, but, in fact, the only remaining teak on the boat is one small bit of trim on the stern. My guess is that the surveyor's hammer may be a better tool than his moisture meter when going over the decks, but we shall see. 

The engine will require a serious looking over in the survey. The boat has been on the hard for about a year, so it is likely that it was run a least at the dock more recently than three years ago. 

The new rig reportedly came about after the old mast was damaged by a commercial boat mover. At least that is what the records say.

The interior looks pretty good. A bit of cosmetic varnish work here and there but overall not bad. Regarding the port lights and hatches, I've done a lot of caulking and recaulking over the years, but I may or may not have time. 

If we do come to terms on price and the survey comes out OK, it will be interesting to see where I end up putting her. I haven't ruled out the Northern Chesapeake. Or if all goes well, I will put her to bed for the winter closer to home.


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Just keep in mind, caulking portlights and hatches is only a temporary fix. If they leak, they really need to be rebidded properly, and completely. Caulking is a step better than slapping duct tape over them, but just a short-term solution. 

Let us all know what happens.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

Agreed. When I said re-caulking, I meant rebedding. Running a bead of caulk is better than nothing but not by much.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

Just got back from the survey. Good and bad news. I am not sure what to do. The boat sailed very well during the sea trial. The engine looked and sounded good. The hull is in decent shape. 

The one big concern that could be the deal breaker is that the surveyor found pretty widespread moisture in the deck, as well as a few delaminated spots.

The old teak deck sheathing was removed and the deck reglassed and non-skid applied at least ten years ago. The boat has not be maintained in about three years. I know about leaks in the cabin from the port lights and hatches. I am reasonably sure that the caulk on deck fittings and stanchions is shot and probably a source of leaking as well.

If the core was balsa or plywood, I would definitely walk away. from this thread, I understand that the core Albin used is Divinycell foam, which may be somewhat more impervious to water. The decks themselves do not feel spongy from walking and bouncing around on them. 

The easiest thing to do is to walk away. On the other hand, I do like the boat quite a bit. Does anyone have any wisdom to offer?


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

As Tom Chapin used to say to his brother Harry during concerts, "That sucks."

Dinicyl, or whatever the plastic curlicues are, might be hard to match up if recoring. But then again, in theory it just gets wet but doesn't break down. Maybe you can find out from the maker?

If ALL the teak was removed, and the entire deck was re-glassed and done properly, there should be no more water intrusion and it should have dried out before being re-sealed. Unless they were trying to grow new antibiotics in there.

Question would be how is the water still getting in, how extensive the work will be needed to pursue that, because it undoubtedly will be leaking into the interior and making life, well, wet and moldy if nothing worse.

I'd bet the broker knew of this and was innocently playing dumb, nice guy.

Drying the deck out...sounds like removing all the hatches and hardware and leaving a blower running for a week or two might do it. Figure the cost of that, dead storage for the month, having a yard remove and reinstall all of that, and get an estimate for what what would come to. WAG is seven grand and I wouldn't be surprised to see ten, remember it should be indoors or tented to keep new rain out while that is done.

Then give Mr. Integrity your revised offer, deducting that price from the purchase price. And be generous to yourself as to making Real Damned Sure you've covered everything.

Of course, I'm just a hard character. I don't like sleeping in the rain, no matter HOW soft the sheets, or the water, are.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

RickSpil said:


> Just got back from the survey. Good and bad news. I am not sure what to do. The boat sailed very well during the sea trial. The engine looked and sounded good. The hull is in decent shape.
> 
> The one big concern that could be the deal breaker is that the surveyor found pretty widespread moisture in the deck, as well as a few delaminated spots.
> 
> ...


Just to let you know. We walked away from that boat. We didn't see it in person but we were serious. We found the broker to be dishonest. Those pictures posted on the listing are 10-18 years old. After a lot of hassle we got some recent pictures of the boat and to us it was enough to see the neglect and misrepresentation of the boat. If there was honesty involved, one could still consider it if the price was right to take care of her. I really like these boats and they can be a great value for the money but we got a different boat.


----------



## RickSpil (Jul 15, 2015)

capo said:


> Just to let you know. We walked away from that boat. We didn't see it in person but we were serious. We found the broker to be dishonest. Those pictures posted on the listing are 10-18 years old. After a lot of hassle we got some recent pictures of the boat and to us it was enough to see the neglect and misrepresentation of the boat. If there was honesty involved, one could still consider it if the price was right to take care of her. I really like these boats and they can be a great value for the money but we got a different boat.


I am sure that you were dealing with a different broker. The selling broker, Cori Williams, has been extremely helpful and forthcoming. She was originally unaware that the Yachtworld photos showed teak on the side decks, (which is easy enough to miss unless you are looking for it,) but did tell me in our first conversation that the Yachtworld pictures were old. She was candid about the condition of the boat overall. Overall she has done a good job.

I also am reasonably sure that the owner has become somewhat more realistic about the price of the boat over time.

Other maintenance issues notwithstanding, my one concern remains the damp deck core. That may or may not be a deal breaker.


----------



## capo (Apr 15, 2014)

RickSpil said:


> I am sure that you were dealing with a different broker. The selling broker, Cori Williams, has been extremely helpful and forthcoming. She was originally unaware that the Yachtworld photos showed teak on the side decks, (which is easy enough to miss unless you are looking for it,) but did tell me in our first conversation that the Yachtworld pictures were old. She was candid about the condition of the boat overall. Overall she has done a good job.
> 
> I also am reasonably sure that the owner has become somewhat more realistic about the price of the boat over time.
> 
> Other maintenance issues notwithstanding, my one concern remains the damp deck core. That may or may not be a deal breaker.


Yes. We were dealing with a different person. Good luck.


----------



## Albin42 (Jan 11, 2013)

All- going thru a thorough refit on Veela. New subfloor/sole, new windows, new interior veneer, new ceiling, new rigging, sails, etc. 
would not mind to compare notes with people that went thru this before - bfgtech.main at gmail.com
Btw i DID find the dreaded chinese newspaper under the deck near the main companionway


----------



## Soho (Mar 15, 2016)

Just adding my name to the list, I have an 1982 Albin Nimbus 42, located in Bermuda. Did extensive refit on her about 8 years ago and the journey continues on. Great sailing boat and we love her. Happy to answer any questions as appropriate. 

Have one of my own..... I get water under the forward berth tank, I think that the ingress is from the chain locker which at the forward end is not 100% sealed to the the under deck at the top, hence when healed over and with some water possibly coming in via the chain locker drain, I could see it sloshing up over this opening and then back down into the boat. I have tried to seal this areas in the chain locker, but probably did not do a good enough job, it is a hard area to get to. It has sort of compounded itself as I think the water has migrated from the area under the tank to along some of the stringers that run fore and aft as I am getting some leaking now from underneath the floor boards, sort of seeping up between them. the shallow bilges don't help. Anybody else seen this ?


----------



## captainrick (Jan 13, 2018)

we have owned an albin nimbus 42 since 1991 and have done over 30 trips to the north channel of lake huron. Last year we were their from june 15 to september 15. would love to talk with anyone who owns one. Cheers, Rick & Irene Scott


----------



## svGemini (Jul 19, 2002)

hello
Gemini here, Les and Diane, we have owned our Albin Nimbus 42 since 1994 and have cruised here for the last 19 years full time. Are you still active this site?


----------

